My cat shadow has fleas. how do i get rid of them?

Shadows owner

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My cat shadow is a male russain blue he has fleas how do I get rid of them someone said capstar for cats works good is that true cause the hartz topical didn't and I just spray him down with hartz ultraguard plus flea and tick spray let's see if this work what work for you guys please help
 

di and bob

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Capstar is what my vet gives, it works, and follow directions exactly. Hartz isn't the best and he may lick some of the spray which could make him sick. Get some spray for his beddings that is approved for cats, or wash all bedding and vacuum all floors to remove any eggs. Eggs take weeks to hatch so this is an ongoing problem. Capstar and topical agents work from the inside out so are the best, make sure you apply a topical high up on the neck, starting almost between the ears, and do not get down to the shoulders, if they lick it they foam at the mouth. The topicals are more expensive but last at least 6 months and are the best. Some examples are Advantage and Frontline.
 

LTS3

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Hartz is known to be harmful to pets so stop using that.

Your cat will need a bath to remove fleas and their eggs that are stuck in the fur. A groomer can do this if you don't want to attempt it yourself at home. Vaccuum the home top to bottom and empty the canister in an outside trash can or discard the bag (do any vaccuum cleaners still use bags?) into an outside trash can. Wash all soft materials that your cat sleeps or lays on in hot soapy water if possible: blankets, pillows, etc.

Comb your cat with a fine toothed comb daily to remove fleas. Dunk the comb into a cup of soapy water after every stroke and swish around to remove the fleas off the comb

Start your cat on a flea and parasite treatment / preventative. A vet prescription one such as Revolution or Frontline is ideal. OTC ones sold at pet stores may not work as well. Flea collars are useless so don't bother with those. It takes time for a flea / parasite treatment to work and fully break the flea life cycle so don't expect to see immediate results. Follow the package directions or your vet's directions exactly or how often to give the treatment. Giving more treatment too often can make your cat sick and won't kill the fleas and their eggs any faster.

 

FeebysOwner

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Capstar, as far as I know, is a daily oral med (pill) and does not have lasting effects. It also does not kill flea eggs/larvae.

Ask your vet about the flea treatments that work best in your region/area. A lot of flea treatments have become less effective in certain areas. Advantage II and Frontline (including the Plus and Gold versions) are OTC, and they are the only ones I know of that don't enter the bloodstream; however, you probably still should check with your vet to see if they think either of these work where you live. It seems the most commonly vet recommended treatments now are Revolution Plus or Bravecto, but both do contain a newer class of pesticide that has, in rare cases, caused seizures or neurological related issues in cats. Nonetheless, there are many on this site who have used them with no problem.

Looking into premise flea sprays (both indoors and outside) might also be an option to help with flea egg/larvae control.
FleaScience
 
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furmonster mom

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I used to live in a temperate climate, and was always battling fleas. The one thing that I would add to the great advice here is to keep spraying the environment… even the lawn outside your doors. Fleas are everywhere!
I feel lucky not to have to deal with them since we moved to the desert, as for some reason they don’t survive well in our 120° summer heat. Also desert landscaping means zero lawn. 😉
 

Robyn5678

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I used to live in a temperate climate, and was always battling fleas. The one thing that I would add to the great advice here is to keep spraying the environment… even the lawn outside your doors. Fleas are everywhere!
I feel lucky not to have to deal with them since we moved to the desert, as for some reason they don’t survive well in our 120° summer heat. Also desert landscaping means zero lawn. 😉
What did you spray outside? I’ll be in Florida this winter and had an AWFUL time with fleas last year. I want to try and be proactive this year
 

furmonster mom

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What did you spray outside? I’ll be in Florida this winter and had an AWFUL time with fleas last year. I want to try and be proactive this year
I couldn’t possibly remember, it was over 25 yrs ago. 🤪

Maybe a local plant nursery would have some suggestions for you. 🤷🏻‍♀️
 

Alldara

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You'll need to wash all cat bedding and other surfaces that they lay on. You can put baking soda down on carpets etc and then vacuum up. Alternatively if you have a steam cleaner that gets to the right temperature that works, or one that also uses soap.

Bag up any dirty laundry until it's ready to be washed.

Keep cats indoors if you don't already. The topical prevent flea infestation. They take 3-4 weeks to work with an already infestation and that's IF all pets have the topical AND the fleas arent biting people.

Understanding the Flea Life Cycle | PetMD.
 

furmonster mom

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For a natural alternative, look into diatomaceous earth. Make sure you get food grade.
I laid down a thick layer of it under the drywall when we replaced our baseboards in the house. We rarely get bugs in the house anymore. You can use it around your foundation outside, but it will need to be re-done if you get strong weather that would blow or wash it away. You can also use it in pet bedding… again, as long as it is food grade.
 

Alldara

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For a natural alternative, look into diatomaceous earth. Make sure you get food grade.
I laid down a thick layer of it under the drywall when we replaced our baseboards in the house. We rarely get bugs in the house anymore. You can use it around your foundation outside, but it will need to be re-done if you get strong weather that would blow or wash it away. You can also use it in pet bedding… again, as long as it is food grade.
I always use paper to slip it under the baseboards when we move in somewhere. It's very helpful.

Tip: food grade isn't in the pool section and will say food grade on it.
 

RTR

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Advantage II for cats! Doesn't kill ticks, but did a great job on the fleas! I also read to keep the cats confined to one room for a couple of weeks and that the loose har will also kill ne hatching fleas. I left the three of mine in the sun room for two weeks a few years ago, and never a problem since. My three are all kept inside!
 
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