Cats and Flea-Prevention

[Nell]

Hi,

Just thought I would post in case there is some wonderful way of
flea-prevention I haven't heard of.

I know the easiest thing would be to buy my cats a flea-collar each but
1. They climb trees and even elasticated flea-collars COULD be a
hazard.
2. I personally prefer them looking "wild" and being unencumbered with
any obstruction round their necks.

Then there's flea-powder. I used to use that with previous cats and I
always felt sorry for them licking it out of their fur. I doubt if it's
pleasant to taste!

Then there's the flea-comb. This is what I have been using. My cats
have been going outside for a couple of hours every afternoon for about
four months now and only yesterday did I find two fleas on one of them.
So that's not bad going. But the cats are growing and becoming more
adventurous, especially hanging around the entrances to rabbit holes,
badger holes, and vole holes, SO fleas MIGHT become more frequent.

Is there any other method of flea-control or flea-prevention, I wonder?

(And please, no chiding messages telling me I'm a silly girl letting my
cats outside at all! I live deep in the countryside and about half a
mile from the nearest road and my cats just LOVE bounding around in the
long grass, sniffing the flowers, watching the fish and the toads and
the frogs in the ponds, skimming up and down the trees. It would be
stupid to stop letting them have so much pleasure out there.)

Thanks,
Nell.

[dragon]

Nell wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Just thought I would post in case there is some wonderful way of
> flea-prevention I haven't heard of.
>
> I know the easiest thing would be to buy my cats a flea-collar each
but
> 1. They climb trees and even elasticated flea-collars COULD be a
> hazard.
> 2. I personally prefer them looking "wild" and being unencumbered
with
> any obstruction round their necks.
>
> Then there's flea-powder. I used to use that with previous cats and
I
> always felt sorry for them licking it out of their fur. I doubt if
it's
> pleasant to taste!
>
> Then there's the flea-comb. This is what I have been using. My cats
> have been going outside for a couple of hours every afternoon for
about
> four months now and only yesterday did I find two fleas on one of
them.
> So that's not bad going. But the cats are growing and becoming more
> adventurous, especially hanging around the entrances to rabbit holes,
> badger holes, and vole holes, SO fleas MIGHT become more frequent.
>
> Is there any other method of flea-control or flea-prevention, I
wonder?
>
> (And please, no chiding messages telling me I'm a silly girl letting
my
> cats outside at all! I live deep in the countryside and about half a
> mile from the nearest road and my cats just LOVE bounding around in
the
> long grass, sniffing the flowers, watching the fish and the toads and
> the frogs in the ponds, skimming up and down the trees. It would be
> stupid to stop letting them have so much pleasure out there.)
>
> Thanks,
> Nell.

There are a few natural ways to help keep fleas at bay:

1. put brewer's yeast in their food; it makes pets exude a smell that
fleas dont' like.
2. You can put one or two drops of certain essential oils on their
collar (or at the back of the neck) once a week to help repel fleas.
Oils good to use are camphor, lavender, rosemary, sage, eucalyptus,
palmarosa or rose geranium.

Citrus peels and oils are very good for flea repellents, but not good
for cats, so don't use them with felines (nor citronella). Good luck!

dragon

[Mathew Kagis]

<SNIP>
>
> Is there any other method of flea-control or flea-prevention, I wonder?
>
> (And please, no chiding messages telling me I'm a silly girl letting my
> cats outside at all! I live deep in the countryside and about half a
> mile from the nearest road and my cats just LOVE bounding around in the
> long grass, sniffing the flowers, watching the fish and the toads and
> the frogs in the ponds, skimming up and down the trees. It would be
> stupid to stop letting them have so much pleasure out there.)
>
> Thanks,
> Nell.
>
First, my cats get a couple of hours a day outside too. You can always
try Program, which you can get from your vet. A liquid that you put on the
back of their head once a month.... Makes the fleas unable to breed. As to
natural methods... Pennyroyal is a good one. It's a member of the mint
family, having several plants growing in strategic places can help... Fleas
hate it!!! So grow one right by where they come in & out of the house...
Making tea from the plant & washing your floors with it will discourage
fleas from hanging out in the house.
Good luck.
--
Mathew
Butler to 2 kittens: Chablis & Muscat
En Vino Veritas

