it's been done a million times...but best flea treatment that actually works please ?

[AnyFucker]

ta very much (to put on the cat)

You could get the super expensive flea sterilising injection for it. Doubt the owners would have but you'll need to capture the cat and find a vet

would a vet do that for a cat we don't own ?

But it wouldn't stop the cat being bitten. It must itch like mad.

If the cat will let you catch him up, you could take him to the vets and ask them to scan him for a microchip. Then they could contact the owner and let them know? The vet probably won't pass their details on to you but at least they could find out if he's been treated for fleas and gently suggest something that works to the owner. Please don't treat him yourself as you could overdose him or it may react with other medication he might be receiving.
Fleas spend only about 10% of their time on the host animal, jumping on to feed. If you treat your home with a spray like Indorex or Acclaim and treat any areas outside where he likes to lurk, that should help. Again the vets can advise on the best way to rid yourself of the infestation.

Oh and no vet would treat an animal without the owner's consent if it's probable that it has one.

advocate works, you might be able to buy online but you need a rough idea of how much the cat weighs....

I would do the paper collar thing, I did it with a cat that kept wandering into my flat, wanted to be sure he wasn't a stray so put a paper collar on him saying, 'do I belong to you? Can you ring xxx' not sure how you could tactfully say 'your cat is lousy do you mind if I deflea him' though

I think capture him and take him to vets and see what they say

We use Program but, of course, that involves administering the medicine orally - which is a whole other can of worms??

this is a bloody nightmare

spray neem oil around. fleas, lice, biting insects all hate it

neem oil ?

I wouldn't have a problem telling someone their cat is riddled, or at least of they have flea treated yet this spring (which sounds a bit less arsey).

I'd risk it and dose the animal. If its riddled with fleas the owners aren't treating it.

How many of us have cats with fleas right now? Probably none of us.

Well not riddled with them, certainly.

I think it's worth pointing out that The Lodger looked - to all intents and purposes - like a well fed and cared-for cat when he moved in with us from the street. He was young, a superb hunter/forager and he had the Chinese restaurant bins down the road to supplement his diet in lean times. His teeth were another story - too many sticky spare ribs, I think - but if you hadn't known him and got really close to him, you'd likely have thought he was owned and fed regularly.

I think I'd try a cheap collar or two at first. Can't you get ones for printing off from the internet?

Well my cat had fleas and I had been using Doc Martin Spot On stuff. She was crawling. In fact I think it actually encouraged the fleas. I learnt the errors of my ways sharpish though and now use Stronghold.

I think the collar with note or capture and vet advice are only ways forward.

Bob Martin isn't it? Not Doc Martin. I'm always doing that

Here's one.

(I've never tried these myself - just a sample.)

wow, cozie, thanks

Whatever you do don't use frontline! My cats are treated and a flea bit me at the weekend. Does anyone know if these treatments from the vet can be used on cats v recently frontlined?

I'd just make a DIY collar with paper and a pritt stick and write on 'does this cat have an owner?' and my phone number.

Bob Martin can poison cats, dreadful stuff.

Hons, you need to leave it for a few weeks before another treatment. Too many chemicals otherwise.

To OP, I use Advantage on mine and get on fine with it. Buy it online. But Stronghold may be better for this cat in question, because it does roundworm as well. Thing is, the cat needs to be seen for a vet in order for it to be obtained.

I don't think I can take a cat that isn't mine to the vet

You can, if you are honest that it isn'4 yours and think it might be a stray. Ask thEm to check if they recognize it or if it is chipped.

Yes if you call the vets first and just ask them to scan a cat that's been hanging around your garden and you want to check if it has an owner.

We tried all the usual ones last year but still got fleas.
At our April visit to the vets she suggested we try Comfortis - it's a tablet they take one a month. Pretty expensive £40 for six tablets but worked like a dream fewer fleas after 2 weeks and no fleas after 6 weeks and we are still flealess !!. Going to get a repeat when we go for his meds next week.

Hmm I've used frontline for years on various cats and never had a problem - what am I missing? :/ we have used Indorex in the house and that does a brilliant job.