Conference misery::feline_v1

    The flea shampoo really does need to stay on for the length of time
    prescribed by the product to be effective.  Even then, some of the
    critters can manage to survive!
    
    cin...who fought the battle of the flea and won!
    

    Yup, it should really be on for the prescribed time - I find that
    by constant messaging the cat's body, it distracts them and time
    passes - rub, rub, rub ! They seem to like it after they realize
    how good the rubbing feels!

    Hi,
      I am a new noter. I am having the same problem with my kitties.
    Fleas are driving them crazy and I have bathed them, but the fleas
    keep returning and they have so much flea dust on them. I really
    feel sorry for the little guys. 
      I had a vacation day yesterday and I shut all the windows and
    I flea bombed the whole house. But my question is, "How do you get
    the kitties to stay still for five minutes?" They all hate baths. 
      I don't know what to do with this flea problem. It's terrible
    this year. 
     Sincerely, 
     Denise  

    
    	Tell me about it.  Chloe is in desperate need of a flea bath.
    	I don't know why but they seem to get her the worst.  She gets
    	all these nasty scabs on her from the bits and her constant
    	scratching.  After I bathe her and dust the others I'm going
    	to use the stuff I bought at the vets to spray on the rugs etc.
    
    	I hate flea season!
    

    Things are really awful in the Scott cathouse as well.  I discovered
    that indeed, Tequila's problem must be fleas.  They were not evident
    until a couple of days ago.  (Tequila has been biting off some of her
    fur.  I took her to the vet, who said she must have allergies.  She
    was given a shot of cortisone, but it didn't seem to help her itch.)
    This weekend, we look forward to flea baths, dips and flea bombings...
    Oh, what fun!  
    
    My sympathies to all who must bathe their kitties due to fleas.  
    It ain't fun!
    
    

    Aw, cmon.  Sure it's fun.  Everyone LOVES to bathe their babies,
    right??
    
    I have Lightning and Deja and Thunder to do.  As long as I have a 
    collar on them while bathing, I can hold on to them.  Lightning does 
    try to get out but she also know whos boss.  Deja is the worst...
    She is so slippery and slinky.  
    
    happy bathing,
    
    Sandi and the Storm Troopers
    
    

    Hey, "cat hell spring" has turned into "flea hell summer" around
    our house.  Last weekend I bathed 13 cats, 5 kittens and a huge
    dog.  I used a product called DeFlea.  It is safe for kittens, puppies,
    pregnant and nursing cats, and even animals that are on Proban.
    Out here, it is distributed by a persian breeder named Karen Johnson.
    
    Anyway, the stuff is incredible.  I mix the concentrate in a plastic
    jar with some of my favorite cat shampoo.  One part DeFlea, two
    and a half parts water, and 1/2 part shampoo.  The stuff kills fairly
    quickly.  The active ingredient is a stool softener which works
    on the flea's exoskeleton(sp).  The other ingredient gets inside
    the flea and kills it.  Great stuff.
    
    Jo

    Actually, what you really need to do is have a professional come
    to your home and spray quarterly. 
    
    I had one cat and never bothered to have a professional come and
    spray regularly, and fleas were always a problem.
    
    Now, I have four cats and I have a professional service come spray
    the house, four times a year, and life is wonderful again. Remember,
    I also bath my four cats quarterly also. But most fleas live in
    the carpets, and I've found that do-it-yourself "flea bombs" don't
    really work.
    
    Try a professional service. It costs me $20 each time, 'cause I'm
    a regular customer. It's definitely worth it! (Saved my marriage
    too!)
    
    Any questions? Call me at DTN: 521-4613 (408) 478-4613. - theresa
    

    I can't use an insecticide in my house because Joui is allergic
    to so many things.  I do have a service come a spray the yard a
    couple of times a year.  
    
    What do you do with your cats while they are spraying your house?
    I have 13 cats (soon to be twelve, Major is leaving this weekend,
    sniff :^(), assorted kittens, and a huge dog.  
    
    Jo

I have no flea problem yet this year....but I have a service spray THOROUGHLY
around the house and yard outside.  I had the interior sprayed ONCE (the
same service) three years ago.  I had to completely remove the cats for six
hours....that meant a trip to the vets...they couldn't even be in the
garage.  Since then, I have the OUTSIDE sprayed once a month during the
warm months and once every 3 months when the fleas are likely to be
dormant.

