SO many fleas!!

I decied yesterday that there was a kitten that I had to save. I know these people that collect strayes. they have about 9 cats and don't get me wrong they are all taken care of, just not great. they get fed, a warm place to sleep, clean litter once in a while. but they all have fleas. LOTS of fleas. well this is not a house I usually go to but I stopped to ask a friend of mine something and on the couch was this little kitten that looks JUST like my Angel. and I picked him up and he curled up on me and just wanted to sit with me. well I was picking him up and looking at him and he had these awful fleas. so many I couldn't belive it and he was skinny and weaken you could just tell. Well I went home and had to go to bed for work and I couldn't sleep. I kept thinking about the poor kitten. so sweet and in that house. Well I realized that I had to take him. They are always willing to give away cats just not a select few. I talked with my ex and asked him if he would like to have his cat (who didn't like me) and went and got this cat. I took him from the house to the vet. He was all checked out and sent home with a clean bill of health. Not even ear mites I was amazed. but the FLEAS! I took him home and gave him a flea bath right away before meeting the other cats. and then gave all 3 biospot. but the fleas have not gone away I bought flea collors and have now washed all three. Demon went home with my ex and still had fleas. I just got back from walmart with a flea comb and spray. but I don't know what eles to do. Any ideas. Sorry for the long story!

Be careful with the Biospot - there have been warnings of it being toxic before, and I don't know if they've changed the formula. You would be better off staying away from the over the counter flea products (the bath, the medication, and the flea collars) and getting something from your vet, its just safer. Take your flea comb and fill your sink with warm water and Dawn dish detergent (this one specifically, and the normal Dawn, none of the special kinds). Get your kitten, wet the comb in the Dawn, and run it through his fur, rewetting the comb at every pass. That ought to get out and kill most of the fleas. Make sure you rinse the little guy well so he doesn't get sick from the Dawn.

I would take those flea collars, cut them up, and put them in your vacuum bag, then vacuum your house like crazy to keep the fleas from taking up residence in your home. Other than that, I have no other suggestions for you, but thank you for taking this poor little guy in! Best of luck!

Please contact your vet about flea treatments. Many over the counter products, including the collars can be toxic to cats.

Do not use OTC flea medications. They have made cats very very sick and even killed some. They are extremely dangerous. I would stay away from a "flea" bath too. Assuming you are useing flea shampoo or dip or something. All you need to do is bathe the cat in Dawn Dish soap and then comb the remaining fleas out with a flea comb. Then treat the cats with Advantage or Frontline FROM THE VET ONLY. Don't use any of the spot-ons from the pet shop.

biospot is the only stuff that I have found that acutlly works and I can NOT afford the stuff from the vet. I took him to the vet and he said to bath him and I told him I was going to use biospot and he didn't say not to so I believe him. My vet is an old man who has been doing this for YEARS he save my parents St. bernard in the middle of the night. He is an excellent vet.

I bought Zodica Carpet and Upholstery Spray we are going to use tomorrow. the guy assured me it would work and it was 20 bucks. for a little can of it. I'm homping that will nearly cure the problem because when I combed them I only find about 2-5 depending on how long and which cat. also I will be posting some pics of the new kittie on the pics forum!

I don't know anything about fleas (sorry!) but I just wanted to say I am so happy you rescued that little kitten! It sounds like when we got our kitten, I was so happy to take her home just to get her away from the place that she was at! Congrats on your new kitten and good luck with the fleas

Okay, you have given them flea baths, biospot, flea collars, and now a spray?

Cats have died from any one of these. All four is doing nothing but harming your kittens. If the fleas aren't going away, that is because OTC treatments are ineffective as well as dangerous.

PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE throw away all of these things and bath all your cats to get the poisons off of them.

Even the packages of these things say not to use them all together.

We are telling you this because we don't want your cats to die or have neurological problems.

