Chelli Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 So my second kid was diagnosed today with cat scratch fever. From my research I know it's caused by fleas on our cats. We used the liquid flea drops, but apparently they didn't kill all the fleas. So tell me what works best to get rid of the pests. Should we bomb the house? Give the cats a flea bath every week? Try a different type of drops? Help me out here. I do NOT want to be dealing with cat scratch fever every month!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Capstar (kills adult fleas on your animal in a few hours and can given multiple times) great for current infestations!! and Program for cats- it works like birth control for fleas preventing new ones. This is a once a month pill. We've had better luck with this vs drops. It took only a few days of using capstar to clear all the adult fleas and program to get working and our flea infestations cleared up. Wish I had known about this from the beginning. ETA: This combo turns your cats into flea killing machines, you won't need to bomb the house. Just vacuum daily. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Go to your vet and get Capstar. And yes, you need to treat the house, too. There are various ways to do that, from a bomb to diatomaceous earth to very frequent vacuuming. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hornblower Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 1. What are you using on your cat? Get something from the vet, not the pet store. There are some fleas developing resistance to some of the agents so switching to a different treatment is a good start. Vets usually know what's working in their area.2. Vacuum. Vacuuming really, really works. Vacuum once a day for several weeks. Use the crevice tool & do all around baseboards & anywhere the cat sleeps.Science! http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2007/12/071217111010.htm :)(hey, there's a reason why my sig line was 'why yes, vacuuming is my hobby' when I was on the old boards. Three dogs, foster dogs, 1 cat etc... Vacuuming works. I actually don't have to flea treat my animals very often & I tend to only use topicals when we're going into tick territory.)3. Put cat beds through dryer on hot.I would not use chemicals inside. If the infestation is really bad though, & it's an indoor-outdoor cat, I would consider treating the grass around your home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Yikes! What brand of flea control are you using? Are you using it on every animal in the house? Are you still seeing flea dirt? Or fleas? Vetkem siphitrol is a great area treatment. Let me know what products you are using, and I'll see if I can help :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Vetkem siphitrol is a great area treatment. That's what my vet friends recommend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 The harsh answer: get rid of the cats and dogs. ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 No, you really need the cats to help you get rid of the fleas! ;) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I would like to know what topical you are using, as well. When our 100% indoor cat brought home fleas from the vet and spread them around the house, we used capstar on the cat, frontline plus on the cat and DE in the house, spread liberally with daily vacuuming for about a week. This seems to have done it. I have continued to treat the cat topically for several months just in case, but I will stop after next month. Our outdoor/indoor dog gets topical flea and tick prevention year round. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 During our worst infestation, I used a flea comb in combination with the Capstar and topical treatments. It was a real pain in the rear but I honestly think it helped. Right now we are flea free and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that we stay that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Justified Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I have never used flea drops or flea baths. Diatomaceous earth works for me. I have never seen a flea in the 2.5 years I have had a dog. I don't know if it's because I live in an apartment or my dog is an inside dog. This is all I have ever used. I just sprinkle it on my carpet every few months and vacuum it up. http://www.amazon.com/Thomas-Labratories-Diatomaceous-Powder-3-Pound/dp/B001THVH9G/ref=sr_1_16?ie=UTF8&qid=1412458885&sr=8-16&keywords=food+safe+diatomaceous+earth Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Bombing is generally a bad idea with insect infections, as it just drives the bugs into crevices. Are they indoor cats, or indoor outdoor? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Go to your vet and get Capstar. And yes, you need to treat the house, too. There are various ways to do that, from a bomb to diatomaceous earth to very frequent vacuuming. wait, whoa :) our cat's groomer has to give capstar to our Ragdoll b/c she usually has fleas. betty says it's a workable "24" hour med. maybe hornblower can confirm this? