I'm looking for advice regarding my cat. It's allergic to flea collars, spot-on treatments are too expensive, but he doesn't mind getting bathed and rinsed with Cat Flea shampoo. Temperatures are in the early 30's Celsius he enjoys being cooled down, but too much bathing is counter-productive I think. Powders aren't effective.
Can anyone suggest a tried and true anti-flea washing product that won't be absorbed and kill him? I'm hoping he hasn't developed a dermatitis to fleas and needs cortisone or similar injections.
Any help gratefully received.
By Rebecca from Gold Coast, Australia
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Neem pet shampoo (spend a little extra, the cheap stuff may not have enough concentration).
Not to be gross, but this is important: Before getting the cat wet, work shampoo into the fur around ALL orifices. Fleas will crawl into eyes, nose, mouth, etc to escape the water. Sorry it's gross but I've seen it.
A neem spray is also helpful for bedding (I even sprayed it in my bed for a couple of weeks during a really bad infestation. It worked!
Good luck and I salute you. no nasty chemicals on our furry friends!
Oh, and keep the environment clean, vacuum, vacuum! keep in mind that fleas will breed in vacuum bags.
More... brewers yeast internally, along with efa oils are also helpful.
Hi! My cat actually had an allergy to his cat litter (the scented formula). I had switched the litter to unscented & that is when I noticed that all of his bald area's had grown back. The itching, redness, rash & white specks on his coat had almost disappeared. I was also thinking it was fleas, when he actually did not have them.
I use Adams spray, not very expensive, and it works for animals and carpet, furniture, so, inside or outside, also you can bathe your cat in dawn dish liquid, and then spray adams spray on after he/she dries. The smell is not the usual chemical smell you get from most sprays. you can get it from your local feed store.
Dry borax in your carpets, then your kitty won't pick up the little boogers. Good time of year for occasional freeze for killing fleas in your yard.
My pets don't normally have fleas:however, there are times when fleas are very bad. I love using flea combs. Some people may not have time for them, but they help me connect with my pets. I put water in some type of bowl container (that I would never again use for food-- an empty tub margarine dish for example), and add some oil to the top, then catching fleas on the flea comb, put the fleas in the oil. Talking with my Vet one day, he told me oil isn't necessary-dish soap in the water also works. (It might take 20 minutes of combing to begin dislodging the fleas, and more time to get them out of their fur, but the pets love it.)It drowns the fleas.
My Vet also told me that flea shampoos only work as long as the pet is lathered up, and the best use for flea collars (flea collars only work in confined spaces), is to cut a flea collar into 4 pieces. Put one piece of the flea collar in the vacuum cleaner bag, and seal the other 3 pieces in a freezer bag, put them in the freezer, and change them out when the vacuum cleaner bag is changed out.
For a really bad outbreak of fleas, I have dowsed - literally rubbed a lot of oil - like mineral oil, and worked it down to their skin, while giving them a good massage. Oil smothers the fleas. I leave this on for 10 to 25 minutes or so, with the pet wrapped so they aren't oiling up all the furniture, and then I have to bathe them twice with warm water in a mild shampoo, to remove all of the oil. I prefer this method during an initial outbreak of fleas.
I have recently read on thriftyfun of someone that tried using mayonnaise in place of the oil. As long as it is thoroughly worked down to the skin to dislodge and smother the fleas, I don't see why it wouldn't work. And again, wrap the pet to prevent shivers, and getting mayonnaise all over everything, and then shampoo once or twice with a gentle shampoo to remove the dead fleas, and get all of the oil or mayonnaise out of the pets coat.
When I use a flea comb on my pets, it's a very relaxing sensation--like a pet spa thing:however, one has to have the accompanying bowl of water with either oil on top or dish soap and pull the fleas off the flea comb into the oil and water, or dish soap and water, or the fleas will just jump off the flea comb and back onto the dog, or into the home. The fleas, literally, have to be drowned in the oil and water or dish soap water. I do this by combing the pet, and seeing a flea or fleas on the comb.
I cover the comb with my other hand, and with both hands, put the flea comb over the oil and water, or water and dish soap combination, and then with my hand that is covering the fleas to keep them from escaping, I pull downward on the comb, catching loosened fur and fleas, and push them into the oil/water, or water/dish soap combo, drowning the fleas, but not dipping the flea comb in the oil/water, water/dish soap combo, then, I continue gently combing my pet, for up to an hour or so, until I no longer see fleas.
I have actually gently (touching, but not actually scraping their skin), combed a pet for close to an hour, and found fleas that no one would have guessed were there. When the fleas are really bad, I will do this every day, for every pet until the fleas are gone. This can be done while listening to music or watching tv, or just listening to your pet, and realizing their "ooh's and aah's and that felt so good" body language.
Also, after doing this and bathing your pet with a mild shampoo, and towel drying, do use a flea comb again--I was surprised at how many dead fleas I combed out of their fur after this initial treatment and bathing. Although I'm up in the northern states, we can get terrible flea outbreaks. I remember one year in particular, when my mom's vet sent letters to all of us saying if we went to Florida with pets, the pets weren't allowed in for treatment, until they'd gone through flea baths. Some of that experience should be in the thriftyfun archives. That's when I became a "flea-terminator," like Mel but with fleas!
Also, during fleas, I vacuum everyday. I've used carpet flea products, too. Borax has me a little concerned. I have a couple of books on green cleaning, and one of them does not like Borax because borax is a heavy metal, and buildup may not be good.
Let me or us know how you are doing.
Brewers yeast internally, along with fish oil on his food and put a little brewers yeast on his coat (out side) and the fleas will jump off him.
Dawn is safe mild and effective at killing fleas. Once the pet is bathed use some type of flea control, such as flea powder in your vacuum, and vacuum everything. Vacuum at least once a day or more if it's a bad infestation, until their gone. Make sure to wash all bedding, or any fabric they may have come into contact with, or that is low to the ground.
And consider a spot on flea treatment. They aren't too expensive when you take into consideration the well being of your pet. I can't even afford to buy lunch but my dog has everything he needs, because he is in my care.
I think most people can think of something they don't need that can be taken out of their budget or postponed. If you have absolutely no money ask a friend or relative for a little help. If these things aren't feasible consider giving the cat to someone who can better care for it.
Diatomaceous Earth dehydrates insects - any suppliers. I use St. Gabriel Organics. Find at pet stores, garden centers. Use in your yard. You can use in your garage and basements and inside your home. Make sure you use a mask to keep from inhaling. Keep away from the eyes of your pet when you use it on the pet. It is not toxic.
I use it on my cats. I use it outside for safety of the animal's eyes. I stand behind the cat and hold him dusting his entire body. Dusting will kill fleas and many other insects. It kills by dehydrating. Wear gloves so your hands retain their natural moisture. I dust my animals only when I see that they have fleas - supplied from wildlife and dogs that visit my yard. Combing animal fur should tell you when you need to take action and dust your pet.
You can use this product inside but must leave it in carpets about 3 days and then vacuum. Always add some to our vacuum to kill any insects in the house. It does not stay in the air put when applying, I keep windows open and good ventilation. Easy to do. Not a poison, inexpensive. The best thing I have found to deal with fleas.
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