9/12 Ruby AMPS 57/+2 96/+4 133/PMPS 183/+3 131 flea saga

Katherine&Ruby

Katherine&Ruby

Member Since 2020
Yesterday on The Ever Unpredictable Ruby. :cat:

We have a low preshot this morning. :nailbiting: Because I am working again today, DBF stayed up until 3 AM to test her and I found him sprawled on the couch asleep at 6 AM because he had intended to test her again at 4 AM. He is really the best! We got a lime last night so decided to reduce her because she's been floating a little too low for my taste on this dose.

Thank you all for chiming in about the flea situation. I had noticed some dark crumbs on the bed and tables where the cats sit and thought it was crustiness from pooping. I have no experience with fleas, my cats are indoor and never had them before. I know now that they are fleas because I saw one jump off Olive, who has been scratching up a storm and I see white fluffs of fur around the house from Ruby from scratching. So gross! I've asked DBF to go to Petsmart today to pick up some Advantage II. I know that none of the solutions available are good, but Olive has been so restless with scratching and licking that I can't have her in bed with me, and they both seem fairly miserable. I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize what was going on, but I've been so caught up with my own stuff that I could not see the signs. Because of all of the rain, the fleas must be thriving in the house. I have no idea where they could have come from, perhaps from all of Ruby's vet visits, maybe they come in through the windows, who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I came across this about fleas, I forgot does Ruby or Olive ever go outside
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Thank you for all of the links Diane! I have no idea how they came in the house.
smorgasbord said:
Oh man. Hopefully you don’t have your work cut out for you.
We used Nitenpyram when Templeton got fleas from the groomer.
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I will try this if Advantage fails as I am really hesitant to do given them tablets to be ingested. Hopefully I can put the Advantage far enough up their necks so they don't lick pesticide off.
Our Dolly Girl said:
Is it bad for them? Or dangerous?
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I read this about Seresto (@Marje and Gracie linked it here on the forum) and it made me very concerned, but if Dolly has had no adverse reaction then it's probably okay for her. ECID.
 
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PerfumedCatMom said:
Yesterday on The Ever Unpredictable Ruby. :cat:

We have a low preshot this morning. :nailbiting: Because I am working again today, DBF stayed up until 3 AM to test her and I found him sprawled on the couch asleep at 6 AM because he had intended to test her again at 4 AM. He is really the best! We got a lime last night so decided to reduce her because she's been floating a little too low for my taste on this dose.

Thank you all for chiming in about the flea situation. I had noticed some dark crumbs on the bed and tables where the cats sit and thought it was crustiness from pooping. I have no experience with fleas, my cats are indoor and never had them before. I know now that they are fleas because I saw one jump off Olive, who has been scratching up a storm and I see white fluffs of fur around the house from Ruby from scratching. So gross! I've asked DBF to go to Petsmart today to pick up some Advantage II. I know that none of the solutions available are good, but Olive has been so restless with scratching and licking that I can't have her in bed with me, and they both seem fairly miserable. I'm so sorry it took me so long to realize what was going on, but I've been so caught up with my own stuff that I could not see the signs. Because of all of the rain, the fleas must be thriving in the house. I have no idea where they could have come from, perhaps from all of Ruby's vet visits, maybe they come in through the windows, who knows? ¯\_(ツ)_/¯


Thank you for all of the links Diane! I have no idea how they came in the house.
I will try this if Advantage fails as I am really hesitant to do given them tablets to be ingested. Hopefully I can put the Advantage far enough up their necks so they don't lick pesticide off.
I read this about Seresto (@Marje and Gracie linked it here on the forum) and it made me very concerned, but if Dolly has had no adverse reaction then it's probably okay for her. ECID.
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My husband told me this morning that they hated the collars and we took them off. They didn’t have fleas anyway, the vet ( our favorite who has since passed) felt it could be part of Dolly’s allergy problems. :rolleyes: Wasn’t Ruby out in the yard a bit ago?
 
You brought up flea memories!

