I have a indoor cat that hides a lot because of my two dogs. So today I finally got him to come out when the dogs were outside and noticed he was scratching bad and had scabs along his neck, back and tail. while grooming my cat as always I seen he had fleas. he does not have claws to itch himself and I feel so bad for him. What can I do to help his skin and get rid of the fleas on the animals and in the house? Please help!
Thanks,
Sue
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HI, I have found a wonderful all natural product called "cedar cide". We have 2 cats and 2 dogs and had an awful flea infestation every year in this home with or without animals. We have fleas bad in the yard from squirrels and bring them in on us. We spray the whole house and a jug lasts us a year and cost us a third of what we used to spend on poisons. It is safe for all pets, though I have also herd cats do bad with essential oils as they con jest the liver and this has some cedar in it. Our cats have no problem with it but got sick from the poisons.
This is what I did to rid my kitten 10 weeks old of fleas until my Frontline plus arrives. I bought Frontline real cheap off Ebay. 8 month supply for $20.00 that included the shipping! So to kill the live fleas until it gets here. I washed her in Dawn dish soap the blue original Dawn. I did not get her wet first.
I put Dawn around her neck first and quickly rubbed it in as this helps to prevent the fleas from scurrying to her head and face area. Then I put a line of Dawn down her back and worked it in and then under her belly and worked it in. I worked it in real good. Then I added a bit of water to her and then kept on working it in. I could see the adult dead fleas falling off her. Although some did manage to escape to her head and they tried to get in her nose and eyes so for those little critters I used tweezers and picked them off her and put them in container with dawn and water so they would die.
I gently scrubbed her for about 10 minutes with the dawn on. Then I rinsed her off with clean luke warm water. Then I put some Apple Cider Vinegar mixed with water on her as the final rinse to repel new fleas. I know she has eggs and larvae that will hatch soon but by then the Frontline Plus should be here and that will work for those.
As for my house I used common table salt. I sprinkled it all over my house. Let it sit for hours then vacuumed and swept it all up. While I waited those hours I washed all bedding, curtains, any dirty laundry etc. I vacuumed corners and trim and anywhere I thought a flea would hide. To get rid of the fleas I guess I had to think like a flea.
I bought the advantage on ebay for a really good price. I got 8 doses for $22.00. Within the 1st week my cats stopped scratching and within the next 2 weeks they started disappearing from the house. We have been doing this for the last 4 months and have no more flea problems.
Good Luck
Along w/ all the other suggestions, you could also try what me and my 'boo' do. He loves nothing better to curl up on my lap after a good brushing and letting me continue grooming him w/ tweezers, just running my fingers randomly and crunching any diehards I might find.
Be very careful with any insect bomb! Be sure to have any gas pilot turned off to the stove, hot water heater and heating systems and open all windows and doors to air out the residence well before re-lighting the pilots! Those bombs are highly explosive!
Just came across this suggestion from another site and might be helpful ...
When I buy flea collars for my three dogs, I use the extra
that I cut off to put in my vacuum cleaner bag to kill any
fleas that are sucked up! It helps to keep the house flea
free.
Hello ! You don't need the flea collars it is the aspiration of the vacuum cleaner that kills the fleas. Although it is a quite recent discovery you will find plenty of information about this on the net. It was first stated by entomologists that were collecting insects with a vacuum system in the rainforests, the vacuum kills the insect, it is not yet fully explain whether it is the pressure or the hits inside the brush and tube that kill the fleas, but what matters is that it does kill them, and that it is cheap and that there are no chemicals involved in the process, dangerous for you or the pets.
www.sciencedaily.com/
www.google.fr/
When got one of my cats from the shelter, she had fleas. Two doses of either Frontline or Advantage (it was 10 years ago) did the trick.
Steam cleaning carpets gets rid of many fleas and eggs. Fleas spend much of their time OFF of the animal. Dump the dirty steamer water down the toilet to make sure the fleas don't survive!
