Brushing a cat with fleas?

[sarah5]

Just found out this morning that Thomas has fleas (yuk) so have de-flead both cats now using Stronghold. I just wondered if it would help or hinder if I was to give Thomas a good brush through?

I realise that the fleas will only die if they bite Thomas so I guess brushing would NOT be a good idea for another day or two - is that right?

It's just that he is scratching so much and I can see "things" on his fur and I just want to help him!

[Moofster]

If you used a flea comb, you know the ones, well as you comb you should see the fleas on the comb, so you can get them and squish them :shock: Not nice but I suppose it would speed the process up. Just make sure you get the little critters.

You probably need to get some stuff to spray your house and make sure you get rid of any eggs & larva in carpets and such like.

Go get em !!!

[sarah5]

hehe thanks Moofster, oh yes I'm going to get them YUKYUKYUK little horrors!

Poor kitties are looking for a place to sleep but all their bedding is on a 95 degree wash:shock: !!!!! *ahem* not that I'm freaking out or anything, but the next load going in is ALL our bedding on another 95 degree wash HAHA!

[Tanya]

When I treated Oli, I combed him atleast twice a day, every day until there was not one flea in sight. As a result of this, the fleas went and he attacks the flea comb whenever he sees it! ;)

[Moofster]

Washing them in very soapy water should kill them ! They also say when you've hovered up, if you have a bag in your hoover then stick it in a plastic bag, seal it and put it in the freezer, this will kill the blighters too :twisted:

But as you know, they are mean little critters and I would defo recommend a spray for your bedding and stuff. I use Acclaim - heres a link, you can get it from your vets, cheaper on the net but of course you have to wait for delivery ! It lasts for 12mths so its well worth it. Sorry but it does kill spiders :(

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=16

[sarah5]

OH MY GOD :O

I just used the kids' nit comb (fleas & nits are as bad as each other DISGUSTING).. did Scrabble first and he has a few which I didn't realise but he's been treated anyway. I think I got the majority of the little blighters..

..BUT Thomas OH MY GOD HE IS ABSOLUTELY INFESTED I was practically sick when I was combing him through there are literally thousands of them on him :( I might have to just let the Stronghold take it's course on him as I just can't comb him through they are revolting :( poor kitty.. doesn't help that he is a black cat !

[Moofster]

:cat25 oh no poor baby - do you generally use a treatment, you know like frontline, which keeps them protected ?

[MrsH]

I find Stronghold very effective and the fleas don't actually have to BITE for it to work. It seems to spread around on the skin surface as well as being absorbed into the bloodstream according to what I've read. This means that physical contact of any sort by the flea, just walking/jumping through the fur should see the little blighters off!

[sarah5]

:( I feel TERRIBLE :( I have never de-flead them and have gone 10 years without getting fleas which is unbelievable really.. HOWEVER this has taught me a very valuable lesson, I will always always always, every month without fail, treat both cats as I am never putting my poor kitties through this again!

I applied the Stronghold at 2.30pm and the fleas are still alive.. shall I leave it till the morning and then comb Thomas through again then, hopefully they will all be dead won't they? Then I'll just be getting rid of the debris?

PS By the way THANK YOU ALL SO SO MUCH for all your help.. and for not shouting at me, I feel really irresponsible now but believe me, I have learnt my lesson the VERY hard way!

[Moofster]

:hug: awww dont feel bad, the fact that you have asked about this shows that you are a caring mum :hug: If you never had them before then, well its natural to think you dont need to bother about treatments.

I know its a rotten job but I would have a go at combing him - stand him on an old sheet, that you can throw away. Any that you find alive, squish them until they pop, get them on a flat surface and use the back of your nail to flatten em. Sorry to be so graphic. It would be best if you can do this is a spare room and keep him away from your other cat until things are cleared up. The fact that Scrabble has some treatment on him will also help, but its best to keep them seperate.

awww :bighug: hugs all round and it will soon be sorted !!!

[alexgirl73]

My preferred method was to drown the little b*ggers!!!

[dandysmom]

When I had a bad case of fleas years back, besides the treatment I flea-combed. Used to try to squash them with my thumbnail but there were so many that a lot of them hopped away before I could squash them, so I got a large glass of boiling water and just popped the comb in it and killed the little varmints! It worked! Drowned (or boiled) them by the dozens!!

[sarah5]

HAHA thank you everyone xx Have just nit-combed Thomas with my hubby and we got loads out.. I can confirm that they do not survive if you drown them in a small bowl of handwash!!!!

Poor Thomas is NOT amused, he growled his way through the whole thing.. could not get to his belly though unfortunately (he can get quite vicious) so we'll just have to hope the treatment works now.

Thank you SO much once again everyone.. and I'll say it AGAIN.. what a great site this is :) xx

[sarah5]

Yippeee big thumbs up to Stronghold, the fleas were all dead by about 11pm last night (I applied it at about 2.30pm so that was very quick), I gave them both another good comb through and got a few dead ones out, so hopefully they are completely clear now :)

[smudgley]

chill out. A few fleas never hurt anyone. ;)
Right, well MrsH is correct in saying they don't have to bite the cat to die. Stronghold is good stuff & it soaks through the skin & is very effective. The fleas you've been getting out should be dead or "drousy" and therefore easier to catch. make sure you kill them as you get them off (by cracking their little bodies :shock: ) I would get some household spray too from the vets. DO NOT BUY PET SHOP / SUPERMARKET RUBBISH. You need acclaim or staykill from the vets & do the house with that.

Hopefully before you know it Bobs your uncle. ;) One of my foster cats had a pretty gross infestation recently. A few combs & some flea TX - soon sorted.

[smudgley]

My preferred method was to drown the little b*ggers!!!


The cats with the fleas? That's pretty harsh... watch out scrabble. :-D

[Moofster]

Yippeee big thumbs up to Stronghold, the fleas were all dead by about 11pm last night (I applied it at about 2.30pm so that was very quick), I gave them both another good comb through and got a few dead ones out, so hopefully they are completely clear now :)

:pom good news ! ! you zapped the little blighters :pom

lots of tummy tickles for your babies :smt049

[sarah5]

Thanks guys!! Just combed them through again.. Scrabble seems completely clear (although he lurrrrved the comb oooohh!) but I found a few VERY VERY drowsy fleas on Thomas - they've been drowned HAHAHAHAHA *evil laugh*

I have also got some household stuff which I got from the vets, thanks for the tip Smudgley. I know what you mean about stuff from the supermarket/pet shop, I just wouldn't bother with it.

Super dooper pleased with Stronghold, going to stick with that every single month without fail now.