Senior Cats & Fleas

[Stephanie1373]

Hello Everyone! I know it’s been a little while since I’ve posted here. Life has been taking a lot of different turns lately and with the holidays it’s been nuts! We moved apartments and unfortunately my 2 senior babies have caught fleas. Our boy, Kasper is 18.5 years young and has a thyroid issue that he’s on medication for. Our girl, Ruby is almost 11 years young and she’s got slight asthma. Our vet recommended an oral flea medicine called Comfortis, which seems to have mixed reviews. I’m thrown off by how many cats have supposedly died soon after taking this medication. Naturally I’d like to keep my babies alive!

My spouse has multiple chemical sensitivities that is sometimes severe. So topical isn’t the best option and we can’t use anything that has a scent to it on the carpets. We’re in a tricky situation! We’d like to go a natural route and perhaps use food grade diatomaceous earth, which we’ve used in the past for different things. I read somewhere that using it on cats can dry out their skin.

I’m not sure what to do here. We need to get rid of these fleas but with the age and health conditions of my babies, I don’t know what the best route to take is! Does anyone have any advice?

 

[Columbine]

I guess your best option is diatomaceous earth and daily flea combing, or else (if your kitties won't freak out too much) to give them both a bath (with kitty flea shampoo or Dawn dish soap), again with frequent flea combing in the following days/weeks.

For the house, thorough vacuuming daily is pretty effective at getting rid of fleas. Get some cheap flea collars, cut them up and put them in your vacuum cleaner bag. This will help kill off any fleas it sucks up, but hopefully without triggering your spouse's sensitivities. Make sure to wash all the cat bedding too, as well as any soft places they like to sleep.
Cat Fleas
Homemade Flea Remedies For Cats
How to Treat Fleas In Young Kittens (yes, I know you have senior kitties, but the methods here should be safer for your spouse )
How To Safely Bathe A Cat: The Complete Guide

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hello Everyone! I know it’s been a little while since I’ve posted here. Life has been taking a lot of different turns lately and with the holidays it’s been nuts! We moved apartments and unfortunately my 2 senior babies have caught fleas. Our boy, Kasper is 18.5 years young and has a thyroid issue that he’s on medication for. Our girl, Ruby is almost 11 years young and she’s got slight asthma. Our vet recommended an oral flea medicine called Comfortis, which seems to have mixed reviews. I’m thrown off by how many cats have supposedly died soon after taking this medication. Naturally I’d like to keep my babies alive!

My spouse has multiple chemical sensitivities that is sometimes severe. So topical isn’t the best option and we can’t use anything that has a scent to it on the carpets. We’re in a tricky situation! We’d like to go a natural route and perhaps use food grade diatomaceous earth, which we’ve used in the past for different things. I read somewhere that using it on cats can dry out their skin.

I’m not sure what to do here. We need to get rid of these fleas but with the age and health conditions of my babies, I don’t know what the best route to take is! Does anyone have any advice?

Personally, I most definitely would not use anything that is questionable and/or has related incidents of loss of life.
We have always used and trusted Advantage topical. At one house where fleas were quite a problem, we also used FleaBusters, which at that time was in crystal form; you sprinkle it on the carpet and work it in well with a broom, then vacuum as usual. It is long-lasting, odorless, and very effective. I've heard it now comes in a spray but have never used that.
I also rely on a good very fine-tooth flea comb made especially for cats. Comb them daily or more often and any fleas you find, immerse in warm or hot soapy water. This is a chemical-free and natural way to combat fleas, but if you have a lot of them, you'll want to use this in adjunct with other things like the two I've listed. I hope this helps.

 

[kommunity kats]

You can apply Diatomaceous earth to the carpet, furniture, cat bedding, etc.

Changing their diet so it doesn't have carbohydrates may strrengthen their immune systems & make them unpallatable to fleas, too.

Wiping them down with vinegar 2-4 times daily throws off the fleas, too.

