Cat Fleas
Cat Fleas And Ticks - How To Control Them
By Liz Canham
Cat fleas and ticks must be controlled if life isn't to be a misery both for you and your pet and in this case, prevention is definitely better than cure!
It is an unfortunate fact that most cats (and dogs) will pick up fleas and/or ticks at some time if they are allowed outside or if a wandering cat is allowed into the house. Yes, even if your cat never sets foot outside your door, a stray may leave its fleas or their eggs behind in your carpet or on your sofa.
Even more unfortunate is that, despite protestations to the contrary, cat fleas will bite humans - believe me, I know from bitter experience. Worse, if left untreated on cats, their bites can become infected and the cat could suffer from sores leading to blood poisoning.
Don't imagine that cat fleas are only attracted to dirty cats, because that just isn't true. Like the myth that nits are only attracted to dirty human hair, it is just that - a myth. Any cat will pick up fleas if there is a flea about because they can lie dormant in a carpet or floorboard for months then in walks a cat and bingo, the flea will jump onto it. If anything, the eggs are worse because they are nearly impossible to see and when they all hatch out, you have a full scale infestation.
You will know if your cat has fleas because you will see very small, perhaps one millimetre length, brown creatures which can jump alarmingly fast and far, on your cats fur. Of course this isn't so easy if you have a dark coloured cat, but you may also see the fleas on your carpets and chair covers. If you have reached this stage of infestation, you really have a problem and you will need to spray not only the cat, but all your soft furnishings. It's best to get your vet's recommendation as to what you can use which won't cause further harm to the cat.
Ticks are less liable to spread and are more easily identifiable on cats, but are no less harmful to the cat, so don't ignore them. The most likely area to find ticks is around the cat's neck, so have a good look at the fur here from time to time and if you feel any small lumps, investigate further. There is a school of thought that says you should burn ticks or cover them in salt to make their claws retract, thus leaving nothing in the cat's skin. However, if you have ever tried to hold a cat for long enough to carry out this operation, you will know that it isn't practical and just pulling the tick off with your finger nails or a pair of tweezers is a lot easier. On cats, unless they've gone unprotected for a long time, ticks are usually quite small and easy to remove.
Notwithstanding all the above, by far the best course of action is to prevent your cat from catching fleas or ticks at all and there are plenty of methods for doing this. The best is a spot on liquid such as Frontline, which comes in measured doses and which you apply to the back of the cat's neck at monthly intervals. This is definitely the least traumatic for the cat of the sprays, powders, etc. which are available and also the most effective. You can, of course, use a flea collar, but many vets don't recommend these as the elastic in the collar can get caught in a branch then snap back and break the cat's jaw. There are hide collars which are supposed to break or at least stay open if snagged in a tree, but these are fraught with danger too.
It is definitely false economy to wait and see if your cat gets fleas, rather that treating it with a preventative, because you will not only need to buy expensive sprays to curb your infestation, but may well have to have your carpets professionally cleaned to get rid of any residual eggs, untouched by the spray.
Frequently Asked Questions
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QUESTION:
Cat Fleas?
Hi. My poor sweet cat has a very bad case of fleas. I have used the Zodiac products in the past and they have worked just fine but this year nothing seems to be working. The Zodiac medicines or the collars don't help. Any suggestions?-
ANSWER:
Zodiac isn't known for being a great treatment. Flea collars are known to be completely useless - they only treat the neck area, so fleas just stay away from the neck!Just switch to any veterinary spot-on: Frontline, Revolution or Advantage.
NB Revolution treats fleas, roundworms, ear mites and sarcoptes mites. It does not treat tapeworm.
Chalice
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QUESTION:
Cat fleas?
I think I either have springtails or cat fleas in my apt - my cat has been treated with frontline and I flea fogged the apt. I also had an exterminator in and the room in which they are most prominent, both I and the cat are staying out of. The apt is pre-war in NY - even after the exterminator the bugs came back. I've vacuumed them up, sprayed, and the exterminator is coming back on thursday. My bedsheets were laundered last time along with the duvet yet still these little pests are back. Any ideas for foolproof ways to get rid of a kinda mystery bug. (They're def not bedbugs or cockroaches on the say-so of the exterminator and from online pics they look to me to be springtails or fleas. About 3-5mm long and 1-2mm wide and jet black)-
ANSWER:
3-5 mm is large for a flea.
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QUESTION:
cat fleas....?
I have 1 cat 1 kitten and the kitten has brought fleas into my home. He arrived with fleas and we removed them and deflead the house and then suddenly they are back.. Why? We used tablets that are supposed to kill the fleas and have bathed the kitten twice and deflead the house but they are still here. My older cat whos 3 has a big chunk of hair missing from the back of his neck.. is this related? or if not what could this be?
I am currently trying salt in the carpets to de flea the house as i need home remedies if possible as flea treatments are expensive and my older cat reuses to be combed, sprayed or bathed.. im losing my mind and im so worried.. I know people will say go to the vets but i really cant afford it..Would a flea collar kill them and get rid of them but is it safe with the chunk of hair missing?
HOw can i stop them coming back i have so many hidden areas of carpet where the fleas could hide,
Home remedies for de fleaing please!!!!!!
Thankyou so much x
thankyou so much i have actually just ordered a 500g bag of borax of ebay so thankyou for those suggestions.. just adding has anyone heard of spreading salt around the house?-
ANSWER:
I had the same problem when my son brought our last two kittens in the house. It took a bit of persistence in getting rid of them. I don't know of any home remedy that actually works, but they have flea spray at Home Depot that comes in a huge white jug called Enforcer Flea Spray For Homes and is not very expensive. The trick is treating your house and kitten then doing it again around the time any new eggs would be hatching. Use a topical on the kitten, I don't recommend store brands they don't work well and can be dangerous.Oh and about the missing chunk of hair... I once had a cat that was allergic to fleas and got bald spots if he got fleas. Good luck and God bless!!
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QUESTION:
Cat...fleas?
This street cat has been around the neighborhood for yearsss....but since it is a st cat and sometimes i do see it scratch it self... i worry about fleas going on our outdoor furniture that it likes to sit on... also it likes to rub against my pant leg....and i dont want to be mean and scare him away.... is it a bad idea to allow him to keep doing this? what else can i do to make sure i dont bring in fleas or tape worms into my home and away from me?-
ANSWER:
bring it in your house, bathe it with anti flee shampoo. put a flee collar or that advantage stuff on it.that's the only way to prevent the flees on the cat.
i dont know how to keep it off your property though, which would be another option.
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QUESTION:
How can I get rid of persistent cat fleas?
Over a six to seven week period I have used two Advantage treatments and when these did nothing, I bought flea powder and flea spray (from vet's office). I have laundered and vacuumed until everything is spotless, and tried natural, organic remedies too, such as vinegar spray and lemon juice. Unbelievably, there are still fleas on my cat, Molly. Any suggestions?-
ANSWER:
I have had the same problems with my cats this year. I recommend getting a pill from your vet called 'Capstar'. It kills all fleas on the cat withing 24 hours. I followed that up with a dose of Frontline - also purchased from my vet - and it's kept fleas off my cats. I also spot treated my house from top to bottom with flea killers and flea bombs. Unfortunately I still find a flea or 2 in the carpet every now and then so the flea treatments have to keep up, but the frontline has been keeping them off my cats at least.Another suggestion that will at least help kill the fleas on your cat and provide a temporary protection is bathe them with dawn dish soap. My mom heard about that urban legend and it's what she does with her kitties and it has been effective for her.
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