Fleas and Ticks

[Isyourclockorange]

Hi cat folk

We've recently moved to an area with lots of woodland and our two cats are having problems with not only fleas, but ticks, too. This afternoon I found a tick lazily wandering across my hand and with two very young children, we can't have these horrible things in the house. Both cats are ardent hunters and now spend almost all their time outside so that they don't bring the fleas and ticks in. Not really what any of us want, though the cats are quite happy. Interestingly we are rarely bitten and the bites are very few.

We treat the cats monthly with Advocate and this month, to combat the fleas, we added Stronghold (or may have been Frontline). My question is, what is the best option for us? I can't stop them coming into contact with pests but I so wish they could join us on the sofa again of an evening. I'm not keen on the Seresto collar and if possible I don't want to overload them with chemicals. Injection, maybe?

Thanks all. I will be registering them with a new vet next week but would love to know what's working for others in the same boat.

[cozietoesie]

Here's some guidance, OP - although I feel a little pessimistic for you, never having had much luck with tick control myself - on dogs mainly.

Have you much long grass in your own garden? (Hoping - perhaps vainly - that the blighters might drop off early on the cats' return if the environment is hostile to them and there's a flat stretch before the house entry.)

Oh - and do you have deer in the woods?

[Isyourclockorange]

Hi Cozie - you were very helpful last year when one of them broke his leg. This must be my annual cat drama for this year.

There isn't long grass but the borders are very well stocked so there are plenty of hiding places for cats and pests alike. There are deer in the woods, yes, we spotted one peering into the garden recently. The previous owner had three dogs and I do wonder if some of the problem was already in the house, dormant over winter.

We aren't infested but I'm sure we would be if the cats were allowed in. The sad thing is there's not much point having them if we never see them. They're so much happier here with so much space but they've definitely become outside cats.

[cozietoesie]

As I mentioned, I've had little luck with total tick control although my own problem has seemed really to be with the dogs - long country walks having their downside. I suspect that your best bet is seriously regular tick control treatment with one of the recommended treatments, keeping the garden vegetation manageable as far as you can, checking the cats very regularly (even if under the guise of stroking etc) and teaching the children to report a tick to a grown up if they see one and not to touch it. (You'd have to do that last in an age-appropriate and low-key way of course because you don't need 'BAD CAT!' episodes if the child is having a moment.)

Other than those, which aren't actually as bad when taken individually as they sound in a list, I reckon you have to live/deal with ticks as a consequence of having the animals go outside. I'd be interested to know how other posters deal with them though.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

Only Seresto collar will stop ticks attaching in cats, Broadline and frontline are the only other two options which kill the ticks within 48 hours ( before Lyme disease spreads).
I hear there maybe something else next year.

[cozietoesie]

Ah Hah! (Whispers at the conference? )

[Isyourclockorange]

Thanks Lone. Is it feasible long-term to use both Advocate and something like Frontline together? We're happy that Advocate takes care of the fleas but I had heard that Frontline doesn't always work these days.

Do you know if the Seresto collar comes recommended?

[Isyourclockorange]

Looks like Broadline might be worth a look. I asked about Seresto because I had a feeling some pet owners weren't keen. Maybe the collar aspect rather than the treatment itself.

Thanks, feel like I'm getting somewhere!

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I have used both Seresto and Broadline on my own cats and they both have controlled fleas and ticks.
There is no data available about using advocate and frontline together.
Currently I use Broadline as I loose limbs when I try to worm my boy cat.

[cozietoesie]

I've used Broadline on Seniorboy. I think that you have to be careful to get it on the 'sweet spot' because it's quite a chemical load and you don't need any inadvertent licking or overspill grroming. I love the neat applicator though - Seniorboy didn't even know it had gone on the first time.

[Isyourclockorange]

Thanks to you both, I'll try Broadline. Good old Mumsnet

[TheBoots]

Ancient thread but I wondered @isyourclockorange if you had an update to this? We're in exactly the same situation!!