End of my tether with fleas...and now a tick

[BirthdayBeast]

My cat is just over a year old. Since we got her I have treated her like clockwork each month for fleas, ticks and worms. We have had no problem with any of them or seen any evidence of any pests until the last 6 weeks.

After the hot weather at the end of August we started finding flea dirt and eggs. I treated her like usual at the usual time (beginning of September with Frontline spot-on) but the fleas didn’t go completely despite this. She was still leaving flea dirt where she slept although it was less than before. I treated her again at the beginning of October and almost two weeks later she is still scratching, I’m finding flea dirt where she sleeps and today I noticed a tick on her neck.

I am so fed up with trying to get rid of the fleas (and now tick). I need advice. Heeeeeeeeeeelp!

[dementedpixie]

Frontline is quite well known not to work effectively. Try a vet bought treatment e.g. advocate

[lubeybooby]

you need the stronger spot on from the vets - mine had always been fine with frontline til earlier this year but then it just stopped working

treat indoors with indorex too all floors and every nook and cranny

[ownedbySWD]

Sadly you won't get rid of fleas with just a spot treatment in the cat. You'll need to comb regularly to get rid of eggs, any adult fleas. Fleas live ages between meals, and don't necessarily stay on the host. They ping around the environment, too.

I speak from hard-won experience.

[Soubriquet]

Actually you can get rid of fleas with a spot on

Providing it's a good spot on from the vet and not the pet shop

Ditch the frontline and get some advantage or something similar

Pop on the cat and within a couple of weeks the cycle is broken

[BirthdayBeast]

Thank you so much! Lots of great advice here. Operation De-Flea here we come!

[Seeyamonday]

Vet treatment for cat, indorex for house and vacuum the house like your MIL is coming to stay!! Wash all bedding at 60 degrees and vacuum mattresses, good luck!

[OlennasWimple]

Yes to all the above

And get yourself a tick hook - only cost a couple of quid, and makes removing a tick really easy

[Mulch]

Indorex spray for the house, we get it from online chemists it's cheaper than from vets

[imaddictedtomn]

Indorex for the house (possibly more than once if you have a severe problem) and you could try changing to broadline spot on which does fleas worms and ticks.

[Weedsnseeds1]

I'm using Bravecto now, does fleas and ticks and only needs applying every 3 months. Almost a year of use and no sign of either.

[Kursk]

Yes to the tic hook, my record this summer was 16 tic’ in one day on me and the dog!

[autumnrainandbooks]

I actually like removing ticks.

[Archfarchnad]

@weeds - how has your cat tolerated Bravecto? I started a thread a while back asking for experiences and nobody had any - Bravecto hadn't long been released for cats then. But I was worried because there were lots of horror stories about the dreadful effects on dogs. We tried the Bravecto for 3 months in the end and it absolutely stank of petrol for a week. I'm worried about the high dose needed to stay active for so long.
We've gone back to Frontline for now - have to say, it doesn't yet seem to be ineffective in our area and we've never had an outbreak, but I want an alternative in case it stops working at some point.

[Weedsnseeds1]

Absolutely fine arch and haven't noticed any smell at all. Someone else on her started on Bravecto ( can't remember who) and no problems either that I'm aware of

[Archfarchnad]

Oh, and our vet's tip for de-Fleaing the house is to concentrate on the edges of floors, as that's where the buggers hang out. Indorex it to fuck and then suck them all up with a vacuum cleaner. Then throw the bag away or thoroughly clean the container if bagless.

[Weedsnseeds1]

I think negative reports were all to do with dogs. I switched mainly because of the amount of ticks my boy was picking up.

[Archfarchnad]

Thanks weeds, might try it out once more then, once my Frontline 6-pack runs out.

[LivingInMidnight]

Mine have bravecto. No weird smell or fleas and a slightly more chilled ex feral because of no monthly treatment. All the bad reports are about dogs. I'm happy with it.

Broadline is also ineffective as it used the same flea stuff as frontline.

[Weedsnseeds1]

Ah, it was you living , sorry couldn't remember who it was! Seems to work very well doesn't it. For some reason I find ticks far more repulsive than fleas!

[LivingInMidnight]

They're horrible! I'm not 100% sure how long it would take them to die, I'm sure I read somewhere that it was a day or two even with treatment. Not seen any lately though and I bought a ticket remover as someone said owning one would mean I'd never see another tick.

[BirthdayBeast]

Thanks so much everyone. I’ve just ordered Indorex and been hoovering like crazy since early September so hopefully they’re not too rampant in the house. I’ve only had one flea jump on me in the last month so I don’t think they’re too bad in the house but I hate the poor cat having to deal with them.

Are tick removers easy to use? I’m off to buy one tomorrow but worried I’ll do it wrong and it’ll leave the jaws attached.

[Dodie66]

Advocate from the vet. We had to change from frontline. Also get a tick remover. And Hoover everyday. Our cat hasn't had fleas for ages now. I also knew when she had them because I was allergic to the bites

[Weedsnseeds1]

You just slide the hook ( has a slit in it, more two pronged fork than hook) between cat and tick, then turn ant- clockwise. (Then burn tick with a lighter).....

[tootsietoo]

Ah, useful thread! I've had a nightmare with the dog and fleas for the past month. I've been using Frontline, but will get down the vets for some proper stuff.