O/T Getting rid of cat fleas

[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

Just back in the UK and found that the cat and the house are infected with fleas.

I'm not sure quite how this has happened as the cat had his drops only about 3 weeks ago

So far I'm figuring the best plan of action is:

1. Shampoo cat and isolate from rest of house
2. Vacuum all floors (with flea collar in vacuum bag)
3. Apply flea killer to floors and upholstery, repeat after 2 weeks

Anyone else had this horrible problem and have any advice regarding method or which brands of flea killer to go for?

Cheers!

 

[nwgull]

I found that those electric flea combs are quite effective on the animal itself. Other than that get some good flea powder or spray from the vets or pet shop; shampooing a cat is asking for lacerated hands and forearms.

 

[Lord Bracknell]

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[Ⓩ-Ⓐ-Ⓜ-Ⓞ-Ⓡ-Ⓐ]

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But what to do with the house?

 

[Westdene Seagull]

You can get carpet shampoo that has flea killer in it.

 

[Wellesley]

Skin it.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

Fleas are nothing, our cats keep getting ticks, horrible bloody things.

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

I'm sure other cat owners on NSC will have good suggestions but if it really is that bad an infestation then it might be easier to get one of those aerosols or smoke candles that clear the whole house. I'm not a fan of using chemicals in the house but might be the best bet, but do take care to follow the instructions.

You have to vacate the place while the aerosol discharges and takes effect so is an ideal chance to take the cat outside and treat it thoroughly with a spray (good luck). Then have a really good vacuum, air the house and change the cats bedding etc. Don't leave any cat or human food lying about to get contaminated by the spray.

Then every couple of months use a sachet of preventative stuff that you apply to the skin on the neck behind the top of the cats head, so not distressing for it. We haven't had a problem for many many years and fortunately it was quite minor but even a brief problem is sufficient to make you want to avoid it happening again, not only for you but the poor cat too.

 

[ozseagull]

We took in a stray cat and the house got infested! My daughter had so many bites the dr diagnosed chickenpox. It was bad.
We tried the flea bomb canisters from pets at home but it didn't work.
In the end we used a flea specialist who sprayed the whole house. It worked a treat.
They were based in newhaven. I am hove and they had no problem coming over. I will try and dig out their number.

 

[Matrix10]

Just a word of warning, don’t use the cheap drops from some supermarkets, they do not work. The fleas are now immune to this type and my cat developed a reaction to the drops and the bites became infected.
I was lucky as my local vet took pity on me and gave my cat injections, six months supply of Frontline, and worming tablets and just charged 70 quid

 

[Seagull over Canaryland]

Yep, ticks and harvest mites are really unpleasant. The latter reduced my Mums old cat to a sore and bleeding mess within a day or two and is allergic to the treatment so takes him weeks to recover even after various trips to the Vet.

The little blighters are the downside if you live anywhere near open land and your cat is the exploring type.

 

[Trufflehound]

Have you tried playing them 'I Will Always Love you' by Whitney Houston? Surely no living creature could remain in the house throughout that?

 

[glasfryn]

good spray for the house and Frontline spot-on for the cat(s)
hot weather and flea's will be about ready to jump on just about anything

 

[Billingshurst Eagle]

We had the same problem a few years ago when returning from abroad.

The only effective way that we found was these flea bombs

Don't stint though, use one in each room and 2 in any large rooms.
Bonus is that they kill everything - spiders, flies and wasp nests. So any infestation is gone.

 

[The Antikythera Mechanism]

good spray for the house and Frontline spot-on for the cat(s)
hot weather and flea's will be about ready to jump on just about anything

Do you know any remedies for ticks? We live next to a wood and open fields so they're a constant problem.

 

[JTR938]

I hope you dont sit anywhere near me at the amex! (north stand middle)

 

[marshy68]

Go to the vet and get advocate its expensive but does work and is much better than front line - spray the house with flee spray = once the cat is protected by the advocate and the flees start to die you will see reduction in the flees as they will not be able to feed of the cat and they will all eventually die but this can take a few weeks - you must persist with the treatment over about a 3 month period.

When we moved into our house in brighton it was a flee pit from previous owners cats and dogs this does work you have to be persistent good luck

 

[glasfryn]

Do you know any remedies for ticks? We live next to a wood and open fields so they're a constant problem.

well while working with CP I was issued with a small hook to hook them out .....but I found it easier to use a pair of pointed tweezers, its all about twisting slightly and pulling at the same time
the worst one I came across was an Abbasyninian who we picked up in Woodingdean, I picked 40+ out of his forehead poor bugger, we assumed he came across the downs, never found the owner he was adopted (I secretly would have loved to keep him)

Go to the vet and get advocate its expensive but does work and is much better than front line - spray the house with flee spray = once the cat is protected by the advocate and the flees start to die you will see reduction in the flees as they will not be able to feed of the cat and they will all eventually die but this can take a few weeks - you must persist with the treatment over about a 3 month period.

When we moved into our house in brighton it was a flee pit from previous owners cats and dogs this does work you have to be persistent good luck

this is very good advice

 

[phoenix]

Rug Patrol on carpet and (material furniture) kills the buggers.

 

[The aloof gatekeeper]

That may be a bit extreme, so I swear by this: http://www.amazon.co.uk/product-rev..._top_cm_cr_acr_txt?ie=UT F8&showViewpoints=1

Got rid of my flea problem in a day; the blighters never came back either.