[Cathy Friedmann]

"Nell" > wrote in message
...
> Hi,
>
> Just thought I would post in case there is some wonderful way of
> flea-prevention I haven't heard of.
>
> I know the easiest thing would be to buy my cats a flea-collar each but
> 1. They climb trees and even elasticated flea-collars COULD be a
> hazard.
> 2. I personally prefer them looking "wild" and being unencumbered with
> any obstruction round their necks.
>
> Then there's flea-powder. I used to use that with previous cats and I
> always felt sorry for them licking it out of their fur. I doubt if it's
> pleasant to taste!
>
> Then there's the flea-comb. This is what I have been using. My cats
> have been going outside for a couple of hours every afternoon for about
> four months now and only yesterday did I find two fleas on one of them.
> So that's not bad going. But the cats are growing and becoming more
> adventurous, especially hanging around the entrances to rabbit holes,
> badger holes, and vole holes, SO fleas MIGHT become more frequent.
>
> Is there any other method of flea-control or flea-prevention, I wonder?

Well, flea baths. Although when I used this option in '93, it took 3
(medicated) baths, over the course of maybe 1½ weeks, to finally zap all of
my new cat's

Please skip the flea collars, which may be ineffectual at best & toxic at
worst, besides the 'getting caught on stuff' aspect.

Most people now seem to use Advantage, Program, or Frontline, depending on
personal preference & their cats' needs. You dab a small (prescribed)
amount on their back, between their shoulder blades, once/month, I *think*.
I've only used Advantage once, when I adopted a stray cat in '99 - & the vet
was the one who actually did the application. One application was all it
took & the fleas were completley zapped. (He's an indoor cat & hasn't
needed any more treatments.)

Cathy

>
> (And please, no chiding messages telling me I'm a silly girl letting my
> cats outside at all! I live deep in the countryside and about half a
> mile from the nearest road and my cats just LOVE bounding around in the
> long grass, sniffing the flowers, watching the fish and the toads and
> the frogs in the ponds, skimming up and down the trees. It would be
> stupid to stop letting them have so much pleasure out there.)
>
> Thanks,
> Nell.
>

[BarB]

On Fri, 01 Apr 2005 18:27:06 +0100, Nell > wrote:

>Is there any other method of flea-control or flea-prevention, I wonder?
>
There are several products you can use which are effective against fleas and
do not require vacuuming, bombing, spraying the house with insecticides.


Read Dr. Noxon's page for an overview of fleas and recommendations. He is an
animal dermatologist at Iowa State.
<http://www.vetmed.iastate.edu/services/vth/clinical/derm/flea/fleaold.html#fleafleacontrol>


These products work:

Chemical Trade Name Web Site
lufenuron Program http://www.pets.novartis.com
fipronil Frontline http://www.frontline.com
imidacloprid Advantage http://www.nofleas.com
selemectin Revolution http://www.revolutionpet.com/


Program is a hormone that keeps flea eggs from hatching. It's given either in
food or by injection. The flea picks up the hormone from the bloodstream when
it bites the animal. Given by injection, it lasts six months.

Advantage, Frontline, Revolution kill adult fleas. They are applied to the back
of the neck and are considered quite safe since they are not absorbed through
the skin. All are available for dogs and cats. Program is a little safer,
especially for families with infants, allergies, or people with a compromised
immune system, i.e. elderly, cancer patients on chemotherapy, HIV, but not
suitable if the cat has flea allergies. Revolution is more expensive but it
will kill heartworms and ear mites at the same time. Frontline kills ticks as
well as fleas.

Program plus Advantage or Frontline are frequently used together in the
beginning because the insecticides give quick kill of the adults, while Program
is an IGR (insect growth regulator) which prevents new eggs from hatching.

