PLEASE HELP! Fleas, fleas, FLEAS!

Bryan S. wrote:

I'm sorry, but my point stands. Proper care costs money. If proper
care is a priority, then it will be taken care of... if it's not, it
won't. Clearly, given your flea situation, Frontline seems to be the
definition of proper care in this case.

It's good to know that your world is so orderly, with its convenient,
well-established rules of "either/or".

But I live in the *real* world, NOT in your world, and wanting to care
for beloved family pets during a period of UNFORESEEN financial
hardship carries with it a number of uncertainty, variables, and
questions, as we try to maintain the level of care our pets have always
had up until now.

In the rush to satisfy this callous need to flaunt your superiority you
have ignored one crucial fact: THE FACT THAT I MADE THE POST IN THE
FIRST PLACE. If "proper care" weren't a "priority" with me the way you
seem to believe, then I would have never come to this community for
help. That fact alone makes me wholly undeserving of the smug disdain
you took great pains to show toward me.

If you start spending more time looking at facts and less time looking
down your nose, then maybe, just maybe, you might make a CONSTRUCTIVE
or--dare I say it--HELPFUL post for a change, instead of barging in
with some high-handed attitude and spouting lectures designed to do
nothing but try to elevate yourself over and above anyone whose care of
animals you deem inferior to your own self-aggrandizing standards. But
I'm not holding my breath for that.

I write none of this with callous disregard for your situation or any
particular satisfaction in doing so, either... it's simply the truth.
The first concern, after all, is for the animals.. right? The first
concern isn't for your bruised ego at being told that you may have to
make a sacrifice or two to acquire proper care for animals in your care.

Quite right. The first concern *IS* for the animals. So therefore, the
question begs: WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE A POST THAT COULD HAVE ACTUALLY
HELPED ME IN MY DESIRE TO CARE FOR MY ANIMALS? Why not follow your own
rhetoric?

When you chose to respond to my original post, you didn't offer a
single option or suggestion that I could have used. There was NOTHING
in your response but a blast of attitude. NOTHING that could have
specifically helped my cats. No suggestions, no additional information
on medicines or pricing, not even encouragement. NOTHING but attitude.
With self-absorbed "caregivers" like you around, my cats are certainly
in trouble, aren't they?

Instead of making a post that could have informed me (and others in my
same predicament), you chose the low road and simply took the
opportunity to patronize me with a lecture on "properly prioritized pet
ownership" so you could show everyone what a superior pet owner you
are. If anyone's ego has been displayed in this discussion, it's been
YOURS, not mine. You want animals do be properly cared for? Then get
off your high horse and actually HELP people care for them and leave
the lectures at home.

I have spent WAY too much time on you. I'm out of here. Good riddance.

[EADGBE )]
[12 Jan 2007 14:52:21 -0800]

I write none of this with callous disregard for your situation or any
particular satisfaction in doing so, either... it's simply the truth.
The first concern, after all, is for the animals.. right? The first
concern isn't for your bruised ego at being told that you may have to
make a sacrifice or two to acquire proper care for animals in your care.

Quite right. The first concern *IS* for the animals. So therefore, the
question begs: WHY DIDN'T YOU MAKE A POST THAT COULD HAVE ACTUALLY
HELPED ME IN MY DESIRE TO CARE FOR MY ANIMALS? Why not follow your own
rhetoric?

First of all, I did... as it seemed you were much in need of a reality
check. Rather than offer the subtly-hinted-for handout, I offered
advice. The maintenance of your ego is not my responsibility.

Secondly, I did in fact suggest informing your veterinarian of your
situation and asking if some arrangement might be reached.

I wish nothing but the best for your cats, but it seems that their owner
is more concerned about her tender feelings than about actively seeking
a pro-active solution to their problem. Throwing your hands into the
air, declaring that you're helpless, and then seeking validation for a
solution which you already know to be untenable is not an honest attempt
an effort to fix your current dilemma.

--
Bryan, Stacy, Alyssandra & James...

....under the watchful eyes of Her Majesty, Trouble (grey American
Shorthair)

Dear Scratching,
Fleas have always been an issue in this house for ages. A while back
(about 15 years ago) I know what it felt like to have my animals and no
longer be able to afford to give them everything they deserved when I
went from a good paying job to social security disablilty for 5 years
through no fault of my own. Although my mom and stepdad took a couple
of my cats they could not afford to help me out any more than that. I
and my boys and our pet family got by the best we could until I was
healthy enough to go back to work. Some things I tried during that time
were 20 mule team borox on carpets and vacuumed (I heard it wasn't bad
for the pets but please check that out for yourselves-the animals that
haven't died from old age illnesses are still with me), flea dips (not
the kitties favorite event), and flea shampoos, flea collars (if anyone
on here knows if they are effective, please let me know cuz they never
seemed effective to me) and the flea bombs that I could sometimes find
at $1 stores. They got their shots when ever a clinic was in the area.
How effective that all was is questionable(effectiveness was rather
shortlived but somewhat effective) but all I could afford at the time.
I now use Frontline two times a year usually, and still do the 20
Muleteam borox a couple times a year (whether it actually helps or not
I really do not know-but guess it is a habit now and seems to pick up
odors too so I do not have anything to lose by continuing it).
Occassionally I may have to treat everyone three times a year when
there is very warm weather or a new cat-that may be this year seeing we
really haven't had a winter up here cept for the last two days. At the
moment I have 6 cats and 2 dogs, my one cat, Patches recently passed
away from her second battle with mammary cancer. Good luck in finding
solutions that work for your little sweeties and in finding
reemployment.
Dawn =^..^=

EADGBE wrote:
We have five cats. Because of this unusually warm winter, our flea
problem has gotten completely out of hand............