Health, Disease & Diet Find out the best tips and practices on managing your cat's diet, health care, and issues with diseases from our community of animal lovers |
10-03-2008, 02:12 AM
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Cats and Flea Control Products
Cats and Flea Control Products
Cats and Flea Control Products
by Jill A. Richardson, DVM
Veterinary Poison Information Specialist
ASPCA/National Animal Poison Control Center
Fleas can be a major problem for cat owners. Not only are these tiny creatures a nuisance, they are also the cause of many diseases such as flea anemia, flea bite dermatitis, and tapeworm infestation. Therefore, strict flea control is a necessary step in the health care of any cat. The eradication of fleas from our animals and our homes necessitates the use of products containing insecticides, either in the form of a mousses, spot-ons, oral suspensions, powders or spray mists. While there are many safe insecticide products available for use on cats, caution must be used as cats are generally more sensitive to most insecticides. Cat owners should be extremely careful when using flea products on or around their cats. Products should be used strictly according to their label directions.
The following are some guidelines for cat owners to follow when choosing and applying a flea control product:
1. Never use insecticides on very young kittens, pregnant queens, debilitated, or elderly cats without consulting your veterinarian. With such cats, you may want to consider avoiding the use of some insecticides directly on your pet. Instead, you could comb the fleas off the cat with a flea comb then submerge the fleas in a small container of soapy water. This would also be a good alternative for cats who love being groomed but who violently refuse baths or the application of a spray.
2. Before using ANY product on your cat, read the label instructions completely. If you do not completely understand the instructions, you should contact the manufacturer or your veterinarian for clarification. Observe the species and age requirements listed on the label. NEVER use a product labeled "for use on dogs only" on your cats. Cats react very differently than dogs to some insecticides. Some dog products can be deadly to cats, even in tiny amounts.
3. Use caution when using products that contain organophosphates in your house or on your cat. Cats are more sensitive to organophosphate insecticides than most other animals. Currently, there are few flea products in the United States labeled for use on cats that contain organophosphates as an active ingredient. The few that can be used on cats contain a small concentration of organophosphate. However, many household sprays and products that are specifically labeled "for use on dogs only" are widely available. Again, avoid these dog products!
In some cases, exposed cats can start showing signs within hours. Symptoms would include drooling, depression, labored breathing, weakness, and convulsions. Without prompt and proper treatment, many exposures could lead to the animal's death. With appropriate treatment by a veterinarian, the survival chances are much higher.
4. NEVER use flea control products that contain "permethrin" on your cats, unless they are specifically labeled for use on cats. There are some products that are labeled for use on cats that contain small concentrations of permethrin, usually less than 0.1%. When used according to the label instructions, these can be used safely in cats.
However, there are many permethrin products available over the counter for use on "dogs only." These contain high concentrations (45-60% ) of permethrin insecticide. These permethrin products have a good range of safety when used on dogs, but, even a few drops of concentrated permethrin could be lethal to cats. The reason for this species difference is yet unknown.
Exposed cats can develop uncontrollable seizures within hours of concentrated permethrin application. Some may tremor for several days. The fatality rate of untreated cats exposed to such products is very high. Proper treatment by a veterinarian can often prevent death.
5. Always use caution when using shampoos, sprays, topical spot-ons, or mousse near your cat's eyes, ears, and genitalia. Inactive ingredients can cause irritation to these sensitive tissues.
6. When using a fogger or a home premise spray, make sure to remove all cats from the house for the time period specified on the container. Food and water bowls should be removed from the area also. Allow time for the product to dry completely before returning your cats to your home. Open windows or use fans to "air out" the household before returning your cats to the treated area. Strong fumes can be irritating to your cat's eyes and upper respiratory system.
If you are uncertain about the usage of any household product, contact the product's manufacturer or your veterinarian to explain the directions BEFORE use of the product.
7. Insect growth regulators like lufenuron, methoprene, and pyriproxyfen can be used in combination or alone with flea control products. They can help break the flea life cycle by inhibiting flea maturation. Growth regulators have minimal adverse effects and can improve the efficacy when used in combination with adult flea insecticides.
