From Neglect to Shame

[RangersMom]

Flea medication wont cut it. If its a bad infestation, you need to bathe her (I know), or get a fine-tooth comb ASAP.
A fine-tooth comb will get all the fleas off. Its the best thing and much better than the medication which might harm her and doesnt even work that well. Also if shes been bitten that much... she might be severely anemic or need a blood transfusion. My vet said he just had a flea ridden cat come in who wouldn't have survived without it.

Also you need to wash everything (blankets, sheets,pet beds, pillows) in hot water, and vacuum vacuum vacuum, or the fleas will just keep hatching. Fleas are hard to get rid of.

 

[KarenKat]

Also you need to wash everything (blankets, sheets,pet beds, pillows) in hot water, and vacuum vacuum vacuum, or the fleas will just keep hatching. Fleas are hard to get rid of.

Definitely second this one! We had a bad infestation in an apartment in the Bay Area, and the fleas were actually resistant to some medication. The flea eggs can lay around for months so it sometimes takes repeated washing everything to get rid of them. It was months of fleas, and we ended up tossing some cat trees and other carpeted items since we couldn’t wash them. We combed them multiple times per day.

And we were fairly diligent from the start, so even if you are you can still end up with fleas like that. So don’t be too hard on yourself, you are obviously compassionate and caring.

 

[SpecterOhPossum]

I don't personally use any treatment, I can nuke a flea population very efficiently via

• locking all the animals up (dog outside, cats in carriers on the shelf, etc)
• Throwing all fabric matierals into the wash and drier on hot.
• Spraying allllllll the furnature, rugs, beds, etc with cleaning stuff. walls and surfaes included (i use the lemon lysol or diluted dawn) followed by spraying boiling water on everything
• vacuum thoroughly
• hot water again on everything
• vacuum again
• let it dry (duh)
• wash all the animals with dawn and oatmeal
• and that's it. Never had any issues doing that nor ever had to use chemicals/treatment

 

[FeebysOwner]

Reading the above recommendations regarding flea treatments, I think - if you can stand to have more added to your plate - you should check out this web site (link below) regarding fleas. It is loaded with information, and was very helpful to me in eradicating the fleas in my house - which btw has taken nearly 6 months.

FleaScience

 

[jefferd18]

Any of your cats that share the same space need to be treated for fleas. By putting flea treatment on Vale and not your 16 yo, she is getting the biggest brux of the flea bites now, and as long as she - and, any other cats you have - are NOT treated, you will never entirely be able to get rid of the fleas. As long as you have just one cat that is not being treated, you are no where near to having resolved your flea issue, even if you think you have. And, it will actually be months after they are all treated before you can even begin to think you are winning the battle against the fleas. Trust me!!!!!

Right now it is the price tag that is making me pause- I didn't have this many cats a few months ago. I am thinking of getting the inexpensive powder that some cat experts have suggested and then I want to get a spray that my vet use to sell to my parents years ago- bombs alone don't do the trick. And yes, the 16 year has been treated.

 

[jefferd18]

I don't personally use any treatment, I can nuke a flea population very efficiently via

• locking all the animals up (dog outside, cats in carriers on the shelf, etc)
• Throwing all fabric matierals into the wash and drier on hot.
• Spraying allllllll the furnature, rugs, beds, etc with cleaning stuff. walls and surfaes included (i use the lemon lysol or diluted dawn) followed by spraying boiling water on everything
• vacuum thoroughly
• hot water again on everything
• vacuum again
• let it dry (duh)
• wash all the animals with dawn and oatmeal
• and that's it. Never had any issues doing that nor ever had to use chemicals/treatment

Wow- thank you! This is something I can actually do and it won't break my bank.

 

[jefferd18]

Reading the above recommendations regarding flea treatments, I think - if you can stand to have more added to your plate - you should check out this web site (link below) regarding fleas. It is loaded with information, and was very helpful to me in eradicating the fleas in my house - which btw has taken nearly 6 months.

FleaScience

Thank you very much for the link- interesting information.

I know it can take a long time to get rid of those blood-suckers. The weird thing is that I don't have any carpeting throughout my home- just hard wood floors- so I don't know where they are hiding.