I've used D.E. for ticks & fleas in the yard, and directly on dogs before.
The tick population dropped to 5% in a few days.
But, things have to be *dry* for it to work!

"...Flea problems do not stem from the presence of fleas, but from health related and environmental circumstances which enable to fleas to thrive and reproduce. All parasites are opportunists, preying on the weak and unhealthy whose immune systems are not balanced and functioning at full capacity. Dry flaky skin, constant shedding, scratching, chewing on its self reveals a general susceptibility in the animal's immune system which in turn, provides the perfect environment for parasites...." Fleas,Ticks, The Wholistic Truth

Correct those health related & environmental circumstances that 'invite' fleas, and you get rid of the parasites!

 

[tarasgirl06]

You can apply Diatomaceous earth to the carpet, furniture, cat bedding, etc.

Changing their diet so it doesn't have carbohydrates may strrengthen their immune systems & make them unpallatable to fleas, too.

Wiping them down with vinegar 2-4 times daily throws off the fleas, too.

I've used D.E. for ticks & fleas in the yard, and directly on dogs before.
The tick population dropped to 5% in a few days.
But, things have to be *dry* for it to work!

"...Flea problems do not stem from the presence of fleas, but from health related and environmental circumstances which enable to fleas to thrive and reproduce. All parasites are opportunists, preying on the weak and unhealthy whose immune systems are not balanced and functioning at full capacity. Dry flaky skin, constant shedding, scratching, chewing on its self reveals a general susceptibility in the animal's immune system which in turn, provides the perfect environment for parasites...." Fleas,Ticks, The Wholistic Truth

Correct those health related & environmental circumstances that 'invite' fleas, and you get rid of the parasites!

Not wanting to disagree with your helpful suggestion, kommunity kats but just want to point out that cats lick themselves, and I'm not sure how healthy DE would be to ingest. I haven't used it so do not know. I hope it is safe.

 

[kommunity kats]

Not wanting to disagree with your helpful suggestion, kommunity kats but just want to point out that cats lick themselves, and I'm not sure how healthy DE would be to ingest. I haven't used it so do not know. I hope it is safe.

Diatomaceous earth has been swallowed by most everyone. It's been used for a long time in flours, to keep them dry so they'll pour perfectly, and it also kills insects that otherwise procreate in them. Farmers in the know feed it to their stock animals, & some pet owners as well. And, some have taken it themselves & given it to family members as a supplement.

There are 2 types of D.E. . . . the natural "Food Grade" powder, used in flour & as a supplement for animals . . . and then there's the 'pool grade' D.E. that has been heat treated & chemically treated to be used in filtering swimming-pool water. . . . The latter is very dangerous / full of sharp crystals formed when heated! However, the former is no more dangerous than flour itself.

Myself, my husband, & his brother have taken D.E. The men had developed eczema, and along with cutting all chemicals possible from their life styles, we added 1 teaspoon D.E. to each cup of solid food we ate. Not only did their eczema heal perfectly, but my husband's hair began regrowing in his bald spot. D.E. is high in water soluble silica, the mineral that makes up hair, skin, arteries & veins, & all other elastic tissues.

So, a little licked off their fur won't hurt a cat any.
I've given it to cats in their food to treat tapeworms.
One neighborhood cat had become very skinny, & when I noticed signs of tapeworm on him I fed him a meal with an appropriate dose of D.E. in it . . . and before the week was done, he'd regained his normal weight!
That was months ago, and he's still going strong at 13 years old.

