Fleas!

roguethecat

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Any recommendation what actually works against fleas?
Tried so far:
  1. Revolution (prescription, had decreased white blood counts after. Don't want to use again)
  2. Advantage (did not work)
  3. Ants (supposed to eat the eggs and larvae. Might do a great job but don't make much of a dent in the flea population)
  4. flea shampoo (did not work - maybe you know of a brand that is good?)
  5. vacuum daily (wishful thinking here, but tried and did not work)
  6. washing the bedding (difficult since they sit everywhere)
  7. flea comb daily (gets some of the adult fleas)
  8. electrical flea comb (instant satisfaction until I realized it is sparking off the flea dirt instead of the fleas)
sassy.jpg (Sassy, flea collector and breeder, sharing fleas even with cats she does not like)
 

CatladyJan

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Any recommendation what actually works against fleas?
Tried so far:
  1. Revolution (prescription, had decreased white blood counts after. Don't want to use again)
  2. Advantage (did not work)
  3. Ants (supposed to eat the eggs and larvae. Might do a great job but don't make much of a dent in the flea population)
  4. flea shampoo (did not work - maybe you know of a brand that is good?)
  5. vacuum daily (wishful thinking here, but tried and did not work)
  6. washing the bedding (difficult since they sit everywhere)
  7. flea comb daily (gets some of the adult fleas)
  8. electrical flea comb (instant satisfaction until I realized it is sparking off the flea dirt instead of the fleas)
View attachment 389633(Sassy, flea collector and breeder, sharing fleas even with cats she does not like)
It's usually a combination of things. I had used Frontline and I had a major flea outbreak in my home of 7 pets. I washed, vacuumed, stored clean stuff away, steam cleaned, put out flea traps, used Capstar still had them until I was able to put Advantage on them and poof they were gone. (Not sure why it didn't work for you). I think there are oral options, but I'm always leary of those. If Revolution works I would use it for a couple of months to kill off the population.
 

denice

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I agree it's a combination of things. If Advantage didn't work try Frontline. Vacuum a lot everywhere. One good thing for the flea collars, cut them up and put them in the bag or cannister. Take the vacuum outside to empty the cannister or to remove and throw away the bag. It can take awhile and a lot of work, they are resilient little bugs.
 

FeebysOwner

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If you live in a house and don't also spray the yard, as well as any patios/balconies/garage, the flea population is never dwindled down enough and they will find a way into your house. If your cat goes outside, that will also bring them in to the house all over again. If you live in an apartment, other cats in the building may have fleas and be another source for you to bring in on your shoes/clothes. In cases like that, using a flea spray on your pants and shoes before you enter your apartment might help. Some people have set a tray of human grade DE (diatomaceous earth) to place their shoes in right outside the door before they enter.

Sprays, such as Precor 2000, can be sprayed on flooring as well as couches/etc. You just keep the cat out of the room(s) you are spraying until it is dry, then repeat in the remaining rooms until the entire home has been sprayed.

Vacuuming all floorboards and nooks and crannies, especially if your cat likes to lay in these locations might help. Below is a link to a good web site that discusses all kinds of 'stuff' about dealing with fleas.

Btw, have you asked your vet what the most effective flea treatment is for your area? I use Advantage on Feeby, and it is only keeping the flea population down to a minimum - along with all the above noted efforts. My vet said Advantage no longer works in my area and wants me to use Bravecto, but given she is ~17 yo, I am not about to start experimenting on her.
FleaScience
 

