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Join our community of cat lovers on the Mumsnet Cat forum for kitten advice and help with cat behaviour.

Original poster

Flea nightmare

13 replies

Whataplanker · 24/08/2022 14:55

We have 4 cats. They all have fleas, one is particularly badly infested. They were treated with Frontline Plus 2 weeks ago and I have treated the house with Indorex. I am hoovering the areas where they go and i am combing them daily. Typically the one who is most infested is the one who hates the combing most! Pets at Home say I can't put anything else on them until a month has passed. They are scratching themselves terribly and I just feel like the house is yuck!

Anything else I can do that I'm not doing? I am going to get Advantage next time as that usually works.

OP posts:
LightandMomentary · 24/08/2022 14:58

I wouldn't be combing at all. Frontline doesn't work and hasn't done for years in my experience. Advantage or anything else recommended as effective by the vet. I would get vet advice on this.

Original poster
Whataplanker · 24/08/2022 15:05

Thanks! Can I ask why you wouldn't comb? I'm getting lots out each time so I'm hoping it helps them a little with the irritation, plus each one I've got rid of is one less in the house!

I don't really know why we went for frontline this time. It is not a mistake I will be making again! Although the Pets at Home assistant said it works now -hmm, I beg to differ!!

OP posts:
LightandMomentary · 24/08/2022 15:12

Because if they're dead, the cats will not feel them, so it's like removing dust. If they're alive, you need them to be dead and not to be trying to comb out live, jumping fleas that are then going to re-infect your home, move on to the rest of the occupants etc. I would get vet advice fast, retreat the cats with something stronger, re-treat the house and get on top of it that way.
We ended up having to do the really strong flea collars for both of ours as it was the only thing that worked in the end. One of our cats had a flea allergy and was losing hair at an alarming rate. The collars are not supposed to be very good for them and some cats have a bad reaction to them, but for where we were, it really worked (v rural Dorset in a v old house). We moved house to a less rural place and newer house and the fleas never returned. Got rid of the collars at that point and have had no problems in over 10 years now. Good luck.

thecatneuterer · 24/08/2022 15:57

You can retreat with Advantage after two weeks (I work in a vets). You don't have to wait a month.

BronzeSage · 24/08/2022 15:59

And comb outside!

Original poster
Whataplanker · 24/08/2022 16:14

I comb with a bowl of water next to me and immediately dunk the comb in the water to catch the fleas before they jump. They are definitely still alive!

Thanks, I will phone vets in the morning.

OP posts:
NeurologicallySpeaking · 24/08/2022 18:20

Get the prescription treatment from the vet which can be used after 2 weeks if necessary.

Buy capstar tablets to kill the live ones. My vet prescribed but actually you can buy over the counter

SwelegantParty · 24/08/2022 18:29

I've recently started using Bravecto, nothing else seemed to work any more (the last one I used was Advocate). This one's working great, and only needs applying every three months - which makes life much easier. You do have to get it prescribed by a vet though.

itchyhop · 24/08/2022 20:27

We've had fleas brought in by our cat. He's been treated now by 4fleas spot on and seems to be in the clear - after a week.

The problem I'm still having is that the living room STILL has fleas hopping about.
I've hoovered and bleached the (wooden) floor multiple times but they're still there when I walk around in white long socks :(

Does anyone have any miracle solutions?
I think they hide in the cracks between the boards.

walskdb · 24/08/2022 20:41

itchyhop · 24/08/2022 20:27

We've had fleas brought in by our cat. He's been treated now by 4fleas spot on and seems to be in the clear - after a week.

The problem I'm still having is that the living room STILL has fleas hopping about.
I've hoovered and bleached the (wooden) floor multiple times but they're still there when I walk around in white long socks :(

Does anyone have any miracle solutions?
I think they hide in the cracks between the boards.

4fleas is rubbish, you need advantage, it's expensive but it works. I rescued a kitten completely infested with fleas, treated with advantage and by morning he had over 50 dead fleas in his bed. For your house get a flea bomb, I find this is really effective of getting rid of any in your carpets. Then hoover loads. And repeat the treatment with advantage at the recommended interval to stop the egg/hatching cycle.

Aeio · 24/08/2022 20:48

Leave some bowls of water and washing up liquid around where the cats spend a lot of time.

Empty your hoover in to your outside bin!

itchyhop · 24/08/2022 21:09

Noooooo Walskdp don't say that!! I definitely need to be right about him being flea free 😳

I like the idea of bowls of water - I will set that up tonight.
I did do a flea bomb, but it didn't work at all.
We've actually gone as far as to throw out our sofa - it needed replacing but still....

Am hoovering like a woman possessed atm.

Aeio · 24/08/2022 21:58

Key is consistency with treating your cat and breaking that cycle. I wasn't treating mine as they were indoors but i went away and cat sitter must have brought one in on her clothes. Took I'd say 5 weeks from treating the cats with advantage and the house with indorex and hoovering like a mad woman for me to stop being bitten

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