Beeker

Hi all

I have a friend that has a bad flea problem. He has 3 cats, and when we tried the top spot stuff, they just lick it off eachother. Please help, one of my other friends has gotten Lyme Disease, and we do suspect that it was from the fleas which are carriers of Lyme as well as ticks. Things are getting really bad.


(I am so happy I only have fish!)

bolivianbaby

Hopefully someone will be along soon that can help you with this. My dogs don't get fleas because they're on some medicine and their heartworm preventative has something in it to kill fleas or something like that.

lorabell

ok hers some ideas( iI used to own a pet store and currently have 11 dogs and 3 cats)...first they need to vacume,vacume,vacume like a crazy person and get RID of vacume bag DO NOT LEAVE IT IN THE VACUME(flea eggs will hatch inside) then vacume some more,it will be hard but DAWN Dish liquid ( THE BLUE ONE) is safe for pets,and it will kill flease oncontact ...bathe all the animals,when they r compleately dry,..the best stuff in the world is frontline ,fronline plus,or any of the advantage products,these are only available fron pet store or vet...none of the things offered in regular storesare any good...if its beyond that u may consider having an exterminator to really do the job..I treat all of my animals year round,its only 1x a month (usong these things) and thankfully have never had a problem...good luck!!!!!

Beeker

I see that Comfortis is a chewable but it is for dogs. My friend needs a chewable for cats. We are at our wits end with this. Also, trying to find a diplomatic way to tell him that something needs to be done about this. My friend with the Lyme Disease is, of course, and rightfully so, furious.

Thank you lorabell, for your info, but these are cats that do not allow themselves to be bathed. That is out of the question. Also, the topspot medicines don't work for these cats. If we can get it on them, they lick it right off eachother. We need a chewable.
Yes, I have researched Lyme Disease, and fleas can carry it.

lorabell

I forgot this....ticks bring lymes disease...not fleas

sirdarksol

Lyme disease can be spread by insects as well as ticks. Ticks are the most likely source of transmission, but transmission from fleas cannot be ruled out. Lyme disease comes from rodents, is picked up by the ticks (or other bloodsucking animal), and then is passed on when they feed. As the Black Death showed us, fleas are also very much capable of passing illness from rodents to humans.
This may not be a likely source of the disease, it should not be ignored, either.

As far as getting rid of the ticks, give all of the cats flea baths, and bathe them all one right after the other. As was said above, vacuum. Vacuum everything. Anything in the house that can go in the washing machine should be washed. Putting some cedar in the places the cats (and people) like to sleep will help drive the fleas away from their food source.
There are also some insecticides that are rated to kill fleas. If things are really bad, you could bathe the cats, move them somewhere else temporarily (like your house... put them in a room with a freshly cleaned litter box and some food), and spray the house (follow directions exactly and get parental permission/help if your friend isn't the adult of the house).

Beeker

How do you bathe a cat? I cannot even spray these cats with flea spray! They still have their claws and enjoy using them, as well as their teeth.
The owner is, honestly, neglectful. I don't know when these cats were last seen by a vet. One of them has been quite ill with loss of fur, sores, welts, hind legs almost paralyzed, and quite lethargic. Now, he seems to have recovered. A change in is diet to include a higher fat content seems to have helped, but I don't know what ailed him, or why he is better. That is what leads my friend with LD to believe the possibility that he may have gotten it from a flea bite, but without taking that cat to the vet, we cannot be sure.

Beth1965

Couple things...
IF you need to bath the cat (s) put on long sleeves and gloves that can't be scratched through. It can be done, perhaps not pleasantly but it can be done.
In my area, last year Frontline didn't do jack. Groomers reported it as well as vet offices (me too).
IF you go through the trouble of getting rid of the fleas and or ticks from the cat (s). It will do no good whatsoever unless you treat the entire house.
BEth
And good luck, it can be a never ending battle if it's not under control to begin with

Butterfly

This would work to get them off the cats. One pill usually works, although I've never had to use more than one they are safe to use daily. The fleas are dieing when they come off the cat. To prevent reinfestation everything that can be washed needs to be washed at the same time. All floors need to be deeply vacuumed.
http://www.drsfostersmith.com/produc...m?pcatid=11744
carol

Gouramiguy17

ok i think it might work, get a cookie sheet and fill it with 1cm of water and take a night light and leave it on 24/7. put the tray under the light. change the water every day. ok the fleas need go towards light so they jump towards the light and they fall into the tray of water and drown.

