Every cat, yes, even indoor cats, needs to be on a monthly flea and tick prevention medication.
Year-round flea prevention is recommended for all cats and dogs in your home, whether they go indoors or not. While that recommendation is year-round, the spring and summer months, when the weather is warmer, are the most important time of year for preventing fleas.
The standard time frame for applying topical medications is usually every 30 days, but this can depend on the brand used. Climate and lifestyle play a large role in determining how often you should use a flea prevention or flea treatment. Warm and humid climates tend to have a higher risk of fleas.
Comb your cat with a fine-toothed metal flea comb from head to tail several times a day. This will skim off adult fleas and their eggs and ease their itching. Then, dip the comb in a mixture of warm to hot water and liquid dish detergent to kill the fleas.
First, treat your cat with a product designed to kill fleas. Bathe your cat or kitten with a specially formulated flea shampoo to kill fleas on contact. Flea sprays can be a good option for water-averse cats. Repeat treatment as needed and recommended on the label.
Moderate to severe infestations will take months to control and require a four-step process for complete elimination: Sanitation. Thoroughly clean areas where fleas frequently breed.
Often even after treating with a suitable flea treatment you will still see flea's on your animal. However, this does not mean that the treatment has not worked or that the fleas are immune – the reasons are fairly simple: Fleas are hatching in your home and re-infecting your pet.
Advantage is a similar spot on application. It kills adult fleas on your pet and kills larvae in the pet's environment. It can also be used every 2-4 weeks as necessary and is safe for rabbits and ferrets as well.
You can reapply flea treatment after 2 weeks, but it's not necessary. Fleas are a common problem for dogs and cats, and there are many treatments available to help you protect your pet from these pesky parasites. However, if you have applied a flea treatment in the past 2 weeks, there is no need to reapply it again.
The first thing you may be wondering is, “Can fleas live in cat litter?” Unfortunately, the answer is yes; fleas thrive in humid environments like your cat's litter box. The good news is, a flea family won't just decide to set up shop in the litter box.
If your cat has had fleas, although you've already treated them, chances are there are still some eggs, pupae and larvae in their bedding. If you don't want to replace the bedding altogether, run it through a hot wash to kill anything that remains.
It's fairly typical after you've applied Itch Flea for there to be a period of hyperactivity amongst the fleas as the product takes effect, and this can cause an increase in itching.
The medication is reapplied every 30 days, so there is a chance that by the end of the month, it has lost some of its potency. You should schedule a trip to the veterinarian to check. Your cat might have some other skin condition that is causing irritation, such as a heat rash or an allergic reaction.
As eggs hatch and develop, you might find fleas reappearing 10-14 days after treatment - this is quite normal and provided the insecticide remains in place it will kill them. This is why it is important not to carry out cleaning which might remove insecticide.
Never use multiple flea medications on your pet, unless directed to do so by your veterinarian. Fleas can be a very frustrating problem, and some medications may not produce immediate effects.
Under normal conditions this product is effective for one month. However, in cases of severe flea infestation, retreatment may be necessary earlier than 4 weeks. Do not retreat more often than once every 14 days for kittens or once every 7 days for small and large cats.
Common signs of toxicity from flea products containing organophosphates are diarrhea, vomiting, difficulty breathing, small pupils, muscle tremor, weakness or falling over, and drooling.
Not treating often enough
Regular treatment is the key to keeping fleas at bay, but bathing your pet does nothing to prevent fleas. While many adults will wash away, the eggs will remain. As soon as you finish rinsing the soap, more fleas will jump right back on (and more will hatch).
According to extensive studies conducted at Ohio State University, vacuuming is indeed an effective way of getting rid of fleas! Through these studies, scientists discovered that vacuuming killed 96% of adult fleas from carpets and 100% of the flea pupae and larvae.
Myth #3: Can fleas live in a clean house? Unfortunately, fleas can infest even the most spotless home. Fleas usually enter the house on your pets, but they can also hitch a ride on clothing, and have even been seen to jump right into the house on their own.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
Recovery and Management of Flea Allergy Dermatitis in Cats. Cats will recover once the fleas are controlled. Itching may take 1-2 weeks to resolve completely.
Treatment with a fast-acting topical flea and tick medication on a pet can cause itching or brief irritation at the application site, as the product does its job and kills pests. As the animal reacts to this irritation, it can begin to fidget and scratch.