New to cats - please talk me through fleas (sort of urgently!)

[ThrowingMuse]

Hi cat people,

We’ve become owners of a v elderly cat, and he’s got fleas (we had been using frontline monthly, but it’s obviously not been effective - as a quick MN search just now revealed).

He stays downstairs, but I’ve found a couple of fleas upstairs, and a couple on him.

So, after a bit of reading on MN,

a) can I buy Advantage 40 over the counter at Pets at Home (it’s a fair distance to drive if all they stock is more ineffective stuff, and I’d rather get it today and start treating than order online)?

b) can you recommend a flea bomb/fog that is effective, done in a day, and that I can buy and get asap?

Thank you in advance from me and from a now clearly itchy cat on my lap!

Indorex flea spray - is very good. Not found a more effective one. Bought it online via Amazon I think.

Second Indorex, it's fab.

And frequent vacuuming! At least once a day for a couple of weeks.

Argh, thank you!

Went out and panic bought Advantage to dose the cat, and let of Bob Martin flea room Folgers in the house, plus got an aerosol spray of Staykil.

Is indorex for the cat or the house? Shall go google…

Advantage the cat.
Throw away Bob Martin stuff. It’s awful.
Indorex the house.

Thanks @Wolfiefan - awful cause it doesn’t work, or awful cause it poisons cats? 😮

Do I get indorex online, or do shops/hardware stores sell it?

Indorex the house. Leave for three days then vacuum like a crazy obsessed thing everyday for a week. Then repeat.
you could take the cat to the vets, they can offer some different treatments to target persistent fleas.

Our vet won’t sell flea treatment (advocate) unless they have seen the cat within the last six months or so. Fortunately with my hooligan that isn’t a problem.

We use Bravecto Plus treatment from the vet. Applied to the neck every 3 months. Never have any fleas at all.

They can pick up fleas anywhere.

I have found the surest way is to get a flea comb and groom everyday.

Of course not every cat will suffer this, but if they will this can be used in addition to other treatments, and used after to keep on top of things.

You also need to regularly vacuum and wash any bedding they use.

I personally don’t like using chemicals on a cat, so I try to use them as little as possible.

I just gave him a good comb with a nit comb @Isheabastard , and got out three fleas and lots of flea droppings, so that was fairly satisfying.

The cat actually lives with my elderly dad, and I’m off on holiday with the rest of the family in a couple of days (and need to head back to ours to pack etc tonight), so the timing couldn’t be worse.
I’m envisaging returning to Dad’s house fairly hopping with the tiny bastards when we get back, which is why I need to throw everything at it now.

Bob Martin is awful for both those reasons - doesn't work, and some cats have a potentially fatal reaction to it.

If the cat goes to the vet for their jabs every year, they should have a good idea of his weight etc so will prescribe the really decent flea stuff. If he doesn't go regularly, I would think about taking him in for a general MoT anyway and they can weigh him etc & prescribe the flea treatment then.

You can buy indorex on amazon

Don’t bother with anything over the counter and get something that works from the vet. We use Bravecto ever since we discovered advantage wasn’t working and we had a flea outbreak. It still haunts me.

I have been known to bath a cat or two when they’ve come home covered in fleas! I used proper repellent shampoo. Think infestation all up the edges of their ears. Cat hated it but it worked. Had to hold cat by scruff of neck but he tolerated it!

Vacuuming into the edges of carpets (with an appropriate hoover tool) where carpet touches skirting board is important. That’s where they linger and lay eggs too.
It’ll take tenacity and application but you can do it!

Be very careful with Bravecto - it’s been linked to seizures (including in my own cat, it was awful)

https://www.fda.gov/animal-veterinary/animal-health-literacy/fact-sheet-pet-owners-and-veterinarians-about-potential-adverse-events-associated-isoxazoline-flea

Same. I work in a rescue and Advantage stopped working some time ago. Unfortunately Advocate, Stronghold and Endectrid all seem to be going the same way and we have had a lot of instances of none of those working. The only reliable treatments we seem to have left are Bravecto and Nexgard - both of which you need a prescription/vet visit for.

Thanks all.
Am now on the train home, hoping the Bob Martin flea bombs don't kill the car.
I think the Advatage is working, as with more nit-combing dying fleas were just dropping off him, the poor sod. Will Amazon some indorex spray to Dads when I get home, and hope for the best. Have vacuumed...

Complimentary picture of the scruffster enjoying his new life.

Oh he’s lovely. Hope he’s flea free soon!