8. Just because a product is labeled to be a "natural" product does not mean that the product is completely safe. Many such "natural" products can be harmful when used inappropriately on cats. For example, d-limonene and linalool are citrus extracts that are used as flea control agents. Though they are natural products, they still can have serious side effects if used on sensitive cats or if used improperly.
9. Observe your cat closely after using flea products. If your cat exhibits unusual behavior, or becomes depressed, weak, or uncoordinated you should seek veterinary advice.
Once again, read the label. This could save the life of your cat!
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10-09-2008, 10:54 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Just to add..beware of Permethrin in the products too....as Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethroid insecticide and and may cause toxicity to your cats...
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10-21-2008, 11:57 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Yup, permethrin is mentioned in the article :
4. NEVER use flea control products that contain "permethrin" on your cats, unless they are specifically labeled for use on cats. There are some products that are labeled for use on cats that contain small concentrations of permethrin, usually less than 0.1%. When used according to the label instructions, these can be used safely in cats.
However, there are many permethrin products available over the counter for use on "dogs only." These contain high concentrations (45-60% ) of permethrin insecticide. These permethrin products have a good range of safety when used on dogs, but, even a few drops of concentrated permethrin could be lethal to cats. The reason for this species difference is yet unknown.
Exposed cats can develop uncontrollable seizures within hours of concentrated permethrin application. Some may tremor for several days. The fatality rate of untreated cats exposed to such products is very high. Proper treatment by a veterinarian can often prevent death.
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10-21-2008, 12:07 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
I had some experience with using flea control on nursing queen and young kitten. Of course it was under advice of my vet.
The product i used are Advantage and Frontline.
For the queen, i used both advantage and frontline. Advantage is a topical application designed to kill fleas when they bite the treated cat. Frontline has additional feature - they kill fleas on contact, etc.
For the kitten, since around 8 weeks old or less, i was told to only apply Frontline and not Advantage as Advantage is meant for kitten about 3 -4 months and above. What i did was to wet a cotton ball/pad with frontline and then wipe down the kitten with it, paying special are not to get it on his face and inside his ears. since he is small, i only had to use one piece of cotton ball and it was done in minutes. for his little paw pads and in-between his toes, i spray a little of frontline onto my hand, and rub it into the difficult to reach areas. the kitten was then allowed to "air-dry" in a airy cage.
This is the two-prong approach my vet advised me to take - to really get the fleas before they get out of control
Of course i had to treat my house too and it was exactly as per stated in this article - my vet gave me similar advice - move people and cat out of the house, close all windows and doors and treat the house ), let it "stand" for the time stated on the product info, then open up all doors and windows, turn on the fan, let air . this should ensure that all fleas,eggs,larvaes that escaped from the cat is "targted".
If you read this because you're looking for information and solution to flea control problem on your pets, please understand that the articles and comments here are not meant to substitue your vet's advice. It is alway safer to get your vet's advice (and it is not costly either). If you prefer to take doctor's advice before taking "specialsied" medication, pls give the same benefit to your cats/pets too.
Quote:
Originally Posted by ashleywong
Cats and Flea Control Products
1. Never use insecticides on very young kittens, pregnant queens, debilitated, or elderly cats without consulting your veterinarian. With such cats, you may want to consider avoiding the use of some insecticides directly on your pet. Instead, you could comb the fleas off the cat with a flea comb then submerge the fleas in a small container of soapy water. This would also be a good alternative for cats who love being groomed but who violently refuse baths or the application of a spray.
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10-22-2008, 12:01 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Hi all
to those who are following this thread, pls follow this link
to another thread that has some discussion on flea control, information shared by forummer Bareen based on her extensive experience bringing up kittens and cats.
http://forums.petfinder.my/editpost....t&postid=15240
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10-22-2008, 01:47 PM
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Kucing Garong
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Can Advantage for flea for Cats cause hyperthyroidism?
Do you want to learn how to get rid of ticks and fleas from pet cat and avoid future outbreaks that can last for month or even for years?
