We've tried it all-heck we've sprayed it all-furniture, backyard (We have a dog), carpet, beds, EVERYWHERE! MY POOR POOR POOR TRADITIONAL SIAMESE HAD BLOOD ALL OVER AND AROUND HIS NECK!!! Idk what to do!!! I put wound medicine on him and saw TONS OF FLEAS all over the wounds!!! I am so worried for him. I have 3 cats but his condition is the worst and it scares me! HELP!!! Anyone know of a good flea powder that ACTUALLY WORKS!!! I feel so bad for my baby. HE SPENDS ALL DAY ITCHING HIS NECK AND LEGS-MOSTLY NECK!
I am sorry for so much shouting. I am just so so so so so so worried. Idk what do we have tried what feels like everything.
Oh boy. This sounds like a desperate situation. I have never found a flea collar or flea powder that worked. I have found 100% success, however, with the medications that you put on your pet's neck that work more systemically. We used to use Advantage, but found that it has become ineffective because fleas have adapted to it. When I need this type of thing, I visit my vet and get it because they know what is most effective at the time. You do not usually need a prescription, so shouldn't need to pay for a vet bill. You will need to treat all of your cats and dogs, but will find the fleas dying off within days and they will not come back for months. Good luck!
Whatever you do, please don't use flea collars or those cheap flea products you can get at Walmart. Hartz is a big one they sell. It's cheap and you would think it would be safe because if it wasn't, why would they keep selling it? But it's horrible stuff and you can end up killing your pet using it.
Anyway, I would give your cat a bath with Dawn dishsoap, and also get some Capstar pills from your vet. Capstar is safe, and starts working in 30 minutes killing the adult fleas on your pet. Once the fleas are off your pet, you will need to treat your entire home or else fleas will just hop back on to the pet. Good luck!
We've had great success with Frontline, no Capstar even needed (although from what I understand it can be great for immediate relief like Kitsey said).
Capstar is immediate relief, but it doesn't keep killing them like frontline or advantage. I definitely recommend frontline, but you should treat all the pets in the house, and also treat the carpets/pet beds and wash everything. We used some carpet/pet bed spray we got from the vets that is supposed to be more gentle on pets than the stuff from stores. It will take a few months of treatment to kill all of the fleas, eggs will hatch and new fleas will be around (even if you use a product that kills eggs on carpet it seems some always survive!). But it will get better each month. I went through this myself a few years ago and it was terrible because we have 3 dogs and 6 cats. But it's worth it in the end to have healthy pets.
Yes, I recommended the Capstar because her pets seem to be suffering terribly and Capstar should kill the fleas within hours, but yes-they need more than just Capstar. When I had a problem with fleas, Advantage just never seemed to be enough until I did a dose of Capstar. I guess I wasn't patient enough and wanted it to work *now* lol. Thankfully, you can safely do both.
I used to work at Petco and have 2 cats. We've had a run in or two with fleas before.
I agree with everyone else, DON'T USE CHEAP FLEA COLLARS. What you need is Frontline, Revolution, or Advantage. These products work remarkably well. Depending on how infested you are, you can also go to the vet and they are able to give your pet a Frontline shot if the topical treatment doesn't help (but it will, you'd have to be really overrun with fleas for it not to).
I also second the dish soap bath, that will help kill any bugs that they currently have on them.
Generally nothing you buy "off the shelf" is going to be powerful AND healthy for your pet. Although none of the flea/tick meds really are healthy. When I got my pup, she was covered in fleas. I had got her from a sketchy farm and her living conditions were terrible . At any rate, I went to the vet, got a one month dose of "advantage" and used as directed. Within 24 hours all the fleas were gone, and that one month supply lasts for a month by being absorbed into the skin on the back of their neck, and released through their pores all over their body. I've never had a problem with fleas since.
I'd really suggest going to the vet and asking for flea medication. Mine cost $30 (in Canada mine you), didn't need an appointment, didn't need to bring her in. Just said she has fleas, give me what you got.
I also agree with the soap bath. I used dawn dish soap, the original one (its blue) and it worked for getting fleas off of her right then. I did a lot of research and if you put a bowl of vinegar under a lamp, sitting on the floor, the light attracts them to it and they jump in. I thought it sounded crazy but I did it and surprisingly, there were fleas in the bowl in the morning. So weird.
Last edited by Remington90; 05-11-2013 at 02:03 PM.
Generally nothing you buy "off the shelf" is going to be powerful AND healthy for your pet. Although none of the flea/tick meds really are healthy. When I got my pup, she was covered in fleas. I had got her from a sketchy farm and her living conditions were terrible . At any rate, I went to the vet, got a one month dose of "advantage" and used as directed. Within 24 hours all the fleas were gone, and that one month supply lasts for a month by being absorbed into the skin on the back of their neck, and released through their pores all over their body. I've never had a problem with fleas since.
I'd really suggest going to the vet and asking for flea medication. Mine cost $30 (in Canada mine you), didn't need an appointment, didn't need to bring her in. Just said she has fleas, give me what you got.
