CAT FLEAS - merged

BizzyBek

3 tubes of Frontline from petmeds.co.uk is £10.38 or 6 tubes for £17.28 and it's free delivery. You can go through quidco for a % cashback AND collect ipoints on the purchase.

missbargain

Hello,

I am a new cat owner, I have recently adopted a stray coming to my door. He is the most affectionate, sweetnatured, adorable cat I could wish for.

But I know next to nothing about cats, and I am terrified that he may get fleas. He is an indoor-outdoor cat.

Can someone, PLEASE, urgently tell me what do I need to do to prevent him getting fleas?
What tablets should he take and how often? Any other advice, please.

Apologies if it is somewhere on this thread, but it is very long, and I didn't see it.

I read stuff on the Net, but it is mostly about fighting fleas, rather then preventing them.

Very grateful, new cat slave, MB.

rita-rabbit

Um - if you have adopted a stray I think it's too late for prevention! Are you sure he is a stray & not a cat whose owners don't put a collar on him? Some cats with owners & homes get a bit greedy & will supplement the `home food' & eat elsewhere - or he may be planning to adopt you & leave his current owner - just a thought

missbargain

Hello Rita,

Well, he is not exactly 100% stray, he came to us before, and loved it in our home. We returned him to his owners (the chip). He came back again after a few months, this time without his collar, and wailed and scratched on our door like crazy. We called owners again, and again, no reply from the owners. No notices, no note through our door (they know where we live), nothing. This has been going on for two months now, so we adopted him. We wonder whether they left him because of the credit crunch (read in the papers about that), or maybe they moved away. Don't know. He is amazing, the most loving , affectionate, good natured cat one can hope for and is totally settled with us.

I have already spent fortune on him (very willingly), had cat sitters when we were on holiday, I buy him the best food out there, tone of toys, pet him and play with him A LOT. He sleeps between us (did that from the first day, he just jumps in between us and doesn't budge until we get up). But now is the time for the less pleasant stuff, eg. fleas.
I have read on the internet some scary stuff about them, so I am in a hurry to treat. I haven't noticed any yet, but I did notice some black, pepper like stuff on the floor, and I am worried that this is flea dirt, but I am not sure, could be just the sesame seeds!!!
I have ordered Frontline over the Net, I hope that this will prevent the !!!!!!s. Seems to be the stuff I need, what do you use?

rita-rabbit

Well done you for saving this poor kitty (some `owners' should be ashamed of themselves)

Stronghold at first, now I am trying Advocate (fingers crossed). The Tom hunts & also suffered with ear mites - I have been advised that the latter will cover:
fleas
earmites
all parasitic worms

missbargain

Thank you so, much. I am waiting for the cat carrier I ordered to arrive, so that I can take him to the vet. I heard about Advantage before, I'd like to try it if the vet has it.

I have to admit, I had no idea how much only one cat needs: a carrier, catflap, tray, litter, food, insurance, toys, comb, cat sitters, medicines..... the list seems endless! Before I had him, I just thought he needs some food flopped in front of him, hehehe, how wrong I was!

But I've had him for two months now, and he is so wonderful, I simply adore him. I would spend on him before I spend on myself! That's scary, I have postponed buying some stuff I want, so that he can have all the bits and pieces he needs.

And this forum is great, I don't know what I would do without it, so much great advice! Thanks again, off I go to give him a hundreth cuddle of the morning

rita-rabbit

I agree - this site is FANTASTIC for all manner of tips!

You don't have to buy everything immediately (litter equipment/parasite stuff/scratching post & food r the main essentials) - worth checking the site for info cheapest place(s) to buy EVERYTHING cat needs.

Well done, enjoy & good luck )

mickeyglon

Hi everyone,

this is my first post. I've been looking at this thread with interest and doing some Googling and emailing friends and I've just been told about this free information site which seems to deal with most aspects of Pet Fleas and getting rid of them it covers some natural methods as well as chemical ones, but they all seem to need time and elbow grease to work. If you are interested it starts with a page on Advantage here http://www.fleas.bizorium.com/info/index.php but you can link down the left hand side to lots of useful topics.

Good Luck to all the posters who've also got flea problems.

Michelle

KxMx

Never buy products from the supermarket. Always go to the Vets. The Stronghold we were given not only got rid of the fleas on my cat, but my carpet which had been treated throughly and properly with at least 4 large canisters of shop powder!

kayaitch

BizzyBek wrote: »

3 tubes of Frontline from petmeds.co.uk is £10.38 or 6 tubes for £17.28 and it's free delivery. You can go through quidco for a % cashback AND collect ipoints on the purchase.

I also recommend a site called Vet UK where we order Frontline Spot On - can't remember the price exactly but I do recall it was half the vet's price, moneysavers!