 

[jefferd18]

Flea medication wont cut it. If its a bad infestation, you need to bathe her (I know), or get a fine-tooth comb ASAP.
A fine-tooth comb will get all the fleas off. Its the best thing and much better than the medication which might harm her and doesnt even work that well. Also if shes been bitten that much... she might be severely anemic or need a blood transfusion. My vet said he just had a flea ridden cat come in who wouldn't have survived without it.

Also you need to wash everything (blankets, sheets,pet beds, pillows) in hot water, and vacuum vacuum vacuum, or the fleas will just keep hatching. Fleas are hard to get rid of.

Thank you for replying to my thread.

This has snowballed out of control and my cats are acting miserable. I know flea bites are painful for I have been bitten- but that is only a few- I can imagine how awful it must be to have them crawling all over your body.

Can I get a fine tooth comb at PetSmart or would that be a waste of money on a piece of junk? I was wondering about her being anemic and being so old isn't helping matters either- she is so out of it.

I am also going to check out what one member here said about an inexpensive all natural powder to use against fleas. I wonder if I can sprinkle it on my couches and then vacuum.

 

[jefferd18]

Definitely second this one! We had a bad infestation in an apartment in the Bay Area, and the fleas were actually resistant to some medication. The flea eggs can lay around for months so it sometimes takes repeated washing everything to get rid of them. It was months of fleas, and we ended up tossing some cat trees and other carpeted items since we couldn’t wash them. We combed them multiple times per day.

And we were fairly diligent from the start, so even if you are you can still end up with fleas like that. So don’t be too hard on yourself, you are obviously compassionate and caring.

Thank you for wanting to help and for also not judging me. I do care about my animal companions- I just basically stopped functioning after Jeff passed away.

Fleas are like roaches- they do acclimate to pesticides.

I don't have any carpets on my floor but I am going to start washing everything- cushions on my couches and chairs and all of the bedding. I definitely getting that comb!

 

[Willowy]

Yeah, you can get diatomaceous earth and sprinkle that on your couch and in the corners and stuff. Just be careful not to breathe the dust or let the cats breathe it in---it's irritating to the lungs. But as long as you aren't just dumping it or throwing it around, there shouldn't be much dust.

Combing is great but time-consuming. Be sure to have a cup of hot soapy water nearby to knock the fleas into. You can make a big difference if you comb them regularly, but that's hard for most people to manage. It can get rough if you have any cats with heavy long coats though---a comb rarely can get all the way to the skin.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Get the flea comb, and also put a fair amount of dish soap in a cup/bowl with water. As you comb, and see any fleas, drown them by dipping the comb in the soapy water. The soap breaks down their protective barrier so that they can't float in the water. Comb as often as you can, preferably daily, but at least every other day. You start at their heads and work your way down their bodies, doing the tail last. You will actually chase quite a few of them that way to the tail. Take as long of a stroke with each combing as you can, and then examine the comb before the next stroke.

As you might have already read on the web site to which I referred you, getting products with IGR them (Insect Growth Inhibitor) will help with breaking the flea cycle. It has a very strong odor until it dries, but I use Adams Flea & Tick Spray, which is meant to be sprayed on the cats - but I would never use it that way. Just move the cats to another room whenever using the spray and let them back in after you stop smelling it - as it means it is dry. I also sprayed non-washable drapes/curtains/etc.

I vacuumed and then sprayed all the cushions I couldn't wash - every nook and cranny of them. I vacuumed daily - not just carpeting, but all the hard surfaced floors as well. Any seams/cracks/crevices in your hard surfaced floors can harbor flea eggs being dropped off of your cat as they walk through the area.

 

[Willowy]

You can also split large Capstar pills and Frontline or Advantage spot-ons among several cats. ONLY brand-name Capstar and regular Frontline Plus or Advantage II though! (And Revolution, but that's prescription so it's a little harder to get.) Advantix will kill cats so you have to be very careful to get the right stuff.
Post | pet-sitting
Multi-dose flea medication to save money


A large Capstar will treat 8 adult cats. Since it's hard to split a pill into 8 pieces, I've found the best way to do this is to crush it to powder and add it to food (either by evenly mixing it into 8 servings or by dividing it into 8 equal portions and adding it to a single serving). A small overdose won't hurt young healthy cats, but I've had sick/elderly cats have a bad reaction to even a regular dose (nothing terrible, just lethargy) so be careful about who you give it to.