There is a product that they call Advantage and for many pet owners and vets, it's probably one of the best and cheapest anti-flea products available in the market today, offline and online but there is one question that's on the minds of these pet owners and vets alike: Can Advantage for fleas for cats cause hyperthyroidism?
As a pet cat owner, you should know or might have already be aware that hyperthyroidism in cats is most prevalent during old age. This occurs when the thyroid glands began producing large amounts of thyroid hormones. Often this happens as a result of a benign thyroid tumor (adenoma).
Thyroid glands are located in the neck and they secrete thyroid hormone. Thyroid hormone is the one responsible for controlling your cat's metabolic rate. Once they are impaired, your cat intends to use up excessive and overwhelming amounts of energy within their bodies. That means, cats with hyperthyroidism have an increased metabolic rate, and thus they tend to use up excessive amounts of energy within their bodies. This means that your cat may be eating more but still feeling hungry and at the same time, he might be losing weight. This is one of the most common signs that your cat has this kind of conditions. Some other signs could include hyperactivity and he can lose a lot of weight faster.
So, what this has got to do with Advantage flea products for cats?
There are numerous pet owners have suspected that the use of anti-flea products might have triggered hyperthyroidism even though their pets are still in their "prime" of their lives. But there is no hard evidence that Advantage or any other kind of anti-flea products can caused it but one thing is certain, though. Improper use of these products laden with chemicals can not only trigger hyperthyroidism but it can be an over-all killer, too.
That is why, even though Advantage has been proven to be the most effective and yet affordable product, you need to be responsible on how to handle them. One mistake can be fatal for your cat and for you and your family as well.
You can either go to a pet store or your nearest veterinarian and consult them about using products like these or the best and faster way to do that is shop inside a "virtual pet store" as in through the Internet and there, in just few seconds or minutes, you will be informed of everything regarding how to get rid of your pet's fleas and ticks once and for all without compromising or endangering anything or anyone.
So, is Advantage for flea for cats cause hyperthyroidism? Others may say it might and others may say it won't but that depends on how the owner uses it and observing precautionary measures, right? The bottom line is, if it works it works. You just need to be careful how to handle these things and to be able to do this, you need to get informed so go online now and be informed as soon as possible.
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11-04-2008, 11:07 PM
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Avoid Hartz Flea Medicine
I have just been surfing and came across news on Hartz Flea Medicine causing serious poisoning to cats and dogs!!
Read all about it here :-
http://www.hartzvictims.org/
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11-06-2008, 10:37 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Hi Sillylupie
thanks for sharing - i've been so busy lately i seldom keep up with the printed and online news media - so i really appreciate any update on this.
your posting is just in time - i was thinking of buying hartz anti-flea medication to treat my house - now i'll look more into this before making my decision.
thanks once again
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11-06-2008, 10:51 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
thanks 4 ur info....
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11-06-2008, 11:05 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
I almost cried when I saw the video of the cats affected by Hartz.
They were twitching all over!
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11-07-2008, 10:36 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
I'm glad you posted this sillylupie
actually i was thinking of getting Hartz 4-in-1 (as recommended somewhere in this forum) for treating the perimeter of my house (outside) as well as inside. I have been feeding some strays lately just in my backyard and front porch and i want to take precaution against fleas/mites/ticks. i thought of using it to spray on the floor surfaces of my house as well as the ground outside - not on my cats - but after reading the articles - i'm certain i won't ever use hartz products as it is not safe to be used even if it's for treating ground.
i'll definitely stick to advantage and frontline under my vet's supervision unless they advise otherwise.
but thanks for this article - to me, it's timely!
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11-07-2008, 01:09 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Ashley, I am so glad that you have not got your hands on Hartz yet!
It is shocking to read all the cases, latest one being 5-Nov!!!
I hope all the cats and dogs affected survive this ordeal!
Last edited by sillylupie; 11-07-2008 at 03:54 PM.