I also agree with the soap bath. I used dawn dish soap, the original one (its blue) and it worked for getting fleas off of her right then. I did a lot of research and if you put a bowl of vinegar under a lamp, sitting on the floor, the light attracts them to it and they jump in. I thought it sounded crazy but I did it and surprisingly, there were fleas in the bowl in the morning. So weird.
Maybe it's different in Canada, but you can buy Frontline (and similar products) off the shelf here. You don't have to go to the vet for them.
Maybe it's different in Canada, but you can buy Frontline (and similar products) off the shelf here. You don't have to go to the vet for them.
Ya it might be different. I should have been more specific. I just mean general off the shelf stuff, flea collars and other "junk" isn't good for them.
I guess overall I mean I wouldn't go the cheaper route, do whats best for the animal and do some research to find a reputable product.
Haha, its hard to compare between the States and Canada because so much is different.
Last edited by Remington90; 05-11-2013 at 03:11 PM.
Powders are a waste of time and money, ditto collars.
I've owned animals all of my life, always had a houseful. You need a two pronged approach:
1. Treat the animals
2. Treat the house
Under the best case scenario you get the animals OUT of the house and have the place professionally done, but if that's not in the budget bomb the place, powder the rugs and upholstery, turn vaccuming into a daily task (Google "eliminating fleas in the house"). The fleas will feed off of you and your family, they just prefer the furries. Send the furries off to a groomer while the house is being done (if you can afford it, let them stay overnight) but get them BATHED. If you really, really can't afford it then go somewhere and do it yourself -- but you cannot use the same stuff on the dog as cats and it needs to be done right you don't just soap them up and rinse, you have to lather them to the skin and leave that to sit for AT LEAST five minutes, and don't use ANYTHING by Hartz, it's all utter garbage. I've heard some good things about Adams products, see what your vet recommends maybe.
Once the animals are cleaned up and the house is cleared you use stuff like Advantage (or Revolution by prescription, apparently fleas are becoming immune to Frontline) on all the animals going forward and use the powder on your carpets and upholstery regularly (check into a product called Fleabusters).
To reiterate: Powders do not work, collars do not work (except in your vacuum cleaner bag) you must bathe the animals if they're infested. You might be able to get rid of the fleas over time but from what you're describing you've got a bad case and an animal that may be reacting to flea bites, poor bugger is probably miserable.
FYI, if you've never done it before, bathing cats is everything everyone tells you it can be and then some Not to mention it's not uncommon for them to have some funky reactions to some flea shampoos (had one stop breathing and pass out in the sink on me -- she recovered, we rinsed her VERY fast -- allergic to pyrethrins, not uncommon, many cats are allergic to citrus as well).
Good luck. Man I don't envy you, been there, done that, will never go there again. I never was totally flea free as long as I had dogs.
Best one I've found for my cat is a combination of Frontline and frequent combing to get the live ones out. I stand him by the bathroom sink and use a flea comb and then flush the live fleas down the sink with running water. The Frontline works reasonably well.
Last month my vet prescribed Comfortis, which is a pill, but he puked it up so I don't know if it worked. Gave my dog the dog version of Comfortis and it seemed to help. May be helpful if your kitty doesn't vomit everything.
Don't buy the Costco version of topical flea treatment or biospot. They don't work.
The lady at my dog's puppy school said she has good luck with Revolution for both cats and dogs. I haven't tried that one yet.
I used to work at Petco and have 2 cats. We've had a run in or two with fleas before.
I agree with everyone else, DON'T USE CHEAP FLEA COLLARS. What you need is Frontline, Revolution, or Advantage. These products work remarkably well. Depending on how infested you are, you can also go to the vet and they are able to give your pet a Frontline shot if the topical treatment doesn't help (but it will, you'd have to be really overrun with fleas for it not to).
I also second the dish soap bath, that will help kill any bugs that they currently have on them.
This! Call your vet or check with the pet stores.The ones that work are under lock and key and you have to ask for it,but many stores now sell them.Bathe all animals in the dish soap before treating them with either Frontline,Revolution,or Advantage.As long as you treat each animal throughout flea season,you shouldn't have to do anything else with them,or your house.I've had bad infestations before and only treated the animals and didn't have any problems with fleas hanging around in the house.Good luck! Fleas make everyone in the home miserable.
Since we have cats and dogs(small and extra large) i buy the Frontline spray because it can be used on both cats and dogs. I also treat carpets, furniture and pet bedding area with diatomaceous earth(make sure to use food grade).
HELP!? Flea powder for cats that works!?
HE SPENDS ALL DAY ITCHING HIS NECK AND LEGS-MOSTLY NECK! 
Not to mention it's not uncommon for them to have some funky reactions to some flea shampoos (had one stop breathing and pass out in the sink on me -- she recovered, we rinsed her VERY fast -- allergic to pyrethrins, not uncommon, many cats are allergic to citrus as well).
