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#1
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Cats and Flea-Prevention
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. |
#2
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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 |
#3
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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 |
#4
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"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. |
#5
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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 |
#6
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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 |
#7
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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. |
#8
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"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 |
#9
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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. |
#10
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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 petca http://vip-petcare.com/ -L. |
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