If you must spray yourself - put your cats outside the house - in
carriers in the garage or whatever - and spray the carpets, furniture,
and along ALL baseboards with the spray stuff.  FORGET THE FLEA BOMBS.
In my experience, they are dropping money down a black hole...they
have no noticable effect that I've seen.  Once the recommended time
has elapsed, you can bring the cats in and spray the garage really
well.  Plan on repeating the treatment 5 - 7 days later, and once
a month until flea season is over.  Of course, each time u spray
the house, u have to bathe the cats with a flea shampoo...leave on
the full 5 minutes...and with these procedures....and

	IF YOU KEEP YOUR CATS INDOORS.....

any keep your dog (if you have one) sprayed/bathed regularly, 
you can gain control of the flea problem.  If you are lucky.  
However, if you allow your cat to wander or take your dog out
for runs away from home, I'd try to learn to live with fleas while
minimizing their impact on the animals - using flea collars mostly -
You cannot put chemicals on your cat or dog often enough to make 
any real difference if your pets can get out of the "flea-free
zone" and bring new "pets" back in on his/her back.  It would be
unhealthy for you AND YOUR PETS to treat for fleas so frequently.

I have no choice in the matter - I am REALLY allergic to flea bites 
and HAVE to keep them out of the house - but I have indoor-only cats 
and we haven't seen one flea in over 3 years.

			GOOD LUCK!

    re:10
    
    My cat is indoor/outdoor, and I haven't seen a flea yet..... (knock
    on wood).
    
    Michele & Nippa
    

    re: de-flea - I saw an interesting way to apply flea "spray" at
    the last show.  Hadleigh House had this for $7 and I thought I'd
    try it.  Basically its a hollow comb.  you pour the flea "stuff"
    into the comb (there's a wick) and its drawn out into the "tines"
    of the comb. Then you comb your cat.  I got it for Bob because he
    has such an awful allergy and also because Jack has a sneezing fit
    everytime I use any of the sprays.  
    
    I'm just trying to keep things under control at the moment.  I don't
    see fleas on the kittens, and no overt signs on the other cats, but
    I don't believe we've escaped.
      N

    Michele, no fleas at our house either (another knock wood), but I have
    to be very careful about ticks.  I found two on Nikki's head, behind
    each ear.  Ticks are rampant in our area.  Must be the natural
    landscaping.  Everyone gets combed and checked at least 2 or 3 times daily!
    

    We're a flea-free house as well now & have been so for about 3 years.
    
    When I first got Domino he was a black kitten who was about to be put
    down. Now He's a healthy black & white - a lot of the original "black"
    had been dead fleas!!! As he also had a stomach upset when I got him, I
    didn't want to risk bathing him in case of chill (it was January) so I
    just powdered & combed him. Of course Pip, my other cat got fleas
    straight away (its making me itch now just remembering) & I ended up
    covered in bites - it was awful.
    
    The answer I discovered was to do everything at the same time. Its no
    good bathing/spraying/powdering one day & not getting the fleas out of
    the carpets & furniture until later or getting rid of any tapeworm as
    well. For a while one cat just passed fleas to the other & then back
    again. So I powdered them both, wormed them and treated the carpets &
    upholstry all on the same day. Fleas were banished never to return!
    They are outdoor cats, so to keep the fleas away they get new flea
    collars every 2 months and a regular combing as well. If they so much
    as twitch, they get powdered or sprayed as well, but this hardly ever
    happens. I haven't had much success with sprays because they soon got
    used to them & run off & hide as soon as I shake the can. In fact they
    now do this with hairspray or any other aerosol!(all CFC free of
    course). I also don't try to bath them. I tried once with Pip & still
    have the scars to prove it. I did read once that if you want to bath a
    cat successfully, you should put it in a pillow case (with the head
    sticking out) as that keeps its claws covered. I'm not sure that isn't
    rather cruel though and I'm sure it wouldn't take long to rip through
    the pillow case if the cat really wanted to.
    
    I bought a very powerful carpet cleaner so I don't get any more
    problems there, but I agree with previous noters - you need a
    professional job if you've got a real problem.                     
     
    I hope you soon get rid of your unwanted guests, they can make
    everyone's life miserable.
    
    Good luck
    
    Rosemary, Pip & Domino

    RE:  .5
    
    The kitties are extremely happy now that they've had their baths.
    They can comfortably do their favorite thing:  Sleep!
    
    I guess Tequila's "allergy" problem was fleas all along.  What a
    relief.  I hope her hair grows back...
    

    Funny seeing this note today......yesterday we flea shampooed,
    vacuumed, bombed, stripped beds, washed cat blankets, etc.
    The four guys were pretty good about the flea shampooing.
    The fleas really like Rusty & Casey!  Poor Rusty was covered.
    I shampoo all the cats, put them in the cat carriers, remove
    them from the house, and place them in the car in the shade
    with the windows and hatch open.  Then we attack the house.
    I haven't had much success with the bombs or the flea collars.
    They seem to kill everything but the fleas!!!!!
    But what does seem to work well is this stuff you spray on
    the carpets & furniture with little microcapsules of insectiside
    in it.  When it drys the insecticide is released.  I get it from
    the Jeffers Vet Supply Catalog.  It lasts for 120 days or so, even
    if you vacuum.  I get the flea shampoo, spray and my other supplies
    from them, too.  A lot less expensive then paying twice the $$$
    at the vets for the same thing.  
    
