Fleas - can anyone offer a bit of advice?

[Lottie]

I'm sorry, I know that there have been a lot of cat threads recently and this one is definately not going to be one of the more interesting ones .... BUT, I would really appreciate a bit of advice if anyone can see if I am missing anything.

I took Claude to the vets yesterday for a booster and while he was there he was weighed and the vet gave him a general look over. She found quite a bit of flea dirt in his coat. After a really thorough inspection neither of us could find a single flea, just flea dirt. I saw a few bits a couple of days ago when I was grooming him but I thought it was just dirt from outside.

We were using Frontline Combi until I found fleas on him in September last year (I think I was a little late in the August application), as soon as I found them I treated him with Capstar, changed my flea treatment and got a professional in to spray the entire house, (two treatments, one month apart to be sure) because my assumption is that whatever is on the cat must be the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the house.

I don't know what to think about this, Claude is treated with Advocate every single month without fail (its on the calendar so I never miss a month) and I keep some Capstar in the cupboard just in case. I also keep a flea collar in the hoover drum.

Claude has a catflap and is allowed outside, we live in quite a rural area and I know he spends hours snoozing in the long grass in my neighbours garden so he definately comes into contact with them. My Vet thinks that we must have fleas in the house but I can find no evidence of this and really don't see how that can be possible - I don't think there is anything else I can possibly do to prevent them!

Am I missing something? I mean it when I say I never miss a month with the Advocate. What would you think if you were me? I don't want to get the sprayer in again to fill the house with fumes for no reason.

 

[Matata]

If your cat has fleas, your house has fleas. Fleas spend little time on the host animal; primarily jumping on for a feed before more eggs are laid. They spend most of their time in dark moist areas and that's usually where they lay their eggs. The best solution is to keep your cat indoors or build/buy an enclosure with a solid floor. It's better than continually dosing your cat and now your home with chemicals. Most flea products kill adults but not eggs so if you choose the chemical route for your house, make sure you find one that kills eggs too.

If you don't want to use chemicals, you'll have to clean floors and vacuum all fabrics (furniture, bedding, etc) daily to suck up the eggs. You can also sprinkle diatomaceous earth on carpets & furniture for a few minutes before vacuuming. It will pierce flea bodies & eggs and help to kill what the vacuum doesn't catch. You can't sprinkle and leave it because it can cause lung & skin irritation to humans & pets.

 

[davi_el_mejor]

The flea medication doesn't put a shield around the cat, so outside or inside a flea can jump on her and start drinking, start pooping, then die.

That's my hypothesis at least

You can try food-grade DE as a dust bath for him too. Research it for yourself to see if it's a good fit for your cat and household

 

[stargurl78]

I've not sure if the brand of the flea treatment matters but I've heard that Revolution and Advantage were the 2 most recommended kinds. Maybe try switching treatments?

 

[Maisie]

I read you can check to see if its really flea dirt by putting the black stuff on a piece of white paper and wetting it. If it goes red its flea dirt, if it stays black/brown its just mud. I'm not sure if it works though.

 

[Tacori E-ring]

We had fleas terribly (DH would let a stray cat in b/c he felt sorry for her ) We had to get a pest company b/c they were EVERYWHERE. Fleas are such a PITA. Hope you get rid of them soon!!!

 

[iLander]

There's an Adam's flea spray for your lawn. That is a big help, it goes on the end of your hose and you spray it.

Or you can put a collar on the cat. We have all those chemicals in our cat, but the fleas have to get pretty mature to actually bite the cat and get killed. So the collar will kill them while they are little. And we have one on his cat perch.

I know the dog's K9 Advantix II actually repels fleas, which is what you want. Maybe ask your vet about something to repel fleas?

(Here's a dog flea formula chart if anyone needs it; http://www.drsfostersmith.com/pic/article.cfm?aid=325)