Beeker

Thank you Beth. I guess some long leather gloves and a long sleeve chain mail shirt will do the trick!
Thank you butterfly. That looks good. I read somewhere that it should be used with Novartis Program. What are your thoughts?
I also found some plants that are natural flea repellents. I can plant some lavender around and maybe some mint.
I think some mice brought the fleas in. There is also a problem with squirrels in one of the walls. The building is old and the heat vents are open to the dirt in the crawlspace under the floor.
This looks like it will end up being a big project. I think he may have to fog the crawlspace and the bedroom. Maybe he should just tear the building down and build a new one.
My friends and I are hoping we don't bring any hitchhikers home with us.

Butterfly

At the time I used Capstar I had a kitten that was severely infested and was too young for the other flea meds. This is what my vet gave me to get them off the kitten. Of course if the environment is infested they will go right back on the cats after a bit.
As for plants that help repel fleas... Pennyroyal, lavender are helpful.
Carol

Beeker

Butterfly, that sounds like what I am looking for. Did your cat eat it willingly? Did you have to hide it in food?
Thank you for the plant advice. I have gone onto the UBC forum to ask for advice about plant placement and other issues.

Butterfly

Broke it into a bit of p-nutbutter and he scarfed it right down
You will be able to see the fleas falling/jumping off but the Vet assured me they would die and they did.
Carol

aquarist48

Good morning. I'm with Lorabell. I use Advantix on my dogs and my indoor cat. Also the cat goes to the beauty shop every 6 months. (Persian) It's the only way to keep her hair from matting so badly is to have her shaved. She'll bite and scratch me if I do it, but the groomer says she's good as gold for her. It's not easy to find someone that will groom cats. My groomer does my cat but no others. Costs $40.

sirdarksol

What you described could have been lyme disease, which would help explain why a friend got it... if a flea bit that cat, then bit your friend right after, it would explain it.
Those cats should be seen by a vet. They might be carrying the disease and not showing symptoms right now.

I've given clawed cats baths before (all of my cats are still clawed). I wear several layers of long-sleeved shirts, heavy jeans (in case I drop an angry cat), and heavy-duty gloves. I always get hurt, but never badly. Just make sure you wash and disinfect any wounds.

jclee

I've heard that one of the reasons Frontline isn't working too well these days is that, over a few years, fleas build immunity to flea treatments, and frontline is hitting that point, where its formula needs to be changed a little bit. (I wouldn't give up on it completely; I'm sure it'll be sorted in a year or so?) I don't know if Advantix is at the same stage, since I assume it's a different cycle. Do be careful with OTC flea remedies. I remember a scare a few years back where Hartz flea products were actually toxic to the cats they claimed to treat, so try some online research before treating these cats.

Also, I don't want to sound mean, but if you really feel the cats are neglected, it might be worth an anonymous call to your local SPCA to have them look into it. I know it's awkward when a friend is involved, but think of how much good it would do for the cats. And they wouldn't necessarily know that you'd made the call... It sounds like they have more problems than fleas, and a vet trip really would be the best idea.

wooza

I have a cat and dog and the best thing I have found by far are flea collars. The ones I buy last six months and they never have a flea on them at all.

sirdarksol

A good suggestion, but I do have a question: Are your animals exposed to fleas?

I ask this because I don't do anything for flea treatment, and I've never found a flea on any of my cats... but then again, all of my cats are indoor cats and never come into contact with other animals.
Also, what brand of collar do you use (as all flea collars aren't made equal)?