Cat Care & Advice – How To Combat Fleas
How To Combat Fleas
If you discover you have a cat with fleas, you will need to act quickly and thoroughly to ensure you eliminate the problem and keep on top of the issue. By following the steps below you may be able to eradicate the problem and keep your beloved cat in the home they love.
Step One
Firstly you will need to get some effective flea treatment for your cat. We strongly advise you to go to your vet and obtain flea treatment from them.
We advise that you:
- Do not buy over the counter flea products. They aren’t as effective, can have adverse reactions with some animals and will not keep the infestation at bay. We have seen multiple chemical burns and bodily upset from non-prescription treatments, which will ultimately harm the animal and cost the owner a lot more in vet bills!
- Do not buy flea collars. They often aren’t safety collars, meaning your cat could get injured; they are not effective in killing fleas and aren’t usually any good at repelling fleas either. And remember, even if the fleas are repelled, where will they go…..carpets, fabrics and furnishings!
- Do not use “home remedies”. Again these aren’t as effective and can end up costing more in vet treatment if it has an adverse reaction with your pet.
- DO buy flea treatments from your vet. They will be safe for your pet and will be effective. The vet staff can also speak to you about finding the correct form of flea treatment for your pet.
Flea treatments come in a few forms, including a spot-on application (small pipette of product that is applied to the skin on the back of the neck); an oral tablet and a spray.
Many people choose the spot-on treatment as this is the simplest to use, but speak to your vet staff if you’d like to try something different for your cat.
Step Two
Next, we tackle the home. As long as you have the flea treatment on your cat and it is proving effective, you don’t have to worry about them bringing any more fleas in (REMEMBER to keep the treatment topped up monthly or as directed by your vet).
Depending on your home set up, you may have to treat the house in sections.
We have found a few products in particular to be effective for treating the home – Johnsons 4Fleas Home Spray / Johnsons 4Fleas Room fogger / Indorex home spray.
- You should start by vacuuming the whole house, paying special attention to warm spots such as under the radiators; your cat/dog’s favourite sleeping spots; sofas; bed mattresses and other soft furnishings.
- Wash all pet bedding, and any throws/human bedding as these can be host to flea eggs/larvae.
- Then one room at a time, use a Home Flea Treatment spray or fogger. Sprays can be most effective as you can direct the spray to all of the areas it is needed the most.
IMPORTANT : FOLLOW THE PRODUCT INSTRUCTIONS AND ENSURE THE ROOM BEING TREATED IS FREE OF PEOPLE AND PETS!!
Once the room has been treated, air it out, vacuum again and then move on to your next room.
You can repeat this process 4 weeks later, however, if you keep on top of the cat flea treatment and vacuum regularly, you may never need to do it again! These instructions can also prove useful if you have a dog with fleas.