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Hi! A little concerned.. About a week ago, I gave my cat a topical flea medicine, the kind you put on the back of their neck. Yesterday, we did the same thing. Now I see some visible fleas, walking around on their heads and body. I try to pick them off and smoosh them, but the cats don't like.
Is this normal? How should I help the cats "de-flea?"
The house is free from fleas? If you're not certain dust the carpets with Sevin. And give the cat a flea bath on top of the topical treatment. NO MORE of that topical treament, two is risky IMHO.
.. About a week ago, I gave my cat a topical flea medicine, the kind you put on the back of their neck. Yesterday, we did the same thing. Now I see some visible fleas, walking around on their heads and body.
Im wondering there the fleas continue to come from. We vacuumed. And i have "organic flea repellant" spray. Wherever I spray, the cats no longer sit..
If i see a live flea, I try to pluck it and squish it. Sometime I even take warm water and wet my fingers and run it through theor hair.. i see a flea or two. Sometimes i can get the flea, sometime I cant. Just saying a flea by her nose...
Hi! A little concerned.. About a week ago, I gave my cat a topical flea medicine, the kind you put on the back of their neck. Yesterday, we did the same thing. Now I see some visible fleas, walking around on their heads and body. I try to pick them off and smoosh them, but the cats don't like.
Is this normal? How should I help the cats "de-flea?"
That is a good sign the fleas are reacting to the flea meds. Use a flea comb, brush off as many dead and dying fleas as you can, then rinse the fleas off, and repeat. Revolution works really good against fleas. If you can't afford that, Petarmor works too.
After the fleas are gone, make sure to go to your vet to check for tapeworms. Fleas are carriers of the tapeworm.
1. DO NOT apply a full dose of any flea treatment topical sooner than 3-1/2 to 4 weeks apart. Nearly all topicals are measured for 4 week application, and you run the risk of overdose applying any sooner than that.
2. With many/most topicals it takes a period of two, or maybe three months to build up in their system, and become fully effective. If you already had a flea problem in your house, you won't be getting rid of them overnight with one application of flea treatment. And if you don't do a complete de-flea of your house (flea spray or something similar, vacuuming, wash everything than will fit in the washer, etc.), you won't get rid of the fleas completely regardless of what you put on the cats.
Unfortunately, the cheaper flea topicals available don't seem to be effective in my experience. Good flea topicals are expensive, but worth it versus the alternative of an out of control flea infestation. I also recommend Revolution over the other major brands. I've been using it going on 4 years with excellent results. But again you must de-flea the environment or you're wasting your time & money.
Remember, flea topicals are not a short-term fix, but rather a long-term solution that must be applied regularly to be effective. Depending on where you live, you may even need to apply it throughout the year including the winter months.
I think animals that get the toxic topical flea drops on their backs still have/get just as many fleas as the animals whose owners dust them with diatomaceous earth....which is waaaay cheaper, and non toxic. It can also be ingested to kill off intestinal parasites....it's what I use for my animals.
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