CarmiesMom

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we just went threw thi i feel your pain we used dutin of diotamacious earth food grade over all soft surfaces an then vaccumed up leaving a fairly thick layer under the and behind the sofa and other furniture but if you go this rout ensure it food grade which is non toxic andd you can let it sit aa couple it recomend 4 hour before vaccumeing remove pets srom the room you vcume and keep cloe eye on your filter ohh and wear a mask like they wear for construction work when you vaccume it up non toxic but will irritate the lungs then use a steamer on your furniture and possibly carpets vaccume 2-3 times a day even hard surfaces and try a comrcial flea spray for nooks and crannies took a month but were 90% flea free they are now concentrated in our spare room which is hooked to the laundry room they are hiding in their and every time i think i have it bam more fleas also what were useing in their now works good go to the dollar store buy some plastic plates (heavy plastic) dsh soap and a book light make water dish soap up in bathroom or kitchen and poor in plate to whoch you have clipped book light to the edge turn on book light and turn out room light and leave we have 3 set up in the large spare room and its helping fingrs crossed we'll be flea free in a couple weeks but you have to keep on it because flea life cycles the vet told us it could take 3-4 months to get rod of all fleas.
 

CatladyJan

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we just went threw thi i feel your pain we used dutin of diotamacious earth food grade over all soft surfaces an then vaccumed up leaving a fairly thick layer under the and behind the sofa and other furniture but if you go this rout ensure it food grade which is non toxic andd you can let it sit aa couple it recomend 4 hour before vaccumeing remove pets srom the room you vcume and keep cloe eye on your filter ohh and wear a mask like they wear for construction work when you vaccume it up non toxic but will irritate the lungs then use a steamer on your furniture and possibly carpets vaccume 2-3 times a day even hard surfaces and try a comrcial flea spray for nooks and crannies took a month but were 90% flea free they are now concentrated in our spare room which is hooked to the laundry room they are hiding in their and every time i think i have it bam more fleas also what were useing in their now works good go to the dollar store buy some plastic plates (heavy plastic) dsh soap and a book light make water dish soap up in bathroom or kitchen and poor in plate to whoch you have clipped book light to the edge turn on book light and turn out room light and leave we have 3 set up in the large spare room and its helping fingrs crossed we'll be flea free in a couple weeks but you have to keep on it because flea life cycles the vet told us it could take 3-4 months to get rod of all fleas.
And keep all pets out of the area - because it is such a fine powder and it blows everywhere when vacuuming.
 

daftcat75

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I agree that it is a combination of things and not one single thing.

1. You need to treat all pets in the home. Capstar will kill all adults on them. That's a good start. Then you can use a flea comb or shampoo to get any eggs or larvae that didn't fall into the bedding or carpet. And you should use some kind of product with an IGR (insect growth regulator) like Advantage or Revolution to give them lasting protection. Capstar only lasts for 24 hours. It's a reset button but not a preventive medicine.

2. Next, you need to wash all the bedding and any washable soft surface that is within flea-hopping distance. Round it all up and take it to a laundromat. With their big machines, you can knock out the task much quicker than the many loads you would have to do at home.

3. You will need to vacuum up the eggs and larvae that live in the carpet, bedding, chairs, couches, wherever you or your cats spend most of your time. Heat and vibration is what awaken adult fleas. So you will have to vacuum daily for the next several weeks. Every time you or your cats (or even the vacuum itself) passes through a flea hotspot, adults awaken from their slumber and look for a host to hop onto. Let that host be the inside of a vacuum.

4. Finally, you will need to treat your premises--indoors, outdoors, and probably your car(s)--with an adulticide and an insect growth regulator. The adulticide will kill any fleas that have already matured and may be hibernating until heat or vibration wakes them. The insect growth regulator will make certain that any eggs or larvae do not mature into the adult stage. Precor 2000, available on Amazon, is a good premise spray. If you know of some hot spots including your home's entry points and your car(s), use this there. For the rest of your home, you can use a safe non-toxic powder called FleaBusters, also available on Amazon. FleaBusters is similar to Borax powder in that it shreds the exoskeletons of the adults. It can't be any good for the larvae or eggs either. But where it is different is that it binds to your carpet fibers so that once applied and worked in with a broom, you generally don't have to reapply it for up to a year. It does produce a lot of dust when applied. I recommend stretching pantyhose over the bottle opening to regulate the flow of the powder from the spout, wear a mask, and evacuate all people and animals out of the room while applying it and brushing it in. You can vacuum up any excess and everyone can return to the treated room usually within an hour. You should only need to apply FleaBusters once a year.

