What else can I do to rid my cats and house of fleas?

Question

I have three cats and have never had a flea problem before. For the last month they have been wearing flea collars (I hate using the flea drops) but the problem only seemed to get worse. Today I vacumned and sprayed the bedding and furniture (what I couldn't wash anyway) with flea spray. Washed all three cats with flea shampoo and have applied the flea drops. I also fogged the house. My concern is that I am brushing all the cats with a flea comb and constantly pulling off live fleas and little black "debris". None of the fleas seemed to have died. I am worried that the infestation will continue. Does it just take time for them to die off or do I need to do more? I am desperate to get rid of them. Thanks for any info you have.

Thank you for all your responses. I did want to add that I have not used flea collars in years until recently. I disliked how it affected the area of the neck. I used the flea drops (only the over the counter kind) and my cats reacted badly. That is why I resorted to the flea collars again. I now realize I need to get some better quality stuff. My cats are strictly indoors and I have no other pets so I am confident that when I get rid of the current ones I will be on the path to being flea free once again. Thanks

Answer 1

First of all... flea collars do not work. The chemicals used in them only cover the neck and head area. The collars can also cause irritation due to the concentration of chemicals to one spot. The only flea control product that really works is either advantage or frontline, Name brand product only! Products similar put out by 'Hearts' etc. contain a chemical called pyrethrins which has been proven by the veterinary industry to cause illness in cats. I prefer advantage myself. Of course these are topical which you mentioned you did not like to use.
The thing about advantage and frontline that works so well that NO other product does is that it not only keeps fleas off but it kills them, kills the larvae and kills the eggs of the fleas.
There is another product that is in a chewable tablet form. It is called 'Capstar' and it starts to kill live fleas immediately. Capstar is safe to give every day but again, it won't keep the fleas from getting on the cats.
You can safely use 'Borax' a laundry detergent enhancer on your carpet. Sprinkle it all over and let it sit for about 8 hours and then vacuum it up. (here is where the flea collars due come in handy. place a flea collar into your vacuum bag. It will kill fleas that you vacuum up. Remember to empty your bag after vacuuming). Use Borax in your window sills and in your doorway. Borax is the secret ingredient that the company 'Flea Busters' use.
Also... Fleas can cause tapeworms when ingested by your cats. Keep an eye out for small white worms that look like a piece of rice. When dried up they look like sesame seeds. Check their bedding.

Answer 2

Sounds like you have an infestation. but you can get on top of it as you are doing. Cleaning the cats with flea shampoo leaves them clean and ready for the fleas to jump back on. there is no residual value to the shampoo. Fogging and spraying the environment is also good for the active fleas. Flea collars and over the counter medication is not guaranteed. I don't use it.

I recommend you get from your vet a certified flea protection. It will be good for 1 month. You get a 6 pack, and apply it for the next 2 months. Every flea that jumps on your kitty's to eat will die, before they bite!. so every where your cats walk they will kill the fleas. Best walking bombs huh?

Advantage, Frontline & Revolution all work well, tho I prefer the revolution for my cats because it has a wormer in it, and they don't hate it as much as advantage.

These products will knock the fleas out of their feeding cycle by either making them hyper-the dance of death, or making them sleep. Either way they are dead because they don't eat.
If they don't' eat they don't reproduce and you stop the cycle, and need to wait out the remaining eggs that may hatch.

The vibration of the vacuum cleaner can cause eggs to hatch, so that is where you put your flea collars. Fleas live out of the light. Fogger's that go up, fall straight down and do not hit these places. Your spray was a good idea.

So you were on the right track, but the over the counter medication may not be as reliable as you would like.

Good Luck!

Answer 3

Indoor animals are not safe from fleas.

Do not confuse over the counter store-bought products with what you buy at vets. Pet stores aren't licensed to sell the proper chemicals for flea treatment - these chemicals tend to be organophosphates, used because they're cheap as they've been around for decades, but they're not suitable for application to animals really. No wonder you hate spot-ons if this is all you've used!

Get PROPER flea treatment from a vets. Veterinary spot-ons are actually suitable for being put on animals, it's what they've been formulated for; Frontline etc. Get some. You will probably have to spray your house as well, since this is where most of the fleas are living. Again, get something from a vets, not a pet store.

The black 'debris' by the way is flea dirts - their poo. It's so ironic that store-bought crap made you turn to flea collars - these are almost as bad! And they really, really don't work, as you've now discovered.

Chalice

Answer 4

Capstar is a great flea medication. It's a pill that you give each animal orally and it kills all the live fleas on them within 30 minutes. It only lasts 24 hours so you'll have to dose them daily for several days.

Revolution is great too. It's a prescription topical spot treatment that kills adult fleas, prevents eggs from hatching, kills ticks, and is a dewormer too. You need to get it from a vet though.

In bad cases like yours, i'd treat the cats with revolution and give them each a capstar. The capstar will kick in quickly and the revolution will last a month. Treat the environment too.

Answer 5

Oh no, don't use flea collars! That will cause kidney disease! Use olive oil to wash the fleas off. Or get one of those safer brands where you put a drop on their knecks, those work well and are safe, unlike the toxic flea collars! You are looking for some major bills and health issues letting them wear those, can't you tell by the smell that it;s pure poison? Keep them inside, and they will never ever get fleas.

Answer 6

Three step process:
1. Ask your vet for a capstar (oral flea med works in 30min for 5 hours will kill any fleas on your cat) have feline frontline on hand so you can apply it toward the end of the 5 hours.
2. Bomb your house and your backyard on the same day. You'll have to leave the your home with your pets/pet for the day.
3. Repeat the process in 2 weeks. Fleas lay their eggs in carpet and yard. The eggs will hatch in 3 weeks.
Good Luck!!!!!

Answer 7

Bob Martin is crap!! You need to use some frontline on the cats, this needs to be routinely administered every 4 weeks and you must treat ALL animals in the household. A flea spray for the environment with an IGR (insect growth regulator) is the better option as it prevents the pupae larva from maturing into adult fleas!!