Tips for my cat?

Queenie · 6 May 2005 at 11:00AM

Any tips for flea control? (Haven't the foggiest where he even got them from!

) I bought an expensive flea collar, but that doesn't appear to have done any good + commercial flea powder. Any EO that might help or other homemade remedies?

He is an "indoor cat" (no debating that please) and this is his first summer with us. I need advice/tips on how to cope to prevent him escaping when windows/doors need to be open for air

He believes himself to be joined at the hip to me, so it's actually going to be quite a task! Even when I go out to do a bit of gardening, he cries like he's been abandoned/starving/abused/neglected.

He's one year old if that's relevant.

TIA

Not sure where to post this, so please move to appropriate place if needbe.

Edinburghlass_2 · 6 May 2005 at 11:03AM

Avon SSS

....

Galtizz · 6 May 2005 at 11:04AM

Avon's Skin so soft (or whatever it's called now) have a look at THIS thread

Edinburghlass wrote:

Posted from Saint_Chris on the numerous uses of Avon SSS, some of these are useful for cleaning.

S-S-S is useful for loads of other things just look at this list.

USE’S FOR AVON’S ‘SKIN SO SOFT’
8. It’s a good repellent for people and their pets

Jinx wrote:

AVON skin so soft has new packaging and names, the original Woodland Fresh is now 'Soft & Fresh' the dry oil body spray you need is product code 25742, currently £2.50 a bottle in current campaign 8.

I'm an Avon rep and my customers seem to swear by it!! There is also the body souffle, bath oil, foam bath and soap if you want the whole soft & fresh experience!!!

Avon S-S-S the new vinegar? :think:

catznine · 6 May 2005 at 11:10AM

I've had cats all my married life and found that the frontline spray from the vet is the most effective at dealing with the problem. It is a bit pricy though!
Just spray on cat (to do this first corner cat in room with no exits

) Cat will not be best pleased! Do not expect to be forgiven for quite some time! When cat finally comes back (after long huff behind settee) try combing you should be able to remove some of the corpses.

Good luck Queenie!

Eliza252 · 6 May 2005 at 11:14AM

I also agree with the 'Front Line' suggestion - our cat has terrible problems with fleas, she's actually allergic to the bites and it brings her skin up in terrible lumps - frontline clears this up almost entirely, well worth the money..
we dont have any problems with keeping our cat indoors - we usually have to prise her off the radiator to get her to go out occassionally!!

coffeebean · 6 May 2005 at 11:14AM

Wouldn't want to attempt to wash our cats with SSS! :eek: or the dog! The very best thing is Frontline, you have to get it from the vet, just pop in & ask for it then you don't have to pay for a consultation. It's not cheap, but it really, really works. I've not found anything else, chemical or otherwise that works half so well. It comes in a spray, or in capsules that you squeeze onto the animal's skin.

ooops, sorry, posts crossing!

Jay-Jay_4 · 6 May 2005 at 11:21AM

catznine wrote:

I've had cats all my married life and found that the frontline spray from the vet is the most effective at dealing with the problem. It is a bit pricy though!
Just spray on cat (to do this first corner cat in room with no exits ) Cat will not be best pleased! Do not expect to be forgiven for quite some time! When cat finally comes back (after long huff behind settee) try combing you should be able to remove some of the corpses.

Good luck Queenie!

The stuff from the supermarket and pet shop just doesn't touch the little blighters.

I used to get the Frontline drops from the vets for my two. It's a little blister pack of liquid that you drop onto the back of their neck, it's expensive but really works and was by far the most effective stuff I ever used. I think that you get about 4 applications in a pack so it's not that pricey when you work it out.

I'm presuming that the drops aren't as 'hate inducing' as the spray so that would be a plus point

After you've Frontlined them you can keep them at bay with a drop of Tea Tree Oil on the back of the neck. You may not need to use the Frontline again unless Puss has another bout of fleas, if he's an indoor cat he may not get them again.

