Is okay and safe to shave a cat bald? this is not a dirty joke I promise, I cannot get rid of her fleas I have tried sooo many different things and nothing works. She demands to sleep in bed with my daughter and I don't want fleas in my daughters bed. Every time I give her a bath I notice she is infested, she is an inside cat and always has been. I have never seen a flea in my house, ever, but I think they come up through the carpet and she is a long hair cat. What would happen if I shaved her??????
2006-10-04 08:36:47 · 26 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
You can't safely shave her. It would be traumatizing for her. She'd also struggle alot, resulting in you getting clawed to bits and her getting nicked by the clippers.
Talk to your vet of the over-the-counter flea meds aren't working. Also be aware fleas live the majority of their life cycle OFF of the cat. Vacuum your rugs and clean your bedding . Put down flea dust if necessary.
Fleas are annoying, but they won't cause permanet harm to your daughter.
2006-10-04 08:40:23 · answer #1 · answered by Funchy 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
It is your house that is the problem not your cat!
It is possible that fleas came into your house at one time and are living in the carpets (usually along the corners of the room) but using your poor cat as a food supply.
But _please_ do not shave your cat; it would be absolutely traumatic for her. The best thing you can do is find some one who would be willing to take in your cat temporarily, where it could be bathed thoroughly, Frontline anti flea teatment given, and kept indoors checking frequently to make sure it is free of fleas. (BTW have you tried consulting a vet?)
Meanwhile get your house fumigated professionally (or by using a proprietary treatment), to kill of the fleas that are clearly in your home. Vacuum the rooms/carpets thoroughly, then, after a while, bring your cat back home. If the house and cat treatments have been successful, all will be well and your daughter can have her pet back with her.
Good luck - but don't shave that cat!
2006-10-04 08:52:17 · answer #2 · answered by avian 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can shave your cat. I recommend taking it to a professional groomer. Call your vet's office, they may offer grooming services there; if not, they can probably recommend a good groomer. Also, get some Frontline from your vet. Usually the flea stuff you get from the stores does not work very well or is not safe for cats or children (even if the label says it's for cats). Also, you should probably call an exterminator to treat the fleas in your house. Otherwise, the problem will keep recurring.
2006-10-04 15:40:13 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Nothing other than you might get on angry kitty! You need to get this stuff call Adam's flea spray for carpets then vacuum really well and make sure that after you are done you have to get rid of the vacuum bag in case there are any live ones or eggs that might hatch. I know it says that it kills eggs, but just one has to survive to run amok. Get the Adam's flea bath and get them off your little kitty and the next day put some Fronline Plus on her. Just to be on the safe side repeat the carpets about two weeks later. Shaving her might help out a bit but if they keep getting one her then you have to treat the carpets.Good luck!
2006-10-04 08:51:07 · answer #4 · answered by amandapanda74 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sometimes the only way to deal with a serious flea infestation is a trip to the vet for a good professional flea-dipping. The vet will likely have you follow up with a product like Frontline or TopSpot which you apply directly to your cat's neck.
I once dealt with a flea problem that was so bad that we had to flea bomb the house and treat our lawn in addition to treating our cats. If the fleas are in your carpet, treat it and then vacuum as directed. Throw the vacuum bag into the outdoor trashcan as soon as you're done.
Fleas can carry tapeworm eggs. If your cats swallows an infected flea, he or she will get tapeworms. It's possible for humans to get tapeworms in the same manner.
A good long-term solution, once everything is flea-free, is for pet cats to be indoor only cats.
2006-10-04 08:47:36 · answer #5 · answered by vita64 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Have you talked to a vet? Get flea meds. Giving baths only does so much. Shaving a cat is some what tramamatic for them... plus it impairs there ability to stay warm. I do not suggest you shave your cat. Take your cat to the vet get some flea meds then take her to the groomer get her dipped and then bomb your house for fleas. Wash all bedding and dirty laundry and vacuum like crazy.
Frontline is a great product. I recently had fleas at my house... used Frontline... and now we are getting the problem under control.
2006-10-04 08:43:13 · answer #6 · answered by Kamunyak 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
That's not the answer. Put a flea collar on the cat, and use a flea killing carpet powder several times a week before you vacuum the house. It will take some time but this should end the problem eventually.
2006-10-04 08:39:52 · answer #7 · answered by Darien 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
FIrst of all, DO NOT try to do this yourself! Trust me, it is not an easy task. My vet actually recomended I shave one of mine because of severe hairballs, so I tried. 4 pairs of clippers and many many claws and bites later, I called a groomer because I never made it past his back. If you do shave, treat the house for fleas and also treat the bald cat with a bath and then something like frontline. Don't use flea collars, as they can burn your cat's skin. Oh, be perpared to be hated by your cat for awhile. Mine took months to get over it!
2006-10-05 07:21:17 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Maybe you could trim it shorter, but shaving is extreme and I don't think would rid the cat of fleas, just make it easier to spot them. I think that even if our cat were bald the fleas would still get on to her. They get on us even though we are relatively hairless. I would consult a vet and they can recommend a way to de-flea your carpets if that's where they are coming from.
2006-10-04 08:44:42 · answer #9 · answered by Kainoa 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
In my opinion...it is not the best idea......It seems a bit extreme..... You should talk to a vet for one thing. Is she on medicine for fleas? Have you tried treating them? There could be alot of issues with shaving a cat. For some cats the hair could have problems growing back. Plus...keep in mind...it will most likely make her chill alot easier. She is used to having a blanket of fur over her and if you shaved it all off she could get sick. Check with your vet to see what OTHER options there are before you even consider doing that.
2006-10-04 08:41:00 · answer #10 · answered by getriiiight 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