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 on another note, I thought I've heard that cedar chips ? are good. also, I heard Avon's SOS (skin so soft). again, maybe hornblower can shed some light on these 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 wait, whoa :) our cat's groomer has to give capstar to our Ragdoll b/c she usually has fleas. betty says it's a workable "24" hour med. maybe hornblower can confirm this? I'm not sure what your question is? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Capstar kills all live fleas on the cat. You need a preventive like frontline to kill them as they hatch. Capstar won't do that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Thanks for all of the responses! I'll be looking into Capstar on Monday when the vet opens. I used Frontline on the cats and it worked okay, but didn't kill all the fleas. We would still see a few every now and then on them. :glare: I have since found out that fleas in an area can become "immune" to certain flea killers if they are overused. I was really hoping that the cheap option would work and maybe it will once we've treated them with Capstar. Good to know about not having to bomb the house. The cats are mostly indoors, but we do let them out every so often. My dh is wanting us to train them to go outside so that we don't have a litter box in the house, so they might be outdoors more than they are now if we are able to accomplish this. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Did you use the Frontline faithfully every single month without fail? If the cats go out once and get one flea, it can lead to an infestation. That is how our 100% indoor cat brought home one flea from the vet (and it wasn't even an overnight stay, just a visit), and we had an infestation. Also, I know where you live, and it just does not get cold enough to kill off all the vermin there. So if the cats go out ever, they will need to be on a topical treatment every single month. Our infestation of fleas from the vet happened in early June, but I am still treating the cat with Frontline. I will likely quit this winter, but again, she is NEVER outdoors. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sheryl Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I'm not sure what your question is? not so much a question as a confirmation. as noted, our cat's groomer has told me that the capstar is "24" hours. so, it's a temporary fix. from what I understand it's NOT effective for a month like other preventatives. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I used Frontline on the cats and it worked okay, but didn't kill all the fleas. We would still see a few every now and then on them. :glare: I have since found out that fleas in an area can become "immune" to certain flea killers if they are overused. I was really hoping that the cheap option would work and maybe it will once we've treated them with Capstar. Good to know about not having to bomb the house. Frontline doesn't work until the flea actually bites the cat. Fleas don't live on cats, they live where cats hang out and jump on and off at will. So if you see an occasional flea on a cat who has frontline, most likely it just jumped on recently and hasn't had a chance to die yet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Capstar kills all live fleas on the cat. You need a preventive like frontline to kill them as they hatch. Capstar won't do that Program will help with the rest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 You can get Capstar from Amazon. This is the one for cats and dogs, even though the pic on the box is a dog. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hannahs4 Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Well there have been pockets of resistance to frontline. Also the product effectiveness wanes over the month, so in a bad infestation it is okay to treat every three weeks. I would probably switch to revolution, advantage or Comfortis (which is an oral monthly med). Program is wonderful once you have fleas under control because it is very safe and it eliminates the possibility of one flea becoming an infestation. If you have trouble remembering the every four week treatment then Seresto may be an option for you. It is essentially advantage in a flea collar. Not my personal favorite, but works for some people due to ease of use. Treating every pet is essential, and environmental treatment like the vacuuming already recommended, and vetkem siphitrol area spray (great for inside couches and under furniture etc). Flea busters, a DE product is wonderful for treating your yard And I wouldn't bother bathing as long as you have adequate flea control applied.. The cats will appreciate it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 You can get Capstar from Amazon. This is the one for cats and dogs, even though the pic on the box is a dog. :) THANK YOU!!!! I even found the Program once a month pills on Amazon as well! We're set now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chelli Posted October 5, 2014 Author Share Posted October 5, 2014 Do I need to use the diatomaceous earth on our hardwood and laminate floors as well or just the carpet? Also the cats always sleep with dd10 in her bed. Can I use it on her mattress? She has laminate flooring in her room so I don't know if I'd need it there. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tanaqui Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I would NOT use it on the mattress. Possibly on the bedframe, but NOT on the mattress, as it can be bad to inhale that stuff. You *can* spray the bedframe with an insect growth regulator such as Gentrol. That won't kill fleas, but it will keep them from reproducing. And you definitely should be diligent about washing the bedding with hot water if the cats spend several hours a day on the bed. I would use DE near all your baseboards, whether hardwood or not, as well as on the carpets. You shouldn't have huge piles of the stuff, a thin layer (like you neglected the dusting for a week or two) should suffice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 Get food grade DE, not pool grade. I got it cheap at the Tractor Supply. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I tried using DE but did not seem to have any luck with it. It didn't seem to do anything. I finally resorted to the heavy duty spray from the vet's office. We're still not flea-free, but we're getting there. The cats seem to be feeling better, but I'm still seeing a flea or two from time to time. I think I'm going to buy more Capstar and the Program from Amazon and try that. I do see that there is a "generic" combination version of these here. Do y'all think this would be as good as the name brand stuff? ETA: I found these, too, which I think look like they might be the better choice. The reviews are good, too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
texasmama Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I used DE along with Capstar and a topical, vacuuming daily and emptying the vacuum outdoors, and washing all bedding, blankets, etc the cat was in contact with. It was a full court press. I used the cat meds to rid the cat and the DE and vacuuming to rid my home. I also bathed the cat. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PinkyandtheBrains. Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I didn't have much luck with DE. But if you are going to use it get food grade. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 COMFORTIS. Get it from the vet. Period. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LisaKinVA Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The best treatment is going to depend upon several factors -- when I was treating my father's home (wall-to-wall carpet, nearly 3,000 square feet, plus a basement), the infestation by that point was just beyond anything I had ever seen. I didn't have several hours a day to vacuum the entire house and 2 sets of stairs daily -- and my dad and brother weren't going to help, either. We got the cats treated, and took them elsewhere for a couple of days. Every curtain came down, every piece of bedding got washed, and I used a flea-powder on the stairs, under the beds where the cats hung out, in the vacuum cleaner bags, and bombed the house...twice (once one week, once a week later). I vacuumed the entire house 3x. The curtains didn't go back up -- and most of the bedding did not go back on the beds until the treatment was complete. This was the best course of action for the time *I* had to dedicate to the process. After that point, I insisted that my brother use a flea treatment on his cat -- and he has been doing that since (his room was particularly bad). Brother's cat was an indoor/outdoor cat -- whereas my skittsh feline was strictly indoor and never ventured out. If we ever had to take her to a vet, I had to catch her the day before and essentially house her in the laundry room, where she couldn't hide inside the hide-a-bed sofa or piano, or any manner of difficult to reach places. For something more mild, I wouldn't have been as aggressive, wouldn't have worried about bombing the house, and simply stuck to more natural methods. My poor old kitty was so badly infested with fleas, I wasn't sure she would survive (my cat was not a social creature...she hid all day and came out at night, we rarely saw her unless she WANTED to be seen). She did live through that ordeal -- and recovered pretty well considering she was already 17. Fleas were everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pawz4me Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 not so much a question as a confirmation. as noted, our cat's groomer has told me that the capstar is "24" hours. so, it's a temporary fix. from what I understand it's NOT effective for a month like other preventatives. You can give it repeatedly. Expensive? Yes. But it works. I would give Capstar for at least several days while I worked on getting rid of the fleas in the house. And then I would switch to some type of monthly preventative. I would go with whatever my vet advised, since they usually know what products work best in their area. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DragonFaerie Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 COMFORTIS. Get it from the vet. Period. I spent $16 per pill times 3 cats on this last Wednesday, and I don't think it worked. The vet said the cats could throw it up again if they didn't have enough food in their tummies. They (the vet folks) fed them when they gave them the pills, and they didn't mention if they didn't keep it down, but the cats still have fleas. The cats were all bathed while they were at the vet, too, and I sprayed the whole house while they were gone. I don't even have carpet, but I sprayed all the furniture and the kitty condo, and I washed the rugs. I'm running out of ideas here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 I spent $16 per pill times 3 cats on this last Wednesday, and I don't think it worked. The vet said the cats could throw it up again if they didn't have enough food in their tummies. They (the vet folks) fed them when they gave them the pills, and they didn't mention if they didn't keep it down, but the cats still have fleas. The cats were all bathed while they were at the vet, too, and I sprayed the whole house while they were gone. I don't even have carpet, but I sprayed all the furniture and the kitty condo, and I washed the rugs. I'm running out of ideas here. Hmmm. I would suspect the cats didn't have enough food in their stomachs. They require food in the stomach not only to not vomit it, but also to slow down the digestion to allow for full effectiveness. The manufacturer of Comfortis, Elanco, is awesome about standing behind the product. Especially since your vet administered it, I am confident that Elanco will replace the doses (via the vet), and I will guess that your vet will be happy to administer new doses for free. Call them, make an appointment, feed the cats before the appointment, and bring them in and have them re-dosed. We've sold about a zillion doses over the past several years, and I've never heard of it not working. Ever. They do spit it up sometimes, and we tell clients to let us know (no, you don't have to bring in the puked pill, lol), and we replace it on the spot, and then have Elanco credit/replace it to us. In your case, since the vet dosed the cats, I am sure they'll stand behind that and not charge you for the pill administrations a second time. Call the vet! They'll make it right. If your house is infested, you're smart to treat the house -- lots of vacuuming, washing everything that is washable, etc. You can use a flea spray or bomb (we use Knockout by Virbac -- available OTC), but they are nasty and poisonous and rarely needed if you are using Comfortis and do good vacuuming/washing . . . And, if you have any other animals that are harboring fleas, be sure they get a dose of Comfortis (better, Trifexis for dogs . .. it has the flea med of Comfortis, plus intestinal parasite meds and heart worm meds . . .). Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
applethyme Posted October 5, 2014 Share Posted October 5, 2014 The last time we had fleas I vacuumed twice a day and treated the cats. It worked well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 6, 2014 Share Posted October 6, 2014 We literally stopped at a vet's office and asked if we could buy the Comfortis pill. The lady at the front desk sold them based on dh's description of our cat and the issue (we just bought one at a time, went back later for others) and we had the burden of feeding them to her. It was a nightmare. Well, dh said the food thing was not going to work so he held her mouth open and gave it to her. I was worried that she didn't get to chew it. I don't know if you should swallow it whole. It wasn't a big ordeal that time. Another time we tried to give it to her she put up a huge fight and we didn't know if she swallowed it. And dh got scratched up pretty badly one of the last times. The pill worked early on but I don't think giving the pill is easy. I had never heard anything about amount of food in stomach, etc. Hmm. Well, if this vet had not examined your cats within the last year (or so), then their dispensing of the medication was actually illegal. It is an FDA labeled prescription only DRUG and cannot legally be sold over-the-counter (which is what is legally happening if it is sold without a valid "veterinarian-client-patient-relationship", which is generally understood to require an exam within the last year for non-herd animals). So, anyway, if I were you, and that is what happened, then I would find a new vet that requires exams before dispensing prescription meds. That vet will then do their job right, examine your pet, make sure the prescribed med is appropriate, and advise you on how to administer it properly. There are "pill guns" or "pill syringes" that make it much, much easier to pill most cats. Your vet or her/his assistant can teach you how to use these cheap safe devices. FWIW, these are the kinds of reasons why vet medicine costs, and why you should see the same vet annually, and why you should seek their counsel about meds, and why you should buy directly from the vet . . . A high degree of expertise, education, and supervision is often needed to safely and effectively administer meds. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I've been unhappy with all the vets I have taken our kitten to and we've had her under a year. She's been to a few different clinics. Dh was desperate and called this random vet's office and may have mistakenly told the front desk worker that we'd gone there before. I had actually taken kitty to a different vet in the same city. Anyway, I didn't know it was illegal. And we didn't have the kitten with us when we picked up the pill. We live 45 min. away from the larger cities (which is where this office is) and I was running out of closer options. Finding a vet has been nothing but a headache for me. I assure you it was illegal if your cat had never been to that vet, and 100% certainly if NONE of your pets had been to that vet. (Sometimes a vet can reasonably use 'herd health" rationale for dispensing for an entire household if one of the patients has been seen recently. This is a grey zone.) Heck, if you were sold "Comfortis" OTC, and it didn't even work . . . I'd totally suspect that you didn't actually get Comfortis. FWIW, if you have had your little cat to multiple vets in under one year, you really need to research your local vets! Ask your friends and neighbors for recommendations, ask your Facebook friends, research online (the practice websites and google reviews . . .) and consider the AAHA hospital locator for a starting point. https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/hospital_search/default.aspx (Being an AAHA hospital is not a 100% guarantee, but it does show a significant commitment to quality.) Once you find a good practice, stick with them and get all your care and meds at the same place. Personally, I'd invest in a "wellness checkup" immediately with a new practice until you find one you like. You want an established relationship with a practice you trust -- just like you need for a pediatrician, etc. (Often, our best new clients to our vet hospital make appts with the doctor upon moving to town for an exam to "get established". These clients who willingly pay $50 for an exam even though their pet isn't "due" for an exam at that moment are generally excellent pet owners, and I assure you that the vet and staff notice their caring and attentiveness . . . It is a great way to get to know a new practice. And, without the pressure to get things done at a regular scheduled exam, you have the chance to ask any niggling questions (fleas . . . etc) and really get to know the style of the practice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 I assure you it was illegal if your cat had never been to that vet, and 100% certainly if NONE of your pets had been to that vet. (Sometimes a vet can reasonably use 'herd health" rationale for dispensing for an entire household if one of the patients has been seen recently. This is a grey zone.) Heck, if you were sold "Comfortis" OTC, and it didn't even work . . . I'd totally suspect that you didn't actually get Comfortis. FWIW, if you have had your little cat to multiple vets in under one year, you really need to research your local vets! Ask your friends and neighbors for recommendations, ask your Facebook friends, research online (the practice websites and google reviews . . .) and consider the AAHA hospital locator for a starting point. https://www.aaha.org/pet_owner/about_aaha/hospital_search/default.aspx (Being an AAHA hospital is not a 100% guarantee, but it does show a significant commitment to quality.) Once you find a good practice, stick with them and get all your care and meds at the same place. Personally, I'd invest in a "wellness checkup" immediately with a new practice until you find one you like. You want an established relationship with a practice you trust -- just like you need for a pediatrician, etc. (Often, our best new clients to our vet hospital make appts with the doctor upon moving to town for an exam to "get established". These clients who willingly pay $50 for an exam even though their pet isn't "due" for an exam at that moment are generally excellent pet owners, and I assure you that the vet and staff notice their caring and attentiveness . . . It is a great way to get to know a new practice. And, without the pressure to get things done at a regular scheduled exam, you have the chance to ask any niggling questions (fleas . . . etc) and really get to know the style of the practice. ps. "Capstar" is OTC and is similar to Comfortis EXCEPT Capstar works for just 24 hours instead of 30 days. Capstar can be used orally every other day for some weeks and fairly effectively get rid of a flea population . . . If you were sold an OTC tablet for fleas, I bet it was Capstar, as that is the only LEGAL thing you can be sold OTC that is oral for fleas. Capstar is also much, much cheaper per pill (relative to Comfortis.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
justamouse Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 Diatomaceous Earth or Borax rubbed into the carpets and floors. Rub it in really well, let it sit, and then vacuum. Rinse and repeat until the fleas are gone. Wash the cats with Dawn. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
StephanieZ Posted October 7, 2014 Share Posted October 7, 2014 It did work. I wasn't the poster that said it didn't work. And I did ask people for vet recommendations. One lady maybe wasn't recommending a vet based on personal experience, but rather due to location. I went there and regretted it. Another one was recommended by someone we knew but I watched them do something that I found unsanitary. I read online reviews for the ones further away from my home. I am still fairly new to the area so I don't really have a lot of people to ask and the recommendations didn't really work in my favor. I don't have an extra $50 for a wellness visit :/ PM me your city/state and I will see if I can search up any ideas for you. :) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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