BarB

[Larry R Harrison Jr]

>Nell" > wrote in message
...
> (And please, no chiding messages telling me I'm a silly girl letting my
> cats outside at all! I live deep in the countryside and about half a
> mile from the nearest road and my cats just LOVE bounding around in the
> long grass, sniffing the flowers, watching the fish and the toads and
> the frogs in the ponds, skimming up and down the trees. It would be
> stupid to stop letting them have so much pleasure out there.)
>
> Thanks,
> Nell.
>

Well you're not going to want to hear it, but as much pleasure as your cats
may derive from the outdoors, it is known that having them go outside does
substantially increase the likelihood of fleas. I do understand you live in
the countryside & you are only allowing your cats to enjoy life--nothing
wrong with that. But having them go outside yet still wanting there to be no
fleas--no really sure that's a possibility.

That said, if the other suggestions do work, by all means--go for it.

LRH

[Nell]

People might like to know the above message led to someone in this group
sending me a message (private) about a product I don't think many people
are aware of. I certainly wasn't.

It's called "Frontline". It's a fluid that looks like water and it
comes in a tiny tube and you squeeze a tiny quantity onto the skin in
the nape of your cat's neck - so they can't lick it. It penetrates the
skin and diffuses throughout the cat's fatty layer AND ANY FLEA THAT
BITES FOR THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS IS DEAD!

Apparently this is now THE most efficient means of flea-control in cats,
and the good thing is it doesn't involve any obstructive and dangerous
collars, or powders and sprays which the cat can get sick from licking.

Best Wishes,
Nell.

[Cathy Friedmann]

"Nell" > wrote in message
...
> People might like to know the above message led to someone in this group
> sending me a message (private) about a product I don't think many people
> are aware of. I certainly wasn't.
>
> It's called "Frontline". It's a fluid that looks like water and it
> comes in a tiny tube and you squeeze a tiny quantity onto the skin in
> the nape of your cat's neck - so they can't lick it. It penetrates the
> skin and diffuses throughout the cat's fatty layer AND ANY FLEA THAT
> BITES FOR THE NEXT FIVE WEEKS IS DEAD!
>
> Apparently this is now THE most efficient means of flea-control in cats,
> and the good thing is it doesn't involve any obstructive and dangerous
> collars, or powders and sprays which the cat can get sick from licking.
>
> Best Wishes,
> Nell.

To tell you the truth, I'd be more suprised that most people wouldn't know
about Frontline - or Advantage, or Program. They've been in use for quite a
few years now. Glad you've found out.

Cathy
>

[Nell]

Cathy Friedmann wrote:
> To tell you the truth, I'd be more suprised that most people wouldn't know
> about Frontline - or Advantage, or Program. They've been in use for quite a
> few years now. Glad you've found out.
> Cathy

Cathy, can you tell me if/how it is possible to get it cheaply. Since
one dose only lasts 5 weeks, keeping cats flea-free for their hopefully
long lives could be very expensive. I have only looked at Ebay, but
even if I buy it from the suppliers there, in the end, with postage
taken into account, it doesn't work out much less expensive than buying
directly from my vet. Also, having to go regularly to the vet to buy
futher doses seems rather unnecessary. Any ideas?

Best Wishes,
Nell.

[-L.]

Nell wrote:
>
> Cathy, can you tell me if/how it is possible to get it cheaply.
Since
> one dose only lasts 5 weeks,

With Advantage you can actually go 8 weeks unless the flea problem in
your area is horrendous.

keeping cats flea-free for their hopefully
> long lives could be very expensive. I have only looked at Ebay, but
> even if I buy it from the suppliers there, in the end, with postage
> taken into account, it doesn't work out much less expensive than
buying
> directly from my vet. Also, having to go regularly to the vet to buy
> futher doses seems rather unnecessary. Any ideas?
>

1-800-pet-meds usually has a price break if you buy in bulk. So does
VIP petcare: http://vip-petcare.com/

-L.