how do i keep my cat clean of fleas?

Question

my cat is about a year old and recently just got fleas. she is an indoor cat and has never been outside. i'm guessing the fleas came in on my family socks from playing outside. my husband and i have bathed her, put on flea collers, did the flea drop stuff on the back of her neck, and nothing works. i have even did the flea carpet powder and that sucked too lol. NEED HELP, LOVE MY CAT AND HATE SEEING HER FEEL MOPIE :O(

Answer 1

Hi well you are doing everything right but one thing here is what you should do , take the cat to the groomer and have her dipped, while she is gone bomb your house because you might be getting themoff her but they are still in your house! to get rid of them completly you will have to get them all where they are hiding besides on your cat, that is what i would do , good luck..

Answer 2

Hmmmm...

Advantage, Frontline and Revolution have all been shown to work in clinical tests. When you say "flea drop stuff," do you mean one of those products?

If you mean the look-alike products available in grocery stores, those don't work very well, and worse, they're dangerous! Last year Hartz Mountain flea drops were pulled from the market by the EPA because they'd killed so many dogs and cats. But distributors and retailers were allowed to continue selling product already in the pipeline, so the stuff is still available in stores.

Also, the market has been flooded with counterfeit Advantage, Frontline and Revolution. Even legitimate retailers have been fooled. These fakes are also dangerous and they don't work very well, if at all.

If you didn't do this to begin with, get some Advantage from a vet practice. They buy directly from a manufacturer's rep, so you'll know you have the real thing. I suggest Advantage over the other two products because it's been shown to work a little faster and kitty already has fleas. Otherwise the three products work about equally well, and the others are useful against other pests as well as fleas.

If you've already used Advantage, Frontline or Revolution that came from a vet practice, then I don't know what else to suggest...

If your home is infested you may need more than carpet powder. You may have to fumigate with aerosol bombs. If so, get one for each floor (including the basement and attic) and read the instructions carefully!

Answer 3

That is really strange that the drops do not work for her. Are you using a good brand, Frontline or Advantage? It seems that you have tried everything. I would try asking the vet. Perhaps your kitty has a chemical imbalance or allergy that attracts fleas, or maybe something in her fur. The vet should be able to tell if this is the case and recommend an antidote or alternative flea treatment. PS, bathing with Pine-sol is instant death to fleas, but has to be rinsed well, so doesn't last that long. Good luck.

Answer 4

I had the same problem when my cat was young as he replaced a cat who was indoor/outdoor. I had him neutered and declawed, so he also has never been outside. You need to realize that fleas lay eggs in things like carpet, upholstry, bedding, etc., so just treating your cat is part of the battle. They feed on blood, so need a host (you and your cat) that they bite for nourishment, but they can nest elsewhere and eggs can stay for months before they hatch. Cats who bite fleas and ingest them can get an intestinal worm that can cause anemia, if the infestation is bad enough, and be transmitted to humans, so watch their backside & have the cat checked. (The worms are little white things less than 1/4 inch long and can crawl out of their anus onto fur surrounding their backside, and be spread wherever they lie and sit - my cat has had them twice requiring treatment but we didn't get them).
I bought this spray put out by Hartz made especially for household stuff, sprayed every place I thought fleas might be, even bed frames, baseboards (I have hardwood floors, thank goodness), washed all washable fabrics that he came in contact with (bedding, throws, etc) in hot or warm water and kept him sprayed or powdered. Eventually we got rid of them but I still use Feline Advantage once a month to keep him flee-free - we have a neighbor's cat who loves us and we unknowingly spread her fleas to him. And fleas live in the grass, so you can bring them inside.
Good luck!

Answer 5

Flea collars and other over the counter flea medicines don't work. Get Revolution or Advantage from the vet and apply between the shoulder blades once a month. It worked great on my cats.

Answer 6

Well you can get medicine from the vet to put on her but the fleas will stay in your carpet and flea eggs can hybernate for a long time. Fleas are really bad in a lot of areas. You could shave her, but I would honestly recommend (I had to do this with my cat and my house) getting flea meds from your vet and bug bomb your house. Its a hastle but it works!

Answer 7

We bring Fleas in on our shoes or clothes. There is Frontline for dogs or Cats both. It works well.I use it on my 2 Dogs and get it at the Vets. I don't trust to order it on line.You don't know what it really is. It will work. The cat may need to have a flea bath first.Goodluck.

Answer 8

My bet is you did not put Frontline on your cat. If you did, your troubles would be over. Those over-the-counter meds do not work for more than about 3 minutes. Go to a FARM/FEED store and get your meds--they are cheaper than the vet.
Remove you kids, any animals, including fish, and bomb your house with flea bombs-from Walmart. Then stay ourt for about 4 hours. Wash your top dishes and all your silverware, any fruit sitting out. Kitty will be happy.

Answer 9

a flea bath will definitely help, so take her to the vet ASAP. ask the vet if you should continue to have her wear the flea collar for a few more days after the bath, or if you should clean up your carpets of where she sat for fleas.

Answer 10

my outdoor cat has no fleas, but she rolls in sand. My indoor cat has no fleas...we wash her with human shampoo & conditioner. I think flees dont like the fragrance in shampoo. Or the slick surface of fur after it is conditioned.

Vacuum everyday.....I know its a pain...but the larve and eggs are in your carpet.
Powders dont work to well (obviously)
Suck them suckers and throw away the dirt or bag often.