I don't know what to do with my cats!

[melizy12]

There is a good chance that your grandmother bought a fumigator product that does not contain an insect growth regulator (IGR).  Without that IGR ingredient the adult fleas are killed almost immediately, but thousands of new eggs hatch every few weeks.  Could you ask her or your parents to spring for either a product called Ultracide or a product called Pivot Ultra (or any product with an IGR ingredient).  She would need to move her pets to one room and spray other areas, then let the pets back when the spray dries and spray the room where she contained them while she was spraying the rest of the house.  Those products cost $20-$25 per bottle, but they spray about 2000 square feet and should keep killing fleas and eggs for several months.  Whatever she is buying now clearly is not working so she is wasting whatever money she is spending on ineffective products.  Better to spend a little more on a product that actually works.

Fleas have become resistant to most of the over-the-counter flea products for pets.  Some areas of the country they still work, other areas not so much.  Frontline worked great for years, but then stopped working in many areas of the country...so now you see it available without a prescription.  Try to find out if there is a low-cost pet clinic in your area that offers discounts on prescription flea/tick/heartworm products for low income people.  Some of the shelters might be able to help you out too.

If your grandmother can't afford to take care of the flea problem, then your parents should help her out.  If they won't or can't help, then have you given any thought to getting a part time or full time job this summer during break?

We'd really like to see your grandmother take care of the flea/tick problem, preferably before you move in with her.

my grandma kinda has a problem. She takes in pets from the street. My uncle and her sister had to take 10 cats to the shelter, it was just too much! She also has like 6 dogs outside:/

 

[krystalp]

I hate to be negative nancy here, but honestly maybe re-homing the kittens should be something to think about. You clearly care for these kittens and want the best for them, but neither option sounds like a suitable living situation for them. Even if you manage to keep the fleas and ticks out of your bedroom at your grandmothers, they are still confined to a small space for a full year not to mention the stress of the sounds and smells of the other animals. Your parents clearly have no interest in caring for them, so you are right to worry about leaving them there without you for a year. 

Fleas are hard to get rid of, but the proper actions need to be taken and the animals need to be brought to the vet and live in a home where a vacuum is owned. I'm sorry to say, but the reality is if people can't afford to care for animals or don't have a home where the animals can live, then re-homing them if the BEST option for the animals, as sad as it may be for you.

I would be devastated if I were in your situation and wasn't able to care for my cats,  but you have to think about what kind of life these poor kittens will be living if there isn't another option. 

 

[orange&white]

Do your uncle and grand-aunt know that you are moving in for a year?  They need to step in again and figure out how many cats and dogs she can keep healthy, afford flea and tick control, and get the rest of grandma's pets into a shelter.  For at least the year you are with her she needs to not accumulate more animals.  Can you talk to them?

Does your grandmother have hard floors or carpet?  My boss has purchased two exception commercial-grade vacuum cleaners over the last five years for $25-$30 each at pawn shops.

 

[talkingpeanut]

I also worry about your grandmother in this situation. Are all of her animals spayed and neutered? Are they getting appropriate care?

She also shouldn't be living in a house that's full of fleas and ticks... How old is she?