You must do all of these. Skipping any of these is just wasting the time and effort you did on the others.

More on flea life-cycle and eradication steps and protocols:
Step-by-step: How to get rid of fleas | FleaScience

Precor 2000 (premise spray with IGR):
Amazon.com : Zoecon Precor 2000 Plus Premise Spray, 16 oz. : Home Pest Control Foggers : Pet Supplies

FleaBusters:
Home - Fleabusters
 
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blumarine916

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Yes, it is a combination of flea control, daily crazy-ass vacuuming, mopping with disinfectant (not sure why), enduring dozens of flea bites everyday on myself and my partner. The problem was solved after 4 months. You can slow down with the cleaning once you are sure the fleas are gone but don’t stop applying the monthly flea medication.

I use either Frontline or Advantage. I find the latter is less effective lately so I will use Frontline next month onwards. Both my cats are indoors but therr are always strays hanging around our apartment building so sometimes I see them both scratching.

I hope you solve your problem soon. It is a nightmare once the fleas start breeding in your home. I have endured dozens of fleabites on a daily basis when I first got Meffy. Fleabites are very itchy and the scars take a least a month to heal.
 

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I have discovered fleas on my 12 indoor cats recently. None of them ever go outside so I think my husband and I brought them in on our clothes after working in yard. I gave cats Advantage (had used it the last time we had fleas) but they are still scratching, have used flea comb on a couple of cats and found several live fleas….treatment was given about 2 weeks ago, i dont know why it’s not working now….I’ve vacuumed and sprayed rooms/rugs/couches etc, let it dry and vacuumed again…it’s a nightmare because I have so many cats…plan on doing the spray again today and more vacuuming but I’m wondering how soon it would be safe to give Advantage to cats again?
 

bear

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Revolution (prescription, had decreased white blood counts after. Don't want to use again)
Did your cat's WBC drop below the minimum suggested range?
Did your cat's Vet tell you that the drop in white blood cells was bad?

There are reasons that a healthier cat can have lower white blood cells.
Basically, it's immune system is not being challenged, so it can be less activated.

Why Would a Cat Have a High Blood Cell Count?
  • Bacterial or fungal infections can cause neutrophil levels to increase.
  • Stress can cause neutrophil levels to increase.
  • Parasites, such as heartworm, can cause eosinophil and basophil levels to increase.
  • Allergic reactions can cause eosinophil levels to increase.
See more here. What is a High White Blood Cell Count in Cats? | PetCareRx
 

FeebysOwner

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I’m wondering how soon it would be safe to give Advantage to cats again?
At one point in time, there were instructions that came with Advantage II that indicated using it once a week was safe for a severe flea infestation, but to do so only until the infestation was under better control, and then it states to move back to once a month. HOWEVER, those instructions have since been removed from the paperwork that now comes with Advantage II.

When I read that it could be used more often, I did that with Feeby, but never applied it more than twice a month. It did NOT help with the fleas with more frequent applications. And, I just saw a 'new' vet yesterday, who said to never use any of these products more frequently than advised in the instructions.

Given all that, I think you probably need to look into a different product. I am giving up on Advantage as it is not helping Feeby at all.
 

game misconduct

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i just have the apartment management tell the pest guy to spray the hallway down that goes to my apartment plus i spray around the area by my front door in the hallway since i know several tenants have dogs on my row who walk their dogsdown the hallway
 

daftcat75

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I have discovered fleas on my 12 indoor cats recently. None of them ever go outside so I think my husband and I brought them in on our clothes after working in yard. I gave cats Advantage (had used it the last time we had fleas) but they are still scratching, have used flea comb on a couple of cats and found several live fleas….treatment was given about 2 weeks ago, i dont know why it’s not working now….I’ve vacuumed and sprayed rooms/rugs/couches etc, let it dry and vacuumed again…it’s a nightmare because I have so many cats…plan on doing the spray again today and more vacuuming but I’m wondering how soon it would be safe to give Advantage to cats again?
See my earlier post.