As you comb, and see any fleas, drown them by dipping the comb in the soapy water.

I hate getting the comb wet, because even if you dry it, it'll still be a bit damp and won't glide through their fur the same way as a dry comb. So I just use my fingers to knock the fleas off the comb into the water. But whatever works for you, of course!

 

[jefferd18]

Get the flea comb, and also put a fair amount of dish soap in a cup/bowl with water. As you comb, and see any fleas, drown them by dipping the comb in the soapy water. The soap breaks down their protective barrier so that they can't float in the water. Comb as often as you can, preferably daily, but at least every other day. You start at their heads and work your way down their bodies, doing the tail last. You will actually chase quite a few of them that way to the tail. Take as long of a stroke with each combing as you can, and then examine the comb before the next stroke.

As you might have already read on the web site to which I referred you, getting products with IGR them (Insect Growth Inhibitor) will help with breaking the flea cycle. It has a very strong odor until it dries, but I use Adams Flea & Tick Spray, which is meant to be sprayed on the cats - but I would never use it that way. Just move the cats to another room whenever using the spray and let them back in after you stop smelling it - as it means it is dry. I also sprayed non-washable drapes/curtains/etc.

I vacuumed and then sprayed all the cushions I couldn't wash - every nook and cranny of them. I vacuumed daily - not just carpeting, but all the hard surfaced floors as well. Any seams/cracks/crevices in your hard surfaced floors can harbor flea eggs being dropped off of your cat as they walk through the area.

Thank you, thank you! Now I have a name and I am going to look into getting Adams Flea & Tick Spray! The comb I will get because I think it might also might help them relax a bit- some of my cats are getting really wound up from dealing with these parasites.


Vale- yes, she is better but I don't know if I am doing her any favors by making her go through all of this. She is deaf as a post and will just stand or sit, while starring out in space. I have a really hard time with euthanasia and have only done it with one other cat after my vet told me that his inability to breath in oxygen was the equivalent of being smothered with a pillow. I would prefer to let her go in her sleep but I also don't want to make her suffer either. I can't believe with being so old, so deaf, and so out of it, she is a happy cat. She still acts like Vale, still onery and loving at the same time and now she is back to being interested in food- I honestly don't know what the answer is.

 

[jefferd18]

You can also split large Capstar pills and Frontline or Advantage spot-ons among several cats. ONLY brand-name Capstar and regular Frontline Plus or Advantage II though! (And Revolution, but that's prescription so it's a little harder to get.) Advantix will kill cats so you have to be very careful to get the right stuff.
Post | pet-sitting
Multi-dose flea medication to save money


A large Capstar will treat 8 adult cats. Since it's hard to split a pill into 8 pieces, I've found the best way to do this is to crush it to powder and add it to food (either by evenly mixing it into 8 servings or by dividing it into 8 equal portions and adding it to a single serving). A small overdose won't hurt young healthy cats, but I've had sick/elderly cats have a bad reaction to even a regular dose (nothing terrible, just lethargy) so be careful about who you give it to.

I hate getting the comb wet, because even if you dry it, it'll still be a bit damp and won't glide through their fur the same way as a dry comb. So I just use my fingers to knock the fleas off the comb into the water. But whatever works for you, of course!

Thank you so much for the suggestions!- I do need to rethink my approach to all of my cats because money is just flying out the window with the way I have been doing things. Now I don't know if I used Capstar but I have used pills in the past for the purpose of treating fleas- some of my cats could handle it and some threw it right back up.

The comb is a must and I will go to PetSmart tonight and purchase one- I look for them to take advantage of the price for they always do- but I will get one nonetheless.

 

[jefferd18]

Yeah, you can get diatomaceous earth and sprinkle that on your couch and in the corners and stuff. Just be careful not to breathe the dust or let the cats breathe it in---it's irritating to the lungs. But as long as you aren't just dumping it or throwing it around, there shouldn't be much dust.

Combing is great but time-consuming. Be sure to have a cup of hot soapy water nearby to knock the fleas into. You can make a big difference if you comb them regularly, but that's hard for most people to manage. It can get rough if you have any cats with heavy long coats though---a comb rarely can get all the way to the skin.

Thank you so much for replying to my post.

I have done this in the past and I just love watching those little sh*ts drown- I hate to sound sadistic but I absolutely despise fleas, I think more than I do ticks.

