How can I get rid of fleas?

Question

We have recently found out that our cat has fleas. By the time we sought treatment it seems that they multiplied. We have a 9month old daughter, she loves to play on the floor, but we are starting to see flea bites on her. We have tried the drops for the cat, multiple times. We've also tried the carpet vacuuming stuff, that didn't work either. What can we do that WILL work?? And, what of those options are also safe for my daughter??

Answer 1

well what kind of drops are you using, i will be honest with you anything that you find at grocery stores or over the counter stuff at pet stores is pointless, harmful, and sometimes fatal for dogs and cats. I suggest getting some frontline plus for cats, it kill the larvae, eggs, and adult fleas. over the counter stuff gets the fleas off the animal and sends them throughout your house... so i would treat with frontline plus to kill and prevent the fleas on the cat and then get a fogger/flea bomb for every room that has furniture and carpets in it and use that a day after you treated your cat. take your cat and family out for about 3 hours and come back to a flealess house!!!

ps petstores are allowed to sell the same exact stuff that you find at the vet. we order ours directly from the companies that give the same frontilne, frontline plus, advantage, and advantix to vets. it all depends on state and county laws. in ny you can only sell it by the box, even at the vets....(pesticide law) and in PA you can only sell it when a vet comes to the pet store....

Answer 2

My son's cats had a very bad flea problem. We tried all sorts of things - sprays, powder, herbals, baths. What finally worked was putting Frontline Plus on them (the cheapest I found was online at "nofleasusa") monthly, and vacuumed, then sprayed the floors, under furniture and furniture with Raid for fleas in a purple can (from Walmart - in the insecticide section by ant killers, not in pets). Then we did a fogger of the same stuff. Had to cover the counters and food, and leave the house and take the cats out of the house for a couple of hours, but this did the trick. I vacuumed again after we came back, also. I'm not sure about the safety for the baby, though. Ask your doctor if they know, or call a poison control number and see what they say. There might be an 800 number on the can, also, or a website for Raid that you can email and ask. I think some does stay in the carpet.

Answer 3

What drops have you tried? I am a Vet Tech and a pet owner, and this is what has worked for me. Give your cat Revolution flea control every month. If you have a severe flea infestation, you can give it a little earlier, like every 3 weeks to start out. In addition to the flea control, treat your house too. This is important, use a flea spray that has an IGR (insect growth regulator) in the spray. You can find these at Petsmart. Make sure everyone is out of the house when you spray. I put all my pets in a closed off room and spray the rest of the house, then leave. After a few hours, I let the pets out and spray the enclosed room as well. Spray under furniture, couch cushions, everything! Do not vacuum immediately afterward to ensure you don't vacuum up the spray.. The spray will last 6-7 months, and the Revolution will take care of the rest. Are all your other pets treated if you have other pets? Are you applying the flea control where your cat can't scratch it off? I ask because store bought brands such as Hartz drops don't work and can actually be harmful to your cat. Revolution is expensive, but worth every penny. I've never had a flea problem and I work with flea infested animals every day in the clinic. Good Luck!

Answer 4

Hi,Frontline is one of the best treatments,that's why vets always recommend it.I have used this for 4 months now and since then my kitten has not had a single flea on him.I found sprays a waste of time.I tried "Bob Martins Flea Bombs" 4 months ago too and they have got rid of the fleas in my home 100%,I'm very pleased.You can buy Frontline from any vets over the counter.Good luck.

Answer 5

Which drops? Any from a pet store don't work I'm afraid - stores aren't licensed to sell the appropriate stuff, so don't expect it to work.

You need to go to a vets for some effective treatment, like Frontline, Advantage of Revolution, and you need to make sure it get on your cat's skin, not their fur. It's also important to treat your house, again, with a treatment from a vet. Your house is where 95% of the fleas are living.

Chalice

Answer 6

Advantage for the cat and Mule Team Borax for the carpets and furniture. You find it on the laundry aisle. Sprinkle it on the floors and furniture, probably at night after the little one goes to bed and vacuum it up first thing in the morning. It'll kill the fleas in the carpet. It sounds weird, I know but I've used this method several times and it works.

Answer 7

One of the most effective and safe methods is to salt the carpets. Regular salt, sprinkle heavily across the entire floor, and leave it over night. Repeat every few days. When the salt touches the fleas, it comes in contact with their mucous membranes and literally sucks the moisture out of them, leaving an empty dried shell. For the cat, a good bath in Dawn dishsoap will do the trick. Try to use one of the kinds with natural citrus extract in it. If she won't let you bathe her, try taking her to a groomer. Give up on the drops, they don't usually work that well and they're actually quite dangerous for your pet.

Answer 8

i am a cat trainer. have you tried the herble flea removers and also give your cat a bath with dawn dish soap. it really works. it suffucates the fleas,spray the floor with the herble cat flea spray and let dry overnite. i have 23 years working with cats. any more questions contact me. it's avaible at most pet stores. its around $15.00