A couple of natural things that I used several years ago - salt on any carpeting, and a flea comb.
I was shocked at the good results from the salt killing fleas on carpet, and it is safe for cats, unless they lick it! Mine never did. Don't vacuum for 2-3 days (carpet) but everything else, and don't leave the contents in a vacuum that fleas could escape from.
With a flea comb, put a glass of soapy water next to you, and collect fleas in the glass as you comb them off the cat! I had fun doing this, and in just a couple days I quit finding fleas on all my kitties.

Have a great day!
 
Hi Katherine, I wish I had something else to suggest on how to get rid of the fleas, poor kitties scratching all the time. Call your vet and see what they suggest
As you know you have to wash everything in hot water, and vaccum eveything really good. Ruby could have got them from a vet visit or dvcen going outside for just that hour. If you see them jumping off Olive there has to be a lot in the house and on them. I wonder if the vet would give them a flea bath ? Then you have to get rid of them in the house before bringing them back home. They will just keep hatching
Good luck with the reducie , I can just picture Frank sprawled out on the couch, arms and legs hanging off :p He's a good egg! Nice to see Ruby green though.
I hope you can find a solution to get rid of those dam fleas. :bighug::bighug:
 
Oh no sorry to hear about the fleas! The worst.

I don't have time to go back and catch up - but a regular bath with the cats' usual shampoo, leaving wet and soapy for awhile, does well killing off a good chunk of fleas. Flea combs do work well too if you have the time.

I don't know what brand is good for cats - I've always just treated the dog (only during flea/tick season) and Mr Kitty has been ok.

Darn things can come from anywhere - one or two hitch a ride on you, or them, and boom they've everywhere.
 
Thanks everyone! I have a new theory about where the fleas came from: our vet tech cat sitter brings his little toy poodle with him when he comes to visit Ruby. He leaves the dog tied up to the knob of the front door so he never fully enters the house, but as you say @FrostD, one or two is all that is needed. I'm going to tell the sitter that we have a flea infestation and to leave the dog outside.

I combed both cats through and had a bowl of warm water with dish soap in it that I plunged the comb into to drown the fleas. THERE WERE SO MANY! It was the most disgusting thing ever. I am so averse to bugs that bite, and the sight of these things crawling and jumping around the bathroom floor where I had the cats was seriously disturbing! I couldn't believe how many came out in the comb. My poor little babies! How miserable they must have been all this time and I didn't even realize.

I also bought a bag of food grade diatomaceous earth that will be arriving on Wednesday, and sprinkled salt all over our living room carpet.

I FEEL SO ITCHY RIGHT NOW!
 
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Oh, and I got the Advantage II and applied it to both cats. I will be off from work tomorrow and will give them a combing through again.
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Oh, and I got the Advantage II and applied it to both cats. I will be off from work tomorrow and will give them a combing through again.
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I know I keep repeating myself just make sure you vaccum everywhere, wash every thing, their bedding, vaccum the couches, anywhere Ruby and Olive go . I know it's a pain in the butt , but if the advantage Il works you don't want them picking them up again. Those little basta**s hide everywhere. Looks pretty effective

Advantage®II not only kills adult fleas through contact, the product also contains the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen which is distributed into the home on the fur and skin shed by the cat. This prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing into the next stage of the flea life cycle, effectively killing them.
 
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Diane Tyler's Mom said:
I know I keep repeating myself just make sure you vaccum everywhere, wash every thing, their bedding, vaccum the couches, anywhere Ruby and Olive go . I know it's a pain in the butt , but if the advantage Il works you don't want them picking them up again. Those little basta**s hide everywhere
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I know. I am washing all of our bedding and their cat beds. I am getting diatomaceous earth and sprinkling it all over the couch, the mattress, and the carpeting in the halls and stairs. From what I know, fleas thrive in hot and humid weather, so maybe the season will be coming to a close soon.
 
Did you see this I went back and wrote this after you hit like
It looks pretty effective just in case you didn't see it

Advantage®II not only kills adult fleas through contact, the product also contains the insect growth regulator pyriproxyfen which is distributed into the home on the fur and skin shed by the cat. This prevents flea eggs and larvae from developing into the next stage of the flea life cycle, effectively killing them.
@PerfumedCatMom
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
Thanks everyone! I have a new theory about where the fleas came from: our vet tech cat sitter brings his little toy poodle with him when he comes to visit Ruby. He leaves the dog tied up to the knob of the front door so he never fully enters the house, but as you say @FrostD, one or two is all that is needed. I'm going to tell the sitter that we have a flea infestation and to leave the dog outside.

