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Original poster

Electronic flea combs.

27 replies

Spangles1963 · 07/10/2017 18:42

Hi,posting here for traffic rather than in The Litter Tray section. Has anyone used one of these on their cat? And are they any good?! I've tried numerous flea treatments on my cat but they keep coming back! She seems fine for about 2 -3 weeks after treatment,then the scratching starts again. She's actually pulled some fur out on her rump,just in front of the base of her tail as she keeps chewing at it. I wondered whether an electronic flea comb would zap them once and for all?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 07/10/2017 18:45

What treatments are you using as some are not effective. I use advocate but it's prescription only from the vet

WhoWants2Know · 07/10/2017 18:52

The chemical treatments become ineffective over time, so it's good to talk to the vet and alternate every 6 months or so.

I tend to flea comb regularly too, I'm interested in the electronic ones, but haven't tried them yet.

AliCat36 · 07/10/2017 18:58

Use a treatment from the vet, such as Stronghold. It's not a repellant tho, but it'll kill any that get onto the cat.
Comb your cat daily with an ordinary flea comb & put any fleas you find into a bowl of water with washing up liquid in it so they can't get out.
I haven't tried an electronic comb but i've read mixed reviews on amazon.

Original poster
Spangles1963 · 07/10/2017 18:59

I've tried Frontline,Advantage,and Programme flea treatments. Not tried Advocate. Would I have to take her to the vet be prescribed it or can I just call in and ask for a prescription for it?

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 07/10/2017 19:03

Depends how recently the cat had seen the vet as I just collect mine monthly as the vet had seen them within the last few months. I don't need to take the cats in each time

user1497357411 · 07/10/2017 19:08

We had lice for more than a month and I am sure it was the combination of electronic comb and lice shampoo that finally beat it.

dementedpixie · 07/10/2017 19:08

Program apparently doesn't kill adult fleas and frontline isn't supposed to be very effective. Advantage is supposed to be ok. Do you treat them monthly as advised?

Original poster
Spangles1963 · 07/10/2017 19:11

The last time she saw the vet was back in November last year for her vaccination booster. She's due to go in again in a few weeks so I'll ask then.

OP posts:
dementedpixie · 07/10/2017 19:16

Why not phone them and ask

Danceswithwarthogs · 07/10/2017 19:28

There are some much better products from vet... we will prescribe without seeing animal as long as seen and weighed within last 6m or so and cat not likely to have grown/changed weight since last seen. You can get stuff from vet or ask for written prescription for online pharmacy (would be a prescription charge but might be worth it if siginfo can't saving online)

I quite like new product called bravecto... only needs to be done every 3m and no alcohol carrier in spot on so cats don't tend to freak out afterwards.

Electric combs ok for parasites that live whole life cycle on animal but as fleas lay eggs, hatch into larvae and pupate into adult fleas in the house... you'll never resolve them with combingredients alone. A house treatment such as indorex would help (and advocate/stronghold plus some other prescription products stop the fleas laying fertile eggs)

I'd chat with your vet ☺

Danceswithwarthogs · 07/10/2017 19:29

Sorry for typos

EasterRobin · 07/10/2017 19:44

Hoovering daily is also recommended for persistent fleas. In reality I covered all the catty furniture with sheets for regular washing for a couple of weeks and got a Roomba. (Never tried an electronic flea comb so can't comment on that, sorry)

mirime · 07/10/2017 19:47

We've got one, to be honest the most use it got was when we had an actual infestation. Three cats and I was getting 16-20 plus fleas a day of them with the comb. It certainly works if there are fleas to catch. The Frontline obviously didn't.

Not used it much since. As the fleas don't live on the cat you're not likely to catch many. If your cat is that bothered could there be a flea allergy?

MsJamesDeanBradfield · 07/10/2017 19:52

Advocate from the vets is great. We use it every 4 weeks and have not seen a flea for years.

ghostyslovesheets · 07/10/2017 19:54

we use Advocate I have 4 cats (until recently 5) and we don;t have fleas in the house or on the cats

DJBaggySmalls · 07/10/2017 20:01

Electric flea combs are ok but not really necessary, any fine toothed comb will do. Drop the fleas into a pot of surgical spirits.
The fleas are in your home and garden. They only jump on your pet to feed, then they hop off and lay eggs. Flea control is a constant battle.
Also, if your pet has fleas you need to treat them for tapeworm.
Hoover, steam clean if you can and look at using dioatomaceous earth. Its safe for cats.

NannyRed · 07/10/2017 20:06

What you must remember is you treat the cat, the fleas are all dead, but then the eggs that are in your carpet/on the cats bed etc hatch, they will obviously jump onto your cat and hopefully die but it does take persistence to free the house of flea eggs too. I use Frontline but it's only available from the vet and you have to take the cat to see the vet. It's pricey but so worth it.

SerendipityFelix · 07/10/2017 20:45

Advocate and Advantage have the same anti-flea active ingredient.

OP are you actually seeing fleas? Itching and skin lesions could be other things too. Or some cats with severe flea allergy might need their flea prevention applied more often than usual.

Def discuss with the vet.

Danceswithwarthogs · 07/10/2017 21:55

Advocate and advantage have same adulticide component but advocate has moxidectin which makes fleas infertile and kills roundworm also (but they can get tapeworm from fleas or hunting so still need to treat for this)

You can get front line and other fipronil products over the counter but lots of people find it doesn't seem to last a full month (and also only kills adults)

Lots of clients seem to like broadline which is like front line with extras.

user1471438981 · 08/10/2017 13:47

Got an electronic flea comb for our cats, it roasted one flea and then...nothing. Not sure if it broke but it didn't even function as a regular, non electronic comb. The teeth of the comb were quite widely spaced and not suitable for fleas imo. Now we stick to the tablet flea treatments, which work well.

BhajiAllTheWay · 08/10/2017 14:56

Bravecto is a 3 monthly injection for fleas and worms. Our cat had heavy infestation as we'd treat her with frontline which didn't work (even the vet said it is ineffective). The injection has been great though.We haven't seen any and the cat doesn't scratch.

Original poster
Spangles1963 · 08/10/2017 18:18

Ah! So the Bravecto is via injection? My late DMum always had her 4 cats treated for fleas with an injection,and I remember commenting once that I never saw any of them scratching,or any evidence of fleas at all. So I think it was pretty effective. My DD enquired at several vets a couple of years ago about flea injections and was told that they didn't do them any more as they were a) ineffective Hmm b) could be harmful! So I don't know what to believe now!

OP posts:
DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 08/10/2017 18:21

Advocate for the cat Indorex for the house.

DameDiazepamTheDramaQueen · 08/10/2017 18:21

Normal flea comb will work fine.

Original poster
Spangles1963 · 08/10/2017 18:23

SerendipityFelix - I can't actually see any fleas on her as she is jet black all over,with black skin too,so it's nigh on impossible to spot any on her! I HAVE found them in the bath (of all places) and when my DGD visits she sometimes complains afterwards of little red bites on the tops of her feet and round her ankles. I've not been affected by this,maybe I'm immune!

OP posts:
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