    I go home tonight to spray all four with the flea spray.  They are
    already scratching again!
    
    L-

    You could live up here - we're flea free!  (try saying that 3 times
    quickly). It's wonderful after living in the infested west coast.
    

    I'm keeping my fingers crossed this year....no fleas yet!  I do have
    the house professionally treated 4 times a year, and bathe and dip the
    cats the same day.
    
    Jo, I put them all outside under a big shade tree in the back yard in
    carriers and cages.  I truck out the Tokyo cage...that holds about 4 or
    5 for the afternoon, the small drying cage, and about 6 carriers.  I
    usually schedule the exterminator for first thing in the morning, and
    once the house is taken care of, I do the cats one by one.  They don't
    come in the house till they've been bathed.
    
    It's a long day!
    
    cin
    

    re: cat baths and scars.  I kno've mentioned this before but it
    bears repeating.  If you are concerned about your cat scratching
    use adhesive tape around the paws.  We did this with Jesse - which
    proved to be totally unnecessary, he turned out to be such a gentleman.
    We did it with the adhesive towards his paw and it fell off by the
    end of the bath.
      If you stick the cat in a pillowcase, how do you scrub???
    

    ARGH!  We can not get rid of the fleas!!!
    
    I thought we had the problem licked.  We gave Schnapps, Tequila and 
    Rici flea baths, dipped them, and out of the house they went.  
    Then the bombs were set off, and out of the house we went.
    
    Then two days later, they were back...at least in our bedroom, the
    family room and the basement.  So we bombed again.  And the cats
    picked them up.  So they got baths again.  And we bombed again.  
    And we sprayed...
    
    And I vacuumed EVERYTHING!
    
    And I found more...
    
    I appreciate the spraying techniques written in some of these replies.
    I'll definitely try them.  The bombs are definitely like "throwing
    money down a black hole".  
    
    Sigh...Paula, Steve, Schnapps, Tequila and Rici
    
    
    

    Oh yeah...About how much would I expect to pay for a professional
    flea-ridding service?  
    

    I;m too lazy to reread 20 replies -- are your cats
    going outdoors?  If so, they are bound to get fleas again.  If they
    are indoors-only, I am wondering if you've opened all the
    closets, etc. when you use the bombs.  (If so, don't forget to
    wash plates and eating surfaces afterwards.)
    
    Try the bombs you can get from your vet (VetChem, I think they're
    called.)  They are safer and more effective than over the counter stuff.
    

>    Oh yeah...About how much would I expect to pay for a professional
>    flea-ridding service?  
    
prices vary too much between areas of the US for a meaningful estimate....
we paid approx. $40.00 when we had the interior done...but that was 3 or
4 years ago.  We pay $35.00 each time we have the outside sprayed now.

Call and get some estimates.  And make sure to get the baseboards and
corners sprayed, as well as under the beds and in closets...they hide
in these places.  My spray guy also used the spray that prevents the
eggs from hatching/maturing and this also took care of any stragglers.
If I counted how many times I could have used foggers as opposed to
the one interior spraying and regular (8 - 12 times a year) outside,
I know I'm being nicer to the ecology using the service.

I also support Karen's statement - if your cat(s) go outside, you will never
get rid of the fleas.  New ones drop in every time a cat comes home.

    If your in the MA/NH area, I would highly recommend Montachusett Pest
    Control....you can find their number in the yellow pages.  The cost is
    approximately $15 per room, they count the basement as 1 room.  They
    also give a 90 day guarantee....the products they use kill the fleas,
    the eggs, and leaves a sorta residual birth control for the stray flea
    that may get brought in at a later date.  
    
    I use this service 2 or 3 times a year as a preventative.  I'm over
    actually doing battle.  I figure it's better to be "Pro-active" than
    "reactive".
    
    cin
    

>    I appreciate the spraying techniques written in some of these replies.
>    I'll definitely try them.  The bombs are definitely like "throwing
>    money down a black hole".  
 
	In the UK we have local rodent control officers, I've called them
	in before for wasps nest in the backgarden, and they got rid
	of that for me for free, do you have anything like this?

	I'm also surprised at all the replies saying how bad the fleas are.

	I have two outdoor cats, one was a 5-6 month old stray, and he was
        badly infested with fleas when I found him last November. I
        sprayed him and he's not picked up any more since.