I combed both cats through and had a bowl of warm water with dish soap in it that I plunged the comb into to drown the fleas. THERE WERE SO MANY! It was the most disgusting thing ever. I am so averse to bugs that bite, and the sight of these things crawling and jumping around the bathroom floor where I had the cats was seriously disturbing! I couldn't believe how many came out in the comb. My poor little babies! How miserable they must have been all this time and I didn't even realize.

I also bought a bag of food grade diatomaceous earth that will be arriving on Wednesday, and sprinkled salt all over our living room carpet.

I FEEL SO ITCHY RIGHT NOW!
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I hate to say it...that feeling doesn't go away for months :confused:

Like Diane said you have to keep at it for months until there's no possible fleas left after their lifecycles run through. Even then, you'll feel imaginary little things on you for a bit haha I. Hate. Fleas.

I promise the baths will save you some combing, if the girls will behave! I dog sat a little Maltese once who got quite the infestation somehow. Gave him a bath, let him sit with the suds for a bit. Saved my life, so many down the drain.
 
Also, don't beat yourself up. They multiply fast, it's unlikely they've been this bad for more than a day or two. You start to see signs and think hmm I wonder, then the next day or day after that you're like...yep. damnit.
 
FrostD said:
Also, don't beat yourself up. They multiply fast, it's unlikely they've been this bad for more than a day or two. You start to see signs and think hmm I wonder, then the next day or day after that you're like...yep. damnit.
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I think I probably started to see the signs about two weeks ago. I've been so involved in my own crazy work and travel schedule that I didn't even consider that fleas could have been an issue, never ever having had a dog or any animal that went outside.
 
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Diane Tyler's Mom said:
One last question , since it says to leave that stuff on everything for 3 days to be effective is it possible for you to do that and put Ruby and Olive somewhere else in the house
OK now you can tell me to you know what ,if ya know what I mean. I probably sound like a real buttinski :p I just feel so bad for them
@PerfumedCatMom
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I feel so bad for them too! I cannot tell you how many fleas I combed out of them. My poor girls were bleeding all over. The fleas were crawling all over. It was so disgusting, I could not believe my eyes. It will be very hard to eradicate them from the house completely. There are six applications in a box of Advantage that will last us 6 month, so hopefully this will be enough to get us through into winter and we won't have to worry about them after that.
 
Diane Tyler's Mom said:
That could very well be about the sitter's dog
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PerfumedCatMom said:
I feel so bad for them too! I cannot tell you how many fleas I combed out of them. My poor girls were bleeding all over. The fleas were crawling all over. It was so disgusting, I could not believe my eyes. It will be very hard to eradicate them from the house completely. There are six applications in a box of Advantage that will last us 6 month, so hopefully this will be enough to get us through into winter and we won't have to worry about them after that.
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Hi Katherine, this just made me feel so bad for Ruby and Olive and you too, I had to send some big hugs your way :bighug::bighug::bighug::bighug:
 
Hi Katherine,
I also use VICTOR flea traps that help me to know when they are hatching out again. They are a little night light in a dome with a sticky pad inside that attracts them. Of course Ray got her paw stuck on one so I have only one going right now LOL! But it won't hurt them! I put one in the living room and one under the bed. They also provide a nice night light!
Hugs to you girls and boy!:bighug:
 
PerfumedCatMom said:
I feel so bad for them too! I cannot tell you how many fleas I combed out of them. My poor girls were bleeding all over. The fleas were crawling all over. It was so disgusting, I could not believe my eyes. It will be very hard to eradicate them from the house completely. There are six applications in a box of Advantage that will last us 6 month, so hopefully this will be enough to get us through into winter and we won't have to worry about them after that.
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Oh those poor babies. Did you talk to the sitter yet and asked him if his dog may have had flea's. I see you said they seem to be scratching less . Thank God
I'm bglad Ruby pooped
 
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