Fleas...what actually works?

[IngridBergmann]

We've had our cat for about 7 years and she's 12. I've used various flea treatments but mainly frontline, to start with, then when it stopped working, we switched to program.

However this seems also to have stopped working, and last month I used some frontline we had left over and the program as usual.

I've been combing her and she still has a lot of fleas, which bother her.

maybe they are coming from the carpets etc, from a brief lapse in treating her, but surely they would stop reproducing after we'd resumed - it's been several months now.

I'm not sure what else to try. Any tips most welcome - and I'd rather not treat the house if possible, as it's very cluttered and I don't like the idea of pesticides everywhere.

Thanks

You need to treat the house to break the cycle. 99% of fleas live in your soft furnishings and carpet and not on your pet.

Also my vets says frontline has become so over used that fleas are becoming resistant to it. We use Advantage (?) or something like that now. And a flea comb combined.

thanks, I thought advantage was even older the frontline! But maybe it didn't do the resistant thing, so might be worth a try.

I haven't tried stronghold - can you get it from petmeds or is it prescription only?

What do you mean by rip flea spray the house?

Sorry to be dim, and thanks for answering.

Definitely get a spray and do your carpets and soft furnishings. If you have removable sofa covers, wash all those.

There has been a real epidemic apparently - and we have suffered really badly (especially me as fleas seem to love the taste of my ankles!)

I would also suggest getting some stuff from the vet rather than stuff that you can buy 'over the counter'.

Do your cats wear flea collars? They could help.

Thankyou,

I've rung the vet and they sell something called Advocate, but they charge a great deal more than what it costs on Petmeds so I'm going to ask them to prescribe it instead, I think.

I do hoover the bed (where she sleeps - sadly the door won't close!) and I think combing her might be the way to go, as she loves that.

I will ask vet nurse about stronghold as well. We have to take her in to get a prescription...

Glad it isn't just us, BIWI

Advocate, that's the one we use . I knew it was something like that . It's very effective, even on fat cat who seems to have the same amount of fur as three cats.

The only thing about combing her is that you are also probably spreading the fleas/eggs, which could be making it worse!

We have an electric flea comb. It electrocutes the buggers when it touches them, but does not hurt the cat.

That sounds rather exciting

I have been finding fleas using our nitty gritty comb, then if it hasn't already squashed them, I take them off it and drown them in a cup of water.

It's grim but there you go.

The thing is I can't work out why program isn't working. It's meant to make the fleas infertile when they bite her by delivering a contraception through her bloodstream, but I have been finding little white eggs where she sleeps, so it can't be doing the trick. I'm baffled really.

Have cancelled vet trip die to unlikelihood that they will agree to prescribe something I won't buy from them. They are generally very expensive vets.

I will persevere with the combing and the program and frontline we have left, and see how it goes. Plenty of hoovering too.

I really don't want to spray everywhere - I wouldn't know where to start tbh.

There aren't loads of fleas everywhere, just have been bitten a couple of times in the bed where she sleeps.

sorry due, not die!

I use Acclaim to spray the house. You can use it on bedding, carpets, anywhere and you only have to keep the room closed for about 30mins before airing.
acclaim
The vet will sell it you but it is far cheaper from petmeds or somewhere similar.

Yes watching them fry on the comb is rather satisfying in an masochistic sort of way

LOL at watching them fry!

Thanks, Choco, that's really helpful. I might get some and do the edges of the bed and the carpet, and see how that goes.

Firstly Program will not kill live fleas it only prevents them from breeding. Check the Garden to make sure there is no hedgehog hanging about giving the cat fleas nothing will deal with this challenge. To sort this problem you need to treat the house and the cat. So a combination of Acclaim to kill eggs in carpet (you must hoover first to be effective), and an adulticide such as Frontline, Stronghold and Advocate.
Your vets legally have to give you a prescription if you ask, however, they are allowed to charge for it.
Finally I would buy a flea collar and put it in the hoover bag to kill any larvae in there.

Thankyou, Lizcat, that's a very comprehensive answer.
I appreciate it.

I think our cat will too

we use advocate, we also got it online although the vet charged us nearly £10 for the prescription which kind of wiped out the saving

I use Acclaim for the house and the 6 monthly Program injection and have found that combination to be the most effective. Good luck!

We have got a sticky light that attracts them I will link later if you would like (am on carphone atm so it's tricky sorry).

It's very satisfying watching the amount of little feckers stuck increase on a dailt basis.

carphone?

crapphone