Flea Treatments For Indoor Cat .

watermeadow

Bathing just gives you clean fleas.
Nothing bought in a pet shop kills fleas.
Treating your pet with prescription stuff will kill the existing fleas, it won’t stop reinfection.
House flea sprays are effective, they also kill spiders (bonus)
I was a vet nurse and know lots about fleas!

So what is used to prevent fleas then?

Bathing just gives you clean fleas.
Nothing bought in a pet shop kills fleas.
Treating your pet with prescription stuff will kill the existing fleas, it won’t stop reinfection.
House flea sprays are effective, they also kill spiders (bonus)
I was a vet nurse and know lots about fleas!

Good decision Nanato I hope you come back and let us know how you get on.

I’ve actually already paid my vet for my dogs vaccinations. But I’m thinking of finding a vet that still uses Lepto2. She has to have two lots of Lepto4 as she’s never had it before. None of the breeders I know vaccinate their dogs after the initial course and the breeder I got my dog from still has the foundation bitch who is now in her mid teens.

MayBee70

Bravecto is what my vet recommended; he uses it on his dog.

Bravecto has got some awful reviews. Dogs and cats being seriously ill and some dying after this drug.

My dogs are Rough Collies and they need to be extra careful with drugs has this breed doesn't tolerate drugs very well.

As anyone given Stronghold to their cat ? Good or bad reviews appreciated .

Bravecto is what my vet recommended; he uses it on his dog.

Thanks everyone for your help . My dog caught fleas at the groomer's , never had fleas before either .

Got Bravecto from the vet for the dog , so scared now she's had it and I've read all the terrible reviews. I won't give it to my cat , my nerves wouldn't stand it 😒

Cat will be going to the vet .

I can still remember the smell. I know I used to try not to breathe it in when I sprayed them.My best cat ever died from a cancer in his throat at quite a young age and I wondered if it was caused by the Nuvan Top. Mind you he was temporarily blinded once from something the farmer had sprayed on his crops so it could have been that. My vet gave me some Bravecto for my dog last year but I still can’t bring myself to use it.

MayBee70

I’ve just googled it and I think RIP is the one I use. They are very quick with their orders. I only use it in my partners porch where I’m worried about ticks being brought into the house and I keep the door open for a while when I’ve used it. It has quite a pleasant smell. Years ago I used to use Nuvan Top spray on my cats; I’m scared to Google it as I’m scared that I’ll read that it was carcinogenic…it smelled horrible.

I don't think it's carcinogenic but it can cause nerve problems, sometimes a while later. Similar to the farmers who have delayed neurological problems after using sheep-dip.
I must've sprayed hundreds of cats with it in the 80's - I try not to think about it.

Trouble is vets are very defensive of all of the new tablets and spot on treatments but we’ve all heard of dogs and cats that have had bad reactions. I’m currently having to have my dog vaccinated with Lepto 4 even though her breeder said too only use Lepto2. But with so many practices American owned they have to use 4 because it’s the one required in America. I didn’t know that long haired cats had a problem with flea treatment. My dog has problems with anaesthetic etc because of low body fat. Maybe bathing in normal shampoo and using a flea comb combined with spraying carpets etc will work, especially with a house cat that won’t be picking up any fleas from outside. What I hate about spot on treatments but and tablets is that,once administered there’s no going back. At the same time nobody can live in a house with fleas. Difficult.

Be careful with long haired cats .
We used to have a Persian and he - like all Persians had a severe reaction to normal anti - flea treatments .
Fortunately he loved being brushed and having a flea comb passed over his long fur .
Even so we had some fleas in the conservatory .
I'm hoping that anti-flea treatments are more sophisticated these days .

AuntieE

Do NOT spray the house, unless the spray is specifically marked as being safe to use if you have cats!

Most sprays are lethal to cats - as in they die of an allergic reaction.

Phone the vet and ask what to use. I don't live in the UK, but here we use tablets - bit of a hassle getting the cats to swallow them, but they do the trick better than the flea drops you apply to the back of the cat's neck, as by now the fleas are immune to that.

If you have a death wish, you could bath the cat - I don't dare bath mine, I would be torn to bits and never, ever forgiven!

Most fleas will be in the house not on the cat so I don’t see how you can get rid of an infestation without spraying the house. I agree a vet should be consulted first. I only spray round the edges of carpets where the fleas and larvae tend to be. I have also put diatomaceous earth around the edges of carpets but not where the cat might pick it up on it’s feet or coat or where it can be breathed in.

AuntieE

Do NOT spray the house, unless the spray is specifically marked as being safe to use if you have cats!

Most sprays are lethal to cats - as in they die of an allergic reaction.

Phone the vet and ask what to use. I don't live in the UK, but here we use tablets - bit of a hassle getting the cats to swallow them, but they do the trick better than the flea drops you apply to the back of the cat's neck, as by now the fleas are immune to that.

If you have a death wish, you could bath the cat - I don't dare bath mine, I would be torn to bits and never, ever forgiven!

That is why I suggested buying the spray from the vet. Previous to this little stray, I had three Persians and always sprayed the house if they came home with fleas.

I would take her to see a vet as what they provide is always very effective.

Do NOT spray the house, unless the spray is specifically marked as being safe to use if you have cats!

Most sprays are lethal to cats - as in they die of an allergic reaction.

Phone the vet and ask what to use. I don't live in the UK, but here we use tablets - bit of a hassle getting the cats to swallow them, but they do the trick better than the flea drops you apply to the back of the cat's neck, as by now the fleas are immune to that.

If you have a death wish, you could bath the cat - I don't dare bath mine, I would be torn to bits and never, ever forgiven!

You could try a Seresto collar. I feel safer with something I can take off if I think my dog has had a reaction to it…

I’ve just googled it and I think RIP is the one I use. They are very quick with their orders. I only use it in my partners porch where I’m worried about ticks being brought into the house and I keep the door open for a while when I’ve used it. It has quite a pleasant smell. Years ago I used to use Nuvan Top spray on my cats; I’m scared to Google it as I’m scared that I’ll read that it was carcinogenic…it smelled horrible.

…itched…

The only flea treatment that works is via a vet. I have that dilemma with my dog. When I used a spot on she it he’d for days; didn’t know what to do with herself. I was given a tablet by the vet but was scared to use it as I’d heard if dogs that had had a bad reaction to it. I now spray her with a citronella spray and put a Billy no mates type powder into her food. I’m quite happy to spray my house, though. The one I use kills fleas and their larvae for months ( I can’t remember what it’s called; I’ll check when I get home). It’s cheaper to buy from Pet Drugs online but you can’t buy spot on or tablet flea treatment without a prescription. Is there a Ragdoll Facebook page? Their owners would advise you as to what they use. Whatever you decide imo you need to use the spray asap but keep your cat in a separate room to the one you’re spraying. I had a flea infestation a few years ago which was horrible at the time but now I’m paranoid about ticks I find fleas the lesser of two evils!

So where is she picking up fleas if an indoor cat ? Have you had new carpet recently or other animals visiting
In any event I would take her to the vet ASAP. Cannot recommend any over the counter treatments as it is pretty much accepted they are not a cure.
If you are not on a pet plan with your vet I accept it is not going to be as cheap but it will work !

Credilio tablets from your vet, a once a month treatment, so much easier than other treatments. You can also get effective treatment for fleas in the home at the same time.

Spray the house. Best and most effective.

Get a treatment from the vet for your cat - they will also have house spray.