Cats and fleas

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Goldenboy

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Hi,
My cat has been to the Cattery and now has fleas, now I always use front line every 4-5 weeks, he has been scratching a bit so thought I would brush him through with the flea comb and I've found about 6. Is this normal? What should I do?

Help and advice needed
 
My sympathy. :(

My friend's cat and whole house became contaminated by cat fleas, they seemed to be resistant to Frontline. She got rid of them in the end, but it was quite a battle.

I'd try talking to your vet first and see if there's anything other than/as well as Frontline he or she would recommend.
 
Yup, I've heard it from so many people now that Frontline is inadequate as the cat flea population seems to have built up a resistance to it. Do be aware though that owners often only see their cats scratching with fleas long after the problem has taken hold and the adult fleas have laid their eggs in the carpet! The eggs hatch in the carpet and then the hatchlings leap straight back onto the cat. Frontline can still be effective as long as you spray carpets, soft furnishings, nooks and crannies with a ruthless indoor flea killer AT THE SAME TIME. Indorex is very good and has the added advantage that it keeps house spiders away as long as you spray the house in it by the end of August! The odd 1 that does venture in is weakened and eventually killed by it. Yippee!

Advocate is indeed brilliant and ... erm ... a friend of mine has easily managed to buy it on line, though I believe {whispers} it arrived from Australia with the packaging labelled "gift"!
 
Advantage is recommended to replace Frontline in this area and is very good, I only have to use it three times a year maximum.

It has recently been released for general sale and I know Hyperdrug have it. Do shop around, son bought it from a company better know for selling books (beginning with an 'A') and paid a little over double what I paid.
 
I had a similar issue which is now thankfully under control. The everyday Frontline was doing nothing for my dogs or cats, but I switched the dogs over to Certifect which comes from the vet. They don't make a cat version, but I was recommended Frontline Combo. Think that's done the trick as none of the animals are scratching now. I also sprayed the house just to make sure I'd covered all bases!
 
there is some known resistance to frontline as mentioned, alternatives.

advocate-does fleas, worms except tapeworm, lung worm, ear mites and the two most common types of mange-but not ticks

frontline combo-does fleas and ticks

stronghold does same as advocate without worming and lungworm

all the above take 24-48hr to kill the fleas on your pet and should be used 4 weekly or you allow the lifestyle of the target species to start up again, so if you are treating 5 weekly this may be part of your problem

use indorex to treat house its not cheap but treatment last for up to a year-do hover lots before use to encourage eggs to hatch

capstar-kills all fleas on the animal at time of application (starts within an hour) but has no lasting effect

i dont know about other products as we dont stock them where i work

also if you by over the internet without prescription the company is already proving itself to be dishonest i would personally not trust the products from this sort of place

hope thishelps
 
Another one here that's struggled with frontline **waves** will definately be trying some of the above alternatives.

I had a chat with a local vet, who said they do a jab to give 12 month protection as an alternative. However I wasn't keen on kitty being jabbed just for fleas, and asked for any other products.

She said they had none (they were on the counter in front of her). I pointed them out to her and she said she couldn't sell them to me (frontline!) without a consultation with kitty! :rolleyes: I said you've seen her within the last 6 months so you should be able to. She then went :mad: and asked exactly how much kitty weighed (with a smirk directed towards an obvious regular customer stood next to me). I said I didn't know but she was this big **imagine hands about a foot apart** with this :p look on my face.

I pretty much got frogmarched out of the vets :cool: and went straight to petsathome and bought something else from there, that worked :D!

Couldn't shake the feeling that vet was having a quiet day and wanted £35 for the jab and about the same for a consultation!!!! No way!!! :)

Blummin cats and fleas......sat here itching now! :eek:
 
we allow owners to weigh cats at home and tell us how much they weigh-most of the products are over 4kg or under 4kg for cats so it does not have to be exact.

if pets at home did not give you a prescription product then it wont kill the fleas just deter them for a while-meaning they will probably just hop off into the enviroment (your home) for a short while then hop back on the cat, we have so many clients that try to but cheaper products they very rarely work IME
 
jools1234 said:
we allow owners to weigh cats at home and tell us how much they weigh-most of the products are over 4kg or under 4kg for cats so it does not have to be exact.

if pets at home did not give you a prescription product then it wont kill the fleas just deter them for a while-meaning they will probably just hop off into the enviroment (your home) for a short while then hop back on the cat, we have so many clients that try to but cheaper products they very rarely work IME
Click to expand...

It was a prescription product from pets at home (the vet centre bit) and they asked as you did above - over or under 4kgs (definately under) - they were most helpful, and gave me stuff to treat the house too.

I was surprised at the vets (it's a 2 practice vets, and I went to the larger practice as they have a shop) - she just seemed to want a consultation and the associated charges. My normal smaller practice is lovely, I should have gone there. I must have caught her on a bad day - I just was surprised at her attitude in front of another customer!

Kitty is flea free now but I'm going to blitz the house again at some point! Kitty is a rescue cat who is not allowed outside at the moment, so she must have brought them with her :(

I hate fleas!!! :)
 
I have used Frontline and stronghold combi this year and they still have the odd flea hopping around. I have also 'indorexed' the carpet. My vet said to treat them every 3 weeks. I have three cats and a small bank account!!!!
Always buy online though, half the price.
 
Haven't had problems with frontline, but have heard many people who have. I switched to advantage this year. I normally switch as I hear reports or the next thing come off POM status.

Can't understand why that awkward vet was demanding a consultation. She must have known it was non-POM and you can buy it almost anywhere, now?
 
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