Reason: ooppps forgot the "not
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11-07-2008, 03:46 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
yes, shocking is an understatement, especially the latest case being Nov 5 as you said.
some of them are lucky as they have wonderful 24hrs medical facilitie for their pets - i shudder to imagine what would happen to a pet if such a scenario were to occur here in msia - the poor pet...it's hard to find a 24hr animal clinic much less one that offers decent service on top of opened 24 hrs!
i hope that many forumers and visitors will read your post and use that information to the best advantage.
after all:
forwarned is forearmed!
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01-08-2009, 10:07 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
just found out that at least 5 of my babies are infected by fleas.interested to use the frontline product as it is said to be very effective and with your experience confirming this, i really need to get this product.
which type of frontline did u use ashley? the spray or the liquid? do you know how much does it cost and where could i buy it?
sigh..now im very worried. all this time, the vet always said my babies are fleas-free, now broke the record already btw, i realized that one of them have red tiny spot on their stomach, something like a rashes spot. have any of you had this problem on your furry babies? i'm afraid if it was due to the flea infection.
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01-08-2009, 11:05 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Sarah, Frontline spot-on is better ... it is selling about rm47 for 3 pipets or you can try advantage for cats, RM40 for 4 pipets.
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01-09-2009, 06:50 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Do i need to prescribe it from the vet or i can just buy it over the counter? is it one cat per pipet?
thanks a lot sillylupie ..gotta look for it asap!
Quote:
Originally Posted by sillylupie
Sarah, Frontline spot-on is better ... it is selling about rm47 for 3 pipets or you can try advantage for cats, RM40 for 4 pipets.
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01-09-2009, 09:33 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
dulu my chello penah cam tuh gak...ade merah2 cam kudis @ ruam kat area bontot, perut, bawah ketiak & tangan kaki dia... bawak g vet, vet ckp dia flea allergic... bg ubat yg titis belakang tengkuk supaya dia x jilat cecair ubat tuh... lepas tuh ok....
2-3 mggu lepas tuh jadik balik....risau balik...last2, try mandikan dia dengan syampoo anti kutu selang 3-4 - 5 hari...and time mandi tuh, gosok syampoo lame2 skit kat badan dia kasik x bernapas mende tuh kat badan dia.. lame2 ok.... tuh yg bila jadik cam tuh, cepat2 mandikan dia..perasan skang neh kalo lambat mandi seminggu, setat ler dia tergeget2 & tergaru2 badan dia.... so far, cara nih berkesan...risau tol...tp kalo kutu tuh, kene spray gak ler kot...iskk...
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01-09-2009, 09:51 AM
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Pets Are NOT Disposable
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Quote:
Originally Posted by sarahseben
just found out that at least 5 of my babies are infected by fleas.interested to use the frontline product as it is said to be very effective and with your experience confirming this, i really need to get this product.
which type of frontline did u use ashley? the spray or the liquid? do you know how much does it cost and where could i buy it?
sigh..now im very worried. all this time, the vet always said my babies are fleas-free, now broke the record already btw, i realized that one of them have red tiny spot on their stomach, something like a rashes spot. have any of you had this problem on your furry babies? i'm afraid if it was due to the flea infection.
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I notice that many forumers do not read all posts in a thread, only 1 or 2 and then jump in and try something when they see a certain suggestion given without cautions or warnings regarding a certain course of action or solution for a problem.
Sarahseben, check carefully the exact age and weight of your kittens first. Also, check their health in case any are not well or suffering from fever or just recovered from a fever before you attempt any flea/ticks products because you need to consider which method of application is best even though it is from the same brand (they have sprays which may cause your sick kitten to catch a chill and get sicker if not done properly, and there is also the spot-on type), more so if the brand is different (here, some brands are safer for young kittens and pregnant/nursing queens while some are more toxic and leaves more damage which emerge at a later stage).
Some kill the bugs only if the adult fleas suck the blood, but does nothing for the eggs and pupae, some kills on contact ... please read the Cat Owner's Veterinary Handbook (3rd edition with full revision and updates up to 2008) which gives you very good information on how to deal with the situation including the selection of newer products which are much easier, more effective and safer to use compared to conventional methods (like flea shampoo which are messier and not so effective or safe compared the newer technology breakthrough products like Frontline) because the last 10 years has produced a lot of astounding discoveries for cat care. Previously, very little had been known about cats and they were simply treated as if they are little dogs, disregarding their special needs and bad toxicity to products tolerated by dogs.