The name of the powder that she suggested didn't sound like the one you are mentioning. She said to get the edible version. But hey, I will try both of them and I thank you for bringing it to my attention.

 

[FeebysOwner]

To avoid the wet comb issue - take some paper towels and dry off the comb in between each stroke and after dipping in the soapy water. That also will help to remove any hair in the comb that is collected from each stroke.

Food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) - look for food grade, if you intend on buying this stuff. It is very bad for the lungs - animals and people alike so be careful how you administer it.

You need a flea treatment that contains IGR such as Advantage II - it is costly, but doesn't require a vet prescription. The Capstar is a one time only deal - it will kill fleas for 24 hours, and then you need to give another pill, and another, and another.... They can, however, be used in conjunction with topicals, like Advantage II. Personally, I don't see the point. There are off-brands of Advantage II that are likely a bit cheaper. Talk to the pet store about this - they can direct you to one.

About the anemia - talk to your vet - this is CORRECTABLE. And, correcting this condition, if it applies to Vale, will help her immensely. Yes, it could be expensive, but if she does have anemia that does NOT warrant euthanasia. Food grade DE might not be a good idea around her. Breathing is compromised when anemia is involved, and is improved with treatment.

 

[Willowy]

The name of the powder that she suggested didn't sound like the one you are mentioning. She said to get the edible version.

Maybe she called it DE? That's the only flea-killing powder I can think of that has an edible version. Anyway, if there's a Tractor Supply store in the area, they have food grade DE in the chicken section, that's the easiest place to find it that I know of.

Personally, I don't see the point.

I've found Capstar useful for killing off the adult fleas to give the spot-ons time to work. On its own though, no, it won't get rid of an infestation.

 

[jefferd18]

To avoid the wet comb issue - take some paper towels and dry off the comb in between each stroke and after dipping in the soapy water. That also will help to remove any hair in the comb that is collected from each stroke.

Food grade diatomaceous earth (DE) - look for food grade, if you intend on buying this stuff. It is very bad for the lungs - animals and people alike so be careful how you administer it.

You need a flea treatment that contains IGR such as Advantage II - it is costly, but doesn't require a vet prescription. The Capstar is a one time only deal - it will kill fleas for 24 hours, and then you need to give another pill, and another, and another.... They can, however, be used in conjunction with topicals, like Advantage II. Personally, I don't see the point. There are off-brands of Advantage II that are likely a bit cheaper. Talk to the pet store about this - they can direct you to one.

About the anemia - talk to your vet - this is CORRECTABLE. And, correcting this condition, if it applies to Vale, will help her immensely. Yes, it could be expensive, but if she does have anemia that does NOT warrant euthanasia. Food grade DE might not be a good idea around her. Breathing is compromised when anemia is involved, and is improved with treatment.

Oh wow, I thought one could rub diatomaceous into their fur- like flea powder- and that would be a cheaper alternative to topical flea treatments. Should have know there is no such thing as a free lunch when dealing with pets.Pet store Advantage is more expensive than getting it at a vet's office. I wonder if getting it from Canada would be cheaper, like it is with our medication.

Yes, anemia is very correctable but I am not so sure that it is only anemia with Vale. She may very well, at her age, have dementia. I have no problem with babying her, making her more comfortable, and loving her, but I don't want to be selfish with her. It is just so hard when it come to animals because they can't tell us how they feel.

 

[jefferd18]

Maybe she called it DE? That's the only flea-killing powder I can think of that has an edible version. Anyway, if there's a Tractor Supply store in the area, they have food grade DE in the chicken section, that's the easiest place to find it that I know of.

I've found Capstar useful for killing off the adult fleas to give the spot-ons time to work. On its own though, no, it won't get rid of an infestation.

It's the same stuff- I stand corrected. Thank you for telling me where I can get some. Capstar is very useful for killing off adult fleas- you can watch them literally fall off the animal.

 

[jefferd18]

Update

Vale has improved immensely. Most of her fur on her back has grown back and she is eating small meals every two hours. She absolutely loves her lactose free whole milk. I mix it with water and warm it up for her and she seems to like it better than her food. She looks good, good for a 17 year old cat that is.

Now Inky has stopped eating. Will do the same for him.

Thank you everyone.