Mule Team Borax powder, Diatomaceous Earth, or Boric Acid Powder will kill fleas in carpets and upholstery. Boric acid powder is safe for killing fleas and ear mites on the cat.
Mix Dawn dish washing soap and water in a shallow dish, then place the dish on the floor to catch and drown fleas. Use a flea comb on your cat to catch many fleas. Between combings, dunk the comb in a dish of Dawn mixed with water so the fleas cannot escape.
A mixture I've used for years to kill adult fleas is 5 ounces of liquid Seven and 5 ounces of liquid Malathion to a gallon of water. I've used that mixture even with tiny kittens. Flea collars usually don't work at all, they only drive fleas from the head and neck to other parts of the animal, and some cats are allergic to the collars.
Many products contain Methoprene to kill eggs and larvae but fleas became somewhat immune to methoprene's effects several years ago.
A really good brand of flea spray for the house, that contains NYLAR, which IS EFFECTIVE FOR KILLING EGGS AND LARVAE, is Enforcer Flea Spray for Homes. I found it in a local hardware store. Spray EVERYTHING, even between your mattresses and box springs, under couch cushions, cracks and crevices, in stacks of books or magazines, under the refrigerator etc. Fleas hide everywhere!
Frontline IS good but has the disadvantage of being too expensive for most people to use regularly with a multiple cat household.
Can I do something for my cats earmites without spending a fortune at the vet? OTC meds or some other suggestions thanks and joey (my cat) aslo says thanks :)
Tractor Supply has ear mite medicine for cats instead of taking him to the vet. It is five or seven dollars it's not that expensive
Tea tree oil!
If garlic cloves are good for dogs then how about cats? as for the apple cider vinegar in the cats water, my cat may have a problem with that. I did use some garlic juice on a cotton ball and dabbed the cat's paws, behind her neck and on her tail the other day. she hated that smell. but either it dried or she licked it off. I use the cat flea shampoo on her plus the flea collar and sometimes the flea drops.she is an inside cat. but still gets fleas, have outside dogs and the fleas come in on us from outside. Will try to add some apple cider vinegar to her water and hope for the best. will try the garlic on cotton ball dab again and have some on hand in a bag. I hate chemicals.
Martha42
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i have 2 kittens, we bought a town house 4 months ago. We had no problems with fleas, all of sudden their are fleas everywhere and our kittens are indoor cats so I don't know how this many could be in here? We tried bombing the house with 2 cans one on each floor. it killed like 90% of them but there are still fleas in the house i just want them out!! Any suggestions?
You are supposed to use ONE can per ROOM, not per floor, hat's why you most likely still have a problem. Set off one can in EACH ROOM. (08/13/2004)
By Ann
I had this problem with an indoor cat a few years ago and it turned out that I was the problem. Fleas were hitching a ride on my pants legs in the grass outside and riding into the house. Then they infest the cat and lay eggs in carpets, furniture, etc. The advice I received was to invest about half of my flea budget in treating the yard, 30 - 40% (can't remember) treating the house, carpet, furniture, etc. and the other 10% or so treating the cat. I was also advised that the bombs only kill mature fleas; something else must be used to kill the eggs. And I was told that since my cat is a long haired critter (and also because they don't work much on Southern fleas anyway) I shouldn't use a flea collar on her. (08/13/2004)
By Anna
When my indoor cat got fleas we just got him a flea collar (they are inexpensive too) and wash all your blankets and cat bedding (if you have any) and all that stuff and every single flea will be gone in 1 month at the very least.
(10/12/2004)
By Kristi
I always bathe my cats at least for twenty minutes when I first take them in the house with Dawn dishwasing liquid and warm water. Just get a sink full of the stuff. The fleas will all run for their lives and head for the ears and eyes. I then pick the fleas off and drop them in a separate container. This takes a while. You have to do this until they are old enough to have flea spray or powder.