	My other cat is now 4, and I have never had to spray him, he's picked
	up an odd flea which I've found when I comb him (once a week), but
	apart from that there's no problem.

	I don't know anyone in the UK who has fleas in the house that they
	can't get rid of, or die of their own accord once off the cat, and 
	most of the cats here are indoor/outdoor.
        
    	Heather

    
    
    	Well I guess I could ask here...
    
    	We gave Chloe a bath last night because she had been scratching
    	and biting so much she was starting to make herself bleed.  I
    	was totally blown away with the amount of fleas she had. We killed
    	as many as we could but I know there are a lot more on her...and
    	Sasha, and Duke and all over the house.
    
    	So, my question is....do the vets do flea dips etc or is that
    	something that's done by a groomer?  Can anyone recommend someone
    	in Southern NH (Nashua area) that is fairly inexpensive but not
    	sloppy?  I printed up the note someone posted in here for the
    	company that will spray the house for $15 per room and I'm going
    	to give them a call.  Chloe and Duke are suffering the most.
    	Chloe is bleeding and Duke's fur is falling out in clumps!
    
    	Help!!
    
    	Thanks
    
    	JJ
    

    
    	 Vets and groomers both do it, but I would stick with your
    	 vet...
    

re:  extent of flea problem in the USA

The flea problem in the western USA where I live (Central to Northern
California to be specific) is EXTREMELY BAD.  It is, in large part, due
to the year-round mild climate.  Fleas can reproduce all year because
we have no winter kill-off.  And the price of land is such that people
have smaller yards, closer-together houses...it all leads up to a
situation where pet owners aren't the only folks who get infested homes.
If your neighbor doesn't take very good care of his/her cat or dog, you
can end up with a truly nasty flea infestation even if you have never
owned a pet.

re:  groomers vs vet:

while I always believe the vet is a better option for any pet care
they offer, I would suggest you ask that tranquilizers not be used.
I found a very gentle groomer who will bathe mine without tranquilizers,
and I now use them for this service.  The vet has the meds there and
I think they are more prone to use them sometimes.

    
    	Wouldn't it be less stressful for the cats though if they do use
    	the tranquilizers?
    
    	JJ who's never had to do this before.
    

>    	Wouldn't it be less stressful for the cats though if they do use
>    	the tranquilizers?
    
actually, it is never good, in a physical sense, to give tranquilizers...
i cannot remember exactly which internal organs can be affected, but I
think the liver/kidneys are vulnerable.  Tranquilizers are important when
they are necessary, but a cat should be handled well enough that the
bath isn't FUN, per se, but it shouldn't freak a feline out...i just feel
it ain't the way to go for a normal, regular part of life...of course,
these days, the kids are nice enough about it that I bathe them all the
time....well, maybe nice isn't the word I should use....resigned to their
fate, perhaps?    

    JJ, if the person doing the bathing/dipping is skilled, the cat will be
    fine.  I have Nik and T.K.'s bathing done at the vets, and they come
    home no worse for the wear.  These pros let the cat know who is in
    charge -- and it's usually not the cat!  T.K. and Nik were ferals, and
    I have never had them tranqued when bathed.
    
    
    --Roberta
    

    We use Village Sentry Kennel in Hollis, New Hampshire, for Mocha
    and Ming. They always tell me how good the cats are. Ming I can 
    agree with but Mocha ****HATES**** to be groomed. They always come
    home looking so great.
    
    Cindy is the gal who owns the place and usually does the bathing/
    dipping/grooming. 
    
    Where are you in southern NH?
    
    Barbara

    JJ - Given Duke's medical history you might be better off sticking
    with the vet who knows his situation.  I would feel safer with that
    if I were you.
      Good luck.
      Nancy DC

    
    	re: -2
    
    	I'm in Nashua.  I'm going to give the vet a call today.  The
    	woman I need to talk to wasn't there yesterday.  The house is
    	set to be done on Tuesday....I don't know if I can wait that
    	long!
    
    	Now all we have to do is hope that Brandi comes home before then.
    	She's off on another "well I may be back" trips....sigh....
    
    	re: Nancy....that's what I thought too.
    

    I have an elderly kitty that has heart disease for which she is on
    heart medication.  I need to treat the house, her four siblings
    and she for fleas.  The vet does not feel she's up to being
    dipped (which is what I was planning on doing myself).  Does anyone
    know how I can treat her for fleas, short of powder and flea collar?
    

I would go ahead and treat the house, and bathe the other cats with a flea 
product made for cats, but then use a flea comb on her.  It would be much less
stressful for her than using any kind of insecticide.  She might even enjoy it.
You can pick up a flea comb at the pet store.  I would not put any kind of 
flea insecticide on her without asking the vet about it first.

Jo