Cat fleas

Trewsers

Trewsers

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Oct 13, 2004
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Anyone know much about cat fleas? If you do, can you please tell me (I'm going to phone the vet on Monday anyway but would like recommendation) what's the best way to treat them. Also, anyone been bitten - and if so, what do the bites look like on humans? Presume they take a nip and then bog off as they're not the same variety as human ones?
 
Spot on treatment is probably the easiest way. You can get injections and collars too. They bite humans yes, usually below the knees I think, little red dots that can be really itchy. All bedding and rugs etc needs to be washed. They can be a nightmare to get rid of!
 
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Yes, Spot On. But make sure you get the one for cats, as if I remember correctly, the dog version is dangerous for cats. It works for wild rabbit fleas too - they tend to collect on the (hunting) cat’s ears!
 
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Sparky Lily said:
Yes, Spot On. But make sure you get the one for cats, as if I remember correctly, the dog version is dangerous for cats. It works for wild rabbit fleas too - they tend to collect on the (hunting) cat’s ears!
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Wow you've just answered another question! A few times over the past six months I've noticed on various members of the gang that the edges of their ears look almost like they've got black dots on. I pinned it down to either play fighting and that they were tiny scabs - or flea bites! I know our gang do a lot of rabbiting.
 
Ale said:
Spot on treatment is probably the easiest way. You can get injections and collars too. They bite humans yes, usually below the knees I think, little red dots that can be really itchy. All bedding and rugs etc needs to be washed. They can be a nightmare to get rid of!
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Thanks, I thought it was Spot on - I've heard they can be tricky to shift. I can never tell with me if it's just bites I get through bits of straw and hay getting inside my yard boots. I know there are various mites that can live in the straw - and I always seem to end up with loads of it down my boots (the tops are always baggy aren't they?!). Last night in bed I was driven mad with itching and have a few red dots near my ankle. Hmm. Mr t won't be pleased! lol he's itchy enough as it is (he has really sensitive skin).
 
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To see if you have them in the house you can put a shallow dish of water out on top of a white piece of paper, them aim a lamp at it. The fleas will jump into the bowl of water and you will see them. Let me see if I can find a link explaining that better ?
 
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Here we go, you just need a white bowl (I remember we had to use white paper under an opaque bowl as we didn't have any white ones) You are supposed to put some fairy liquid in the water too which I imagine kills them. We used this when I was a kid to tell if we had fleas in the house, you could see them jumping into it!! Screenshot_2020-11-21-17-06-28-919_com.google.android.googlequicksearchbox.jpg
 
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@Ale that's brilliant! Going to try that tonight! Lordy I hope we haven't got them - I'm still clinging to the hope it's just something that got me out of the straw lol
 
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Broadline is the one for cats. Ive got one in the cupboard, just checked, kills fleas in 24hrs, and kills the larvae stage for a month. You get 6 in a box. The one thing you do need to keep reapplying. It says monthly. Ive noticed scratchy needs redoing frequently for ticks. He gets loads round his neck. Anymore than 6 weeks and i usually find a new tick on him.

If youve got fleas in the house you'll see them jumping. Its not too difficult to get rid of them. You can buy canisters that you set off in the house, shut everything up, i think you open cupboards to allow it to permeate draws etc, then go for a walk for a few hours. You need several i think to cover all the house. They cover so many square metres.

Only seen them once in a house, while someone was away on holiday, the fleas came to play. I was itching for days.
 
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I use advantage spot on, it seems very effective. I don’t like dosing monthly, it just seems a lot to me, so I just do as necessary which is normally 3/4 times over winter and 1/2 in spring, I guess when she’s hunting and catching more. I have a can of spray for the house but haven’t needed to use it as seem to keep on top of them before they infest the house.
 
Well I don't know if it's all in my head about the fleas lol and that these aren't just itchy spots that I've had before down to the straw. Last night I woke up (another gale force wind and hail) and couldn't drop back off. And I started thinking about fleas. And itching. And so of course these blighters started itching so out came the Germoline. And then I scratched them some more and more. Oh dear.
 
Not having cats I don't have anything to say on it.
But I really hope its the straw.

Lol sigh having had lifelong fat calves I had a good laugh at the boots always being baggy at the top.

That sigh will never be a problem here...

And loose weight or not the damn calves
NEVER FOLLOWED SUIT.
 
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Jane&Ziggy said:
@Ale what a brilliant flea trap. Can you explain why it works? Do fleas have a very specific death wish?
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My dad set it up when we were little. I believe it's a combination of the heat and light, but there are lots of studies out there saying they have different preferences. Apparently cat fleas are more attracted to light that others. Assuming the white just reflects the light/heat back up. I still feel bad for the fleas ?
 
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