These articles explain better what I want to share with you:

Diatomaceous Earth For Cats

Natural Flea Control for Cats with Diatomaceous Earth

You need to treat all the places where the fleas hide & reproduce (carpets, furniture, even sand piles outdoors). D.E. can get rid of them for you in those places. And, if you balance your cat's health, they won't be after your cat anymore. Or . . . If you wipe the cats down with a well wrung out sponge that was soaked in vinegar (white is fine & less odiferous than ACV), they won't go after the cat for several hours. . . . Did you read the article I posted a link for , in my prior post . . . ? :

Fleas,Ticks, The Wholistic Truth

 

[tarasgirl06]

Diatomaceous earth has been swallowed by most everyone. It's been used for a long time in flours, to keep them dry so they'll pour perfectly, and it also kills insects that otherwise procreate in them. Farmers in the know feed it to their stock animals, & some pet owners as well. And, some have taken it themselves & given it to family members as a supplement.

There are 2 types of D.E. . . . the natural "Food Grade" powder, used in flour & as a supplement for animals . . . and then there's the 'pool grade' D.E. that has been heat treated & chemically treated to be used in filtering swimming-pool water. . . . The latter is very dangerous / full of sharp crystals formed when heated! However, the former is no more dangerous than flour itself.

Myself, my husband, & his brother have taken D.E. The men had developed eczema, and along with cutting all chemicals possible from their life styles, we added 1 teaspoon D.E. to each cup of solid food we ate. Not only did their eczema heal perfectly, but my husband's hair began regrowing in his bald spot. D.E. is high in water soluble silica, the mineral that makes up hair, skin, arteries & veins, & all other elastic tissues.

So, a little licked off their fur won't hurt a cat any.
I've given it to cats in their food to treat tapeworms.
One neighborhood cat had become very skinny, & when I noticed signs of tapeworm on him I fed him a meal with an appropriate dose of D.E. in it . . . and before the week was done, he'd regained his normal weight!
That was months ago, and he's still going strong at 13 years old.

These articles explain better what I want to share with you:

Diatomaceous Earth For Cats

Natural Flea Control for Cats with Diatomaceous Earth

You need to treat all the places where the fleas hide & reproduce (carpets, furniture, even sand piles outdoors). D.E. can get rid of them for you in those places. And, if you balance your cat's health, they won't be after your cat anymore. Or . . . If you wipe the cats down with a well wrung out sponge that was soaked in vinegar (white is fine & less odiferous than ACV), they won't go after the cat for several hours. . . . Did you read the article I posted a link for , in my prior post . . . ? :

Fleas,Ticks, The Wholistic Truth

That's so interesting and amazing -- thanks for taking the time to explain it to us!

 

[kommunity kats]

That's so interesting and amazing -- thanks for taking the time to explain it to us!

You're Welcome! (:

 

[maggie101]

I dont remember how my old cat was treated for her flea allergies. Maggie was given a bath. I also fogged my apt. Since then I have never had a problem with fleas. They are indoors. I don't give them anything like Advantage because its not needed

 

[tarasgirl06]

I dont remember how my old cat was treated for her flea allergies. Maggie was given a bath. I also fogged my apt. Since then I have never had a problem with fleas. They are indoors. I don't give them anything like Advantage because its not needed

Oh, my cats are ALWAYS indoor-only, too, maggie101 -- but a lot of people on the block have dogs and walk them, and so fleas can jump off those and inside, since I have a security screen in front and those have gaps at the bottom. Also, we have wild creatures here including oppossums, raccoons, skunks, rats, mice, and coyotes, and those can have fleas. So sometimes we do get them. Then I go into action with the flea comb and Advantage!

 

[maggie101]

I am reconsidering giving them advantage since there is a dog park right in front of me. I have been here 6 yrs with no problems but I should start now. My vet said it's ok to give my 16 yr old cat advantage. Got the dog park early last year. Hard to take a nap!

 

[tarasgirl06]

I am reconsidering giving them advantage since there is a dog park right in front of me. I have been here 6 yrs with no problems but I should start now. My vet said it's ok to give my 16 yr old cat advantage. Got the dog park early last year. Hard to take a nap!

Yeah, I don't envy you, maggie101 but you're right -- and we have never had any problem with Advantage. Good that you consulted your vet