A question for DU cats and their humans

[medea]

Hello DUers. I'm a self-professed lurker who doesn't pop up much, but I was taken with how many cat lovers there are here and decided to ask my question.

My little Star is having a horrible time with fleas. She gets the same collar/bath treatments her brother and sister receive, but it doesn't seem to help her as much. The poor thing is always scratching.

Now, as a member of the working poor, I can't afford anything super high-priced, but I do worry about her and wondered if any cats or their humans had some advice for poor Star-kitten.

I was tempted to include a picture for the sympathy factor, but it's hard to pin her down!

medea

[Taverner]

1. Advantage and Frontline work like a charm

However, they are expensive...

1-800 Pet meds sell them a little cheaper, but not by much...

Other than that, flea shampoo and collar are your best bets

[medea]

4. I've heard that before

alot of people swear by Frontline...maybe I'll just bite the bullet and buy it!

medea

[Taverner]

18. Its expensive, but it makes your cat into a walking flea bomb

so you will get bit by fleas less too

just make sure you put it in on a spot on your cat where he or she can't lick.

[Submariner]

2. I have always heard good things about frontline

http://www.1800petmeds.com/pselect.asp?LV=201&PG=Frontline%20Plus

[Ksec]

3. Frontline

You can buy a months dose for 15 bucks at the vet.

Its a godsend to this household where we have two dogs and two cats. Frontline is the best thing to come along in years of flea fighting.

[Avalux]

5. It may not be fleas alone -

Since Star's brother and sister get the same treatments and are OK, Star may be having an allergic reaction to the fleas causing her to skin to become irritated and itchy even after the fleas die. Are there scabs on her skin?

At any rate, I'd take her to the vet and get it checked. She may need antihistamines to control the irritation.

[Sanity Claws]

7. That's what I'm thinking too

That happened to one of my cats.

[Ksec]

9. forgot to mention.

If you cant afford the vet you can (in most cases) just walk in and buy it without an appointment.

I just go to my vet and buy it straight from the receptionist. If Im hurting Ill buy a single dose at a time or you can get multi paks for around fifty bucks.

[Ksec]

12. be sure to ask for frontline Plus

It kills eggs and larvae also.

[Ksec]

15. My Lab is also allergic to fleas

You have to treat it quickly before they dig themselves raw.

Once you rid yourself of the reason for the allergies, itll heal. At least my Lab did. You may need some meds if it has progressed

[Terran]

6. Do not use a Hartz anti-flea product

Hartz has been widely associated with animal deaths from their flea collars and other products. I don't know how well this is documented, but just the same, I have never used their stuff. There's a site called hartzvictims.org.

IMO, the best way to keep your cats flea-free is to keep them indoors. That may not be do-able for you at this point, and if not I guess I would recommend frequent and regular combing with a flea comb, which you buy cheaply at any pet store. I've got three cats and they do not step outside. And there are some pretty good herbal formulation collars and powders that I used years ago when I did have indoor-outdoor cats.

[medea]

11. Good advice all

My babies are all indoor cats, and get regular combing both from an everyday brush and a fine-toothed nitt comb. I hadn't heard that about Hartz, but I did read the eucalyptus pods and oil were good for flea prevention. I just haven't found a product I like.

medea

[SOteric]

8. Fleas tend to infest bedding and carpeting, too.

It might be that the bedding that star sleeps in, or the upholstery or carpeting near her favourite haunts is the root of the problem. I found that my vet carries an inexpensive spray for carpeting and upholstery. Kills the fleas and the eggs and prevents reinfestation for up to a year or more.

You'll have to figure out what to do with the cats for an afternoon, 'cause they're supposed to be kept away from it for 4 hours or so, until it's dried. After that, - it's all good.

[LynneSin]

10. I was just going to recommend the same

check to make sure the house is clean!

[medea]

14. We've got that scheduled!

The babies have a date with the basement this Saturday while we spray and sweep. As for bedding, she's fond of pizza boxes, brown paper shopping bags, and the glass-topped dining table!

medea

[kedrys]

13. We swear by Advantage

When we rescued the triplets, they were on the brink of death from flea anemia, and the vet gave us Advantage. They weighed about a pound each, and were feisty but weakening. A day after we gave them the stuff, all the fleas were dead, and we didn't find any in their bedding or the carpet past three days later. Evie, Socrates and Plato turned 4 in April, and weigh in at a combined 48lbs.

None of the other cats we ever had to treat suffered any side effects whatsoever. Advantage is expensive, but well worth it.

[medea]

16. Price estimate?

n/m

[kedrys]

17. Last time we bought it, it was something like $60 for 6 doses

It's cheaper if you buy lots, rather than by the tube. Also, there are several dosages, calibrated according to kitty's weight, so make sure you get the right one. Any vet should be able to help you with that.

Good luck! :hi:

[Lisa0825]

20. PLus, they usually last more than a month...

I stretched my kitty's doses out to 7 weeks each, almost doubling how long the batch lasted.

[Lisa0825]

19. Check with a local shelter....

The shelter I just joined as a volunteer offers lower prices on products and services.