The fact that your vet didn't say not to use ONE of these things doesn't mean that they're all okay, or that we're wrong. There are posts in this forum recently from people whose cats have developed serious, deteriorating conditions from a flea collar. We say this because we have seen what happens and don't want you to go through it.

ok I have had fleas before and gotten rid of them and the spray is for my carpet and couch and chairs. that is why it is called Carpet and Apholstery spray. besides that I belive that cats can get sick but you also have not read the lables of all the stuff like I have. I understand that you have read lables of other things but they may not be the ones I bought. I can not afford stuff from a vets office these cats are lucky to have there shots. I strain to pay for that. I can not afford the stuff from the vet I looked when I was there with him.

http://webpages.charter.net/javannalynn/

Pictures of my kitties.

I just want to say that we're not saying these things because of "labels". We've seen a lot of people come through these forums who have lost or nearly lost cats due to these products. We're just hoping to save you a world of heartache , and your kitties from some serious trouble, by warning you against them. Try searching for Hartz and Biospot on the forums, I know I've seen several very sad threads about them in the year I've been on this site.

well as I have said before. I can not afford the stuff from a vet. I really wish I could. I already buy them food I barley afford and same with litter. I try my hardest. I love them so much I just can't afford it.

The Dawn dish soap and flea comb combination really do work. And my vet sells Revolution at least in single doses for about $14 a dose. I believe some others on here have used one tube of the large dog Advantage administered carefully to several cats, which is also on previous threads. We know you love your little guys like crazy, we just don't want to see another thread from a grieving person wondering why their beloved friend is no longer with them. All of us here care about you and your kitties, and we don't want to see anyone hurt, from fleas or flea medication.

I also know you love your cats, nobody was implying otherwise. I know it's hard to afford regular flea treatments. When I first found Zissou I also used a flea shampoo, and then went to the vet, who imformed me that he has had cats die in his arms from the same shampoo I used.
Here is a thread from just last week regarding a flea collar and the heartbreak resulting:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...t=flea+seizure

If you cannot afford the vet treatments, you can do other things. Get some borax, a laundry additive you can find in the grocery store for cheaper than te potentially letal things you've already bought, and use that in your carpets and upholstery. Vacuum daily, and wash everything in hot water. Use the flea comb and go throug their fur with it, dipping it in soapy water. The adult cats can have a bath in the dishsoap as well, and it will help kill the fleas.

Honestly, a controlled flea problem that takes a little longer to get rid of is MUCH safer for your cats than using all these poisons on them.

It has been my personal experience (before I knew better by being on this catsite) that I actually spent more money on over-the-counter stuff that did NOT work to get rid of the fleas than it would have cost to get the SAFER, better stuff from a vet in the first place.

I really believe in the old adage - penny wise and pound foolish. Sometimes we end up spending far more by trying to save money.

For the safety and health of your kitten, please do NOT use all these products. You are overpowering his system with poisons. I feel so bad for the poor little thing.

So I was told today that I should leave the dawn soap on them for 20minutes. I DO NOT BELIEVE THIS! I don't want the messages saying not to do this I am not compeletly stupid. I just want to know how long I SHOULD leave it on for if at all.

I read what was said about the flea collars. and the problem seems to be this chemical Propoxur. and I have to say now that the spray I bought doesn't have that in it. It's called Nature's Guardan. the flea collars I bought also do not have Propoxur in them.

The problem in that particular thread with that particular product was, yes. That doesn't make any of the other things any safer. Essential oils are also toxic to cats, as they cannot metabolize them. I'm assuming there are quite a few of those in a flea spray called "Nature's Guardian".

So, have you decided not to use the other products anymore?

20 minutes sounds really strange to me as well... I'll let someone else answer exactly how long though. Just make sure you don't get their little heads wet during the bath! Good luck.

You don't let it sit, you simply lather them up and rinse thoroughly and comb them with a flea comb, then dry them.

What about salt? Pouring salt on the carpet. leaving in over night. would it hurt the cats at all? same with borax should the cats be else where?