Flea treatment recommendations

[MummytoCSJH]

Last weekend I went away so my friend looked after my 2 kittens. He took the cats to his where his housemates older cat unfortunately has given them fleas. A few days before I went away, kittens had broadline applied by the vet, but it doesn't seem to have done much. I'm going to pets at home tonight to buy some things - thinking flea collars, a spray for the cats themselves (since they can't have the medicine again for a few weeks), a spray for my furniture and room where the kittens stay and shampoo so I can attempt to give them a bath. Does anyone have any recommendations of what to buy and what to avoid. I've read not to buy Bob Martin and that there are certain ingredients to avoid, but could anybody give me a bit more info? Thanks in advance! I just want my fur babies to be clean :(

The problem wont be so much getting the fleas off the cats but getting the fleas out of your house- fleas dont live on the animal, they pop on to feed then hop off into your carpet.

The only thing which worked for me is diatamataceous earth. richsoil.com/flea-control.jsp. You put it round the edges of your carpet.

For fleas on the animal, pick them off by hand. If you can't grab the buggers, put your finger over it so it cant get away, and pour washing up liquid around your finger to trap it, then pluck it off and flush it down the sink.

I've had some luck with flea tablets and flea bombs but you would have to be careful with young cats.

Seriously, that earth stuff is the best, you can get it off ebay.

PS I've never had a spot on treatment, vet-prescribed or otherwise, which did anything useful at all.

Earth is natural and non-chemical too!

Don't overload them with chemicals.
How old are they?

Broadline is one of the better ones and should work. It's possible to still see live fleas though as no flea treatment repels fleas, it kills them on exposure but not instantly.

I would use Indorex in your home (keep cats away from the area you are spraying and follow manufacturer's instructions) and keep flea combing them. Flea collars are dangerous and most of the shampoos pretty useless too.

Thanks Hamster, I'll have a look into it, if it works well I'll order some - was just hoping for something I could use today. They are 16 weeks this week Viccat, my 4yo is at his dads atm but coming back in 2 weeks and I was hoping to have gotten rid of as many as possible if not all before then as his immune system is really low. Thanks for the advice. I'll definitely be keeping them on the monthly broadline with the vet.

I think calling your vet for advice is the best option especially with young kittens. Flea treatments from Pets at Home aren't going to be any good. Agree with Indorex for the home but keep kittens out the way.
We use Stronghold and never had any flea problems. Did use Advocate on our old girl for a time (due to weight guidelines on the products) and that was ok also.

My female cat really struggles with fleas (but our boys rarely have fleas). The broadline/advocate brought on prescription works fine for the boys but made no difference for our female. I ended up buying a flea coller called seresto which worked brilliantly. However it has several side effects and caused what looked like a burn mark on her neck.

I now put it on her for a week at a time and monitor her carefully (the fleas were also causing sores on her skin). We regularly treat the house too but we're pretty rural and I think it's a constant battle. I think our female is just very susceptible to fleas.

I called the vet this morning and they advised to get a vacuum powder for my carpet and keep getting the broadline but nothing else and I think that isn't really going to cut it and prevent them with a 4yo in the house! Thanks for all your suggestions!