Lillibet_2 · 6 May 2005 at 11:30AM

I'd echo this, Frontline drops are the only effective long term treatment I've found. You may need to treat your carpets too, I get the carpet spray from the vet with the drops, it is expensive (about £18 2 years ago I think) but one can is enough to treat our whole house for a year, it has a long shelf life if you don't use it all & it works, unlike cheaper stuff from the pet shop:j

As for where he got them, he may have carried the eggs into the house with him when he first arrived & they could have been laying dormant (upto 7 years!!!) waiting for the right conditions to hatch in. The carpet spray will kill any unhatched eggs too.

Curry_Queen · 6 May 2005 at 11:37AM

Yup, Frontline is the best way to go and you'd need to get it from your vet. As you've only got the one indoor cat you might be better off getting the drops than a bottle, as it would go out of date long before you could use it all. I had to recently throw away half a bottle full as it had gone out of date (approx 2 yr shelf life) and I use it on 2 cats and also a snake that had mites last summer, but like you my cats are indoor cats so a couple of sprays a year is sufficient to keep them at bay.

Remember that even though your cat isn't going out to pick them up that you can bring them indoors on your own clothes, either from the garden or if you visit friends that have cats etc and if he currently has fleas then they will also be living in your home, in carpets, soft furnishings, near radiators etc. You can treat the home with a product called Nuvan Staykill, again available from vet, if you think you have a problem with them.

Good luck and hope you get rid of the little blighters

Edit: sorry, cross-posted with Lillibet which has reminded me, this time of year is when fleas will be hatching out all over as the weather gets warmer so get them blasted NOW before they go on to lay more eggs

While I think on, he may also need worming, assuming you haven't already done that (or may have used supermarket products

) so while you're at the vet getting Frontline ask for a Drontal wormer tablet (around £2) which will get rid of any internal nasties he may have too

Jay-Jay_4 · 6 May 2005 at 11:40AM

Lillibet wrote:

I get the carpet spray from the vet with the drops, it is expensive (about £18 2 years ago I think) but one can is enough to treat our whole house for a year, it has a long shelf life if you don't use it all & it works, unlike cheaper stuff from the pet shop:j

Ditto that!

I used to get a huge can (it was black, white and red with a funny sprayer) from the vets which did my whole house a couple of times.

When my cats got fleas I cleaned the whole house then sprayed every carpet, sofa, corner, cushion and under the furniture. Then I closed all the doors and went out for the day, when I came home I gave the house a really good hoover.

Combined with the fronline drops I ridded the cats and the whole house of fleas in one day. (not that we saw any fleas anywhere else apart from on the cat).

beadysam · 6 May 2005 at 11:41AM

Hiya,
Our cats used to be indoor, but somebody brought their dog to visit and we got fleas. We used Frontline drops - much easier and more effective (I find) than the spray. We also got a household spray from the vets to treat the house. We used frontline for 2 months and sprayed the house both times then used nothing. With the cat being an indoor cat you shouldn't get fleas really - unless you have mice....

I would not judge on the indoor outdoor debate as I have been in a similar position. Cats adapt really well - the younger they are when you get them the better. Ours were rescue, timid and we lived by a road. The CPL were happy that they were indoor cats due to the circumstances and the state of the cats - in fact that was one of the conditions. We moved a couple of years later to a village in Wales where it is nice and quiet. After a couple of months the cats were now settled and chilled so we decided to let them out. The older one who was a timid, midget, persian cross was thrilled to bits and loved it. The other one who we got as a kitten was another matter - it took weeks to persuade her to go out and even when she did she would throw herself into windows and doors (5-6ft up) screeching to be let in! She is now mellow and wanders in and out as she pleases - but spends most of her time sleeping in the bedroom. We've been here 4 years and only recently descovered one of our neighbours has rescue cats - all indoor dwellers due to their circumstances and they are all happy and well.

Ours (we only have one now) just got used to the dog we've had for a few months - I wonder how she'll do with the chickens I'm planning for later in the year...

All the best
SAM xx

PS: You can always ring the Cats Protection League for advice they are really helpful.

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