You have to do all of these. You have some choices on what products to treat your cats and your premises (indoor and outdoor.) But you can’t really skip any of these or you’re just leaving a ticking time bomb (future generations of eggs and larvae.) At the very least, I recommend reading the FleaScience website so you understand the flea lifecycle and why all those steps are necessary. It can take a month or two clear a severe infestation. A lot of those steps will need to be repeated.
 

daftcat75

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You should also treat your cars (yes, 🚗 , that’s not a typo) as an extension of your home/premises. You should vacuum it and treat it with a premise spray that includes an IGR. Since fleas can hitchhike on people, you may be spreading fleas from the home into your car. Or bringing fleas from your car back into your home. 🤦🏼‍♂️
 

Kflowers

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You need to vacuum every day until the fleas are gone -- every day. And you need to throw the bag, or the collected dust away outside the house every time you vacuum. Anything less won't do it.
 

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everytime I vacuum I always spray inside the bag with the flea spray. I’ve been using vet-kem,when bag is nearly full I put it in a plastic bag, spray inside and tie it up tight and put garbage outside the house. I’ve always been using Advantage II, i dont know if maybe I should be using the one for cats 9 lbs and over. I don’t have anyway of weighting my cats……?? I don’t want to over dose them and make them sick either
 

Kflowers

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This is not a one and done, this takes weeks, two months if you're lucky. Do you spray (mist) the floor of each room, around the walls and under things every day? I would suggest opening the windows when you're spraying, you don't want to inhale a lot of the mist.

I would keep using the Advantage for under 9 pounds. You want to kill the fleas when the hatch on the floor and in the corners, not wait for them to get on the cats. Be patient, be consistent, and when you are tired remind yourself that you are doing it for them.
 

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At one point in time, there were instructions that came with Advantage II that indicated using it once a week was safe for a severe flea infestation, but to do so only until the infestation was under better control, and then it states to move back to once a month. HOWEVER, those instructions have since been removed from the paperwork that now comes with Advantage II.

When I read that it could be used more often, I did that with Feeby, but never applied it more than twice a month. It did NOT help with the fleas with more frequent applications. And, I just saw a 'new' vet yesterday, who said to never use any of these products more frequently than advised in the instructions.

Given all that, I think you probably need to look into a different product. I am giving up on Advantage as it is not helping Feeby at all.
I’m going to check my package because I thought you could use it once a week
 

Babypaws

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I checked the instructions that came with the Advantage II yesterday and it said it could be used before the 4 weeks…it Said the once a month dose was to keep fleas away but if there was a flea infestation you could use it once a week but for only 4 weeks. I wouldn’t use it once a week, for most of my cats it’s been 2 weeks, others got their first dose about 10 days. Some cats seem for infected than others.
yesterday I treated the downstairs and today I’ll do the upstairs…what a pain…vacuuming then sprayed, waited about 1/2 hr then vacuumed and mopped after, opened windows and waited another 20 minutes when things were dry before I let cats in room. I do spray the floors and around places (in corners, under cabinets etc)
The spray I use said you can spray again in 7 days…so I plan on doing that and will also give them treatments every month for the rest of the summer…
 

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I checked the instructions that came with the Advantage II yesterday and it said it could be used before the 4 weeks…it Said the once a month dose was to keep fleas away but if there was a flea infestation you could use it once a week but for only 4 weeks. I wouldn’t use it once a week, for most of my cats it’s been 2 weeks, others got their first dose about 10 days. Some cats seem for infected than others.
yesterday I treated the downstairs and today I’ll do the upstairs…what a pain…vacuuming then sprayed, waited about 1/2 hr then vacuumed and mopped after, opened windows and waited another 20 minutes when things were dry before I let cats in room. I do spray the floors and around places (in corners, under cabinets etc)
The spray I use said you can spray again in 7 days…so I plan on doing that and will also give them treatments every month for the rest of the summer…
I had an issue with 4 cats and a dog. It took spraying with raid flea carpet and upholstery spray and advantage. I had to do the spray twice, finally got them all.
 
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