Salt sprinkled on the floor should be good. Rosemary repels fleas as does lavender and rubbing alcohol. I sometimes sprinkle garlic on the cat and work it in, just a little bit, in the coat and then the cat gets some of it and swallows it,. B1 is a good supplement to give an imals, and also a bottle of skin so soft and water sprayed on occasionally. I just treat them like kids and make them bathe and when they are old enough, powder spray or topically treat them for fleas and tapeworms. (11/06/2004)
By Robyn
Mix normal shampoo and tea tree oil together and wash your cats with it for about ten minutes. Then wrap them in a towel and hold them in it for another 10 minutes. Fleas don't like it and it makes their coat softer. Hope it helps! (12/29/2004)
By Jessie
Pet Sitter here, Alan, plus a happy cat owner. I don't understand the flea situation, either, if your kittens are strictly indoors--UNLESS--your new place was formerly inhabited by indoor/outdoor animals. Fleas can remain dormant for something like a YEAR until they detect the presence of new hosts--yeah, yuck! We're not even going to start on the eggs. What I suggest is for you is something cheap and quick, but it will take diligence to make it work and STAY working. You'll need to lock the kitties out of whatever room you're doing, because they don't need to walk in this stuff--they'll clean it off themselves and they definitely don't need it in their little bodies.
By Barbara
My cat picked up fleas after being outside for only 2 minutes of her entire life. I took her to the groomers for a flea bath while I bombed my apartment. I used SIX cans in a small two bedroom apartment, washed every piece of clothing, bedding, and anything that would go in the washer. Within two days, fleas. I have been hearing a lot about 20 Team Mule Borax, and I believe this will work. I am going to the store tonight to buy some. I also hear this is safe for children that live in the home. Is this true? (01/09/2005)
By Aprill
We've used borax for years and did call the poison control center to ask about it. If ingested in large amounts it can be harmful so what I recommend is this:
Put it in one room at a time. Sprinkle it on as you would carpet deodorizer. Let it sit for an hour or so, then vacuum up. It also freshens the carpet. The biggest risk is that the cat will lick it off her paws but after vacuuming it should be very safe. Even if some works down into the carpet pad, it will kill the flea eggs but not be accessible to the animal.
If your kids sit on the floor or are little crawlers or toddlers, I'd take the same precautions. Vacuum before you let them crawl around on the rug.
Make sure that you dispose of the vacuum bags or if you have a bagless vacuum, the dirt, quickly and send it out to the garbage can in case any live fleas or eggs are in the dirt.
I think this is a much safer way to keep fleas out than flea bombs.
I've also heard that table salt works well for this type of method. (01/09/2005)
If you want to bathe indoor adult cats that have never been bathed before try this idea. I was desperate to bathe my 5 cats because we were infested with fleas. Ask someone to help you either to hold or wash the cat(s). Fill your sink with warm soapy (flea soap) water. Wear a pair of thick thermal winter cloves (the gloves also act as a wash cloth at the same time as protecting you from being scratched. Hold kitty's front and back paws firmly. She will meow, fight you, twist and turn. But don't be afraid. Talk calmly to her and quickly and easily sit kitty in the sink. Now wash her quickly making sure you've covered her well with soap. Do not let them lick the soap. They could become sick. Now rinse them off thoroughly. Towel dry and keep her warm. If she doesn't like a hair drier, try wrapping her in a warm thick towel or blanket for a little while. If you do not want to attemp this one. Try Olive Oil. It's used to treat itchy skin from dry flea bitten areas. It works well. Use a soft cloth or cotton ball and soak it in the oil. Rub in into kitty's flea bites or wipe her down completely. It does get rid of fleas. I found this out after bathing my babies. (11/09/2006)
By Pat
I put a flea collar in my vacuum before sweeping and this kills any living fleas that I may suck up. It is also a good preventative step. I have heard that tea tree oil can be harmful to cats so you might want to ask a vet before using it on the cat. (10/22/2007)
By Amy
