Why does my cat have so many fleas?

[Twokitstwokats]

Are some cats more susceptible?
I have 2 cats who came to us as 11 week olds about 5 weeks ago.
We have never had fleas or pets before.
After a week we discovered they had fleas. We treated them with advantage as we were self isolating and that was all we could get. They had only been in one room but we indorexed it and hoovered daily, washed blankets, threw out hoover bags and indorexed again a week later. They went to the vets for jabs and were declared flea free.
Since then they have been allowed around the house but not yet outside. They have had a second dose of advantage.
One of them has so many fleas this week. Like, 5 a day. None around the house. The other has none.
They are both white cats.
Any ideas? The vet said we could have some prescription stuff this Friday. The hoovering is getting me down and I don't want to keep spending a fortune on indorex!

I have no idea. Advantage should do the job. I don't understand why it hasn't.

Nor do I! Could he have picked them up at the vets? That's the only place he has been. Or from a bag if clothes a friend gave me? Seems unlikely.

The fleas could be travelling from room to room on you/ your clothes/ the pet carrier etc

I am hoovering like mad, it's getting me down! But I didn't want to fork out for more indorex for the whole house. It is a big house and one can only did the downstairs last time. So do I need to do the whole house now? Thanks

Keep dosing with anti flea treatment, but you know what really works as well? Get a flea/nit comb and comb them out. They particularly like the neck, round the ears, under the chin, and the tail root. The cats might like the comb too..... they may not like it as well, but it's worth a try.

I remember getting kittens back in the old days, before the advent of pipette treatments, and that's all you could do with kittens. It's actually really satisfying, the comb can be chock full with fleas, and you just run your nail down it and squash them all .

As the fleas go on the cat they should get killed.
Maybe need to try a different vet flea treatment (mine get stronghold plus)

Yes, I always do the whole house when I find a flea. And do the endless vacuuming you are already doing. And then re treat the house with indorex in 3 weeks (after vacuuming to make any remaining eggs hatch. Also wash any beds, blankets etc.

Thank you all. It's exhausting! I'd better by a bumper can of indorex then. Don't the fleas jump away when you comb them out?

buy not by

Advantage is useless, you might as well use water. You need a prescription for Advocate and get it from Vetmed or one of the big online suppliers. Cleared mine up in a week.

My cat's fleas, that is.

And it also does worms, heartworms and lungworms.

Advantage isn't rubbish and has exactly the same flea killing ingredient as Advocate! Advocate kills some worms as well as fleas which is why it is a prescription only treatment.

Thanks again. Feeling a bit calmer.

@dementedpixie

Advantage isn't rubbish and has exactly the same flea killing ingredient as Advocate! Advocate kills some worms as well as fleas which is why it is a prescription only treatment.

Agree. Advantage most definitely isn't rubbish.

You have to spray the whole house, not only the room where they are.
All upholstery, carpets, everywhere!
If you then use the monthly dose on the cats, you shall be ok.
Take the kitties to be weighted though, those depends on their weight.
Fleas are nasty buggers, they can live almost everywhere, and leave eggs everywhere!

The eggs won’t be killed by any treatment. So you have to wait for them to hatch. Part of what the vacuuming does is encourage hatching so the indorex or flea treatment on cat can then work. So it can feel like you keep getting more fleas for a while as more hatch but that will soon settle down as the treatment will stop them from getting the chance to lay more eggs and break the cycle.

We used one of these in every room. Within a few weeks there were none in the traps and no issue since. We treat the cat monthly as well.

Zero In ZER020 Flea Killer (Mains Powered, Effective Flea Killer for the Home, Targets Bedding and Carpets Over a 10 m Radius) https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00HW1GBRG/ref=cmswwrcppapiglttiBZZ89AEP4EKKAQSQGBAH

Advantage no longer works in my area, fleas are immune.

I have to get bravecto from the vet. Not cheap but I apply it every three months.

One cat has a flea allergy so I can always tell what's working well. Advantage used to leave her scratching and over grooming.

The vet confirmed it wasn't working in our area anymore.

Thanks again everyone.

We have given our dog Bravecto after an incident with a tick. He has also had fleas in the past.

It works for three months. We have not seen a flea or tick since.

It is expensive but I think worth it.

The only thing that worked for us was some prescription level flea treatment and indorex in the whole house. Worked quickly though, only used indorex / full Hoover through once and didn't see any more within days.

Ask the vet for Bravecto spot on, you only apply it every 12 weeks but it's amazing stuff. You also need Indorex and spray your whole house.