No cat owner who loves his/her cat should be without the Cat Owner's Veterinary Handbook because not a week goes by without me having to thumb through and refer to it and get information which shockingly many locat vets themselves do not know about and are not aware of where the cat is concerned or are not willing to/do not have the time/have the communication skills to educate you about.
Sarahseben, the red/pink spot/rash is fleas allergy which is mention in the book. If you kitten is older than 8 weeks or 12 weeks, Frontline can be used (you must check the product warning on the particular package available locally - they have spray, spot-on and spot-on combo - because some say 8 weeks, some say 12 weeks). You also need to check the kitten body weight because some malnourished kittens are so small (make sure minimum is 2 kg) because unlike the dog flea products which go by body weight, the cat product is only 1 type ... and you need to be very, very cautious because there is a very big difference between a 1.5 kg little kitten (even though 3 months old) and a 4.5 kg adult cat! Very young and small kittens can suffer overdose very easily with terrible, terrible consequences from toxicity! Their livers and kidneys too young to take the terrible onslaught! Even adult cat livers suffer much because they do not have the poison pathways that human livers have.
And the vets that wrote the Handbook tell you very, very specifically that all fleas products are toxic to the cat! It is FATAL to the fleas but not to your cat at the given dosage ... but it IS toxic and poison to your cat and has bad effects on it and you MUST follow dosage very, very carefully and must NEVER be applied more frequently than what is advised by the manufacturers (Frontline says 3 weeks). But I am sad to say that I have seen some vets telling the customers the wrong advice out of ignorance, saying that it is SAFE, SAFE, SAFE and treating young kittens quite carelessly.
If you cannot get the book, you can read the chapter on Fleas online from the book preview.
Read the chapter carefully to understand how you need to effectively the life cycle of the fleas by repeating the application for 3 months in order to successfully eradicate the problem well. Also stated in the Handbook is what to do to rid your premises of the eggs and pupae lying around in your premises ready to hatch out and re-infect you cat if you do not break the flea life cycle properly. That means you will need to re-apply the following month and the month after.
Frontline destroys the fleas and the eggs on contact but no product destroys the pupae which can survive even 1 year in its well-protected cocoon in your carpet or cracks in the floor and wall. You need to physically remove them or kill them when they finally emerge during right conditions (ie. right humidity and carbon dioxide level, vibrations). If they emerge and hops on to your cat which have been Frontlined, they will be killed.
All the best, friends, and may your cats recover well.
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Last edited by FurKids; 01-09-2009 at 10:11 AM.
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01-09-2009, 10:16 AM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
If your pet is sick/not eating/fever, DON'T overload his system with another toxin. Get them well first before using leave on anti-flea medication because whatever it is, anti-fleas are poisons after all. Especially leave on treatments, make sure your animal is healthy as there will be some absorption through the skin. If you have a bad flea infestation use a topical treatment and rinse it off well, then pick/comb the weakened fleas.
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01-11-2009, 10:45 PM
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Re: Cats and Flea Control Products
Hi sarahben
as per mentioned in my earlier post, i sought advice from my vet and followed to the "T". i made my vet my best friend - also my cats' best friend - you can't do wrong.
i have never ever tried to buy over the counter medication for my cats, not even deworming tablets because it is always safer to get vet's advice, even for deworming and as i've found out often, the condition of the cat, it's health status and its weight matters in prescription and even non-prescription medication.
i'd advise you to seek your vet's advice - like i said, it can't be expensive - furthermore, you found out about your kittens' conditions from your vet - why not get the medication from your vet? it is not that much more expensive than outside and some vets do give discounts to their regulars (if the said customers ask).
even though we share and share alike, i don't think that you should use the articles and information found here as a substition for good vet's advice - for our additonal knowledge and understanding for the betterment of our cats yes but to substitute as vet's advice - that's not good.
hope by now you've already sought your vet's advice as to which product is suitable for your kittens.
sorry to reply so late - i was innundated with lots of work
good luck
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