I have a happy, healthy 13 year old male cat. He has always had a few bite bumps around the base of his tail which I assume to mean that he has fleas.
This spring the number of bumps has increased. Previously I had used an over the counter flea treatment that worked but I felt that it made my cat sick. I may not have used the right dose.
In my researching, I find that the treatment from a vet is different from the over the counter stuff. Great, off to the vet. But the vet wants me to make an appointment to assess my cat’s weight, health etc before prescribing anything. I understand this but see it as a cash grab.
I would love to try a home remedy such as citrus oil etc but my experience tells that these things rarely work.
My options are
pay the vet bill $100 ++
try the Walmart stuff again $20 +
try some home remedy - cheap with little chance of success
Some still are over the counter, as their patents expire. And they’re more effective drugs now available, as you mentioned.
Option 1 is the best. You can get the most recent, less likely to have resistance issues, possibly more safe for your cat product, plus the veterinarian will also check your cat and make sure that the problem is just fleas and not something else that needs to be checked.
Option 2 is still possible, and you could check the new available OTC drugs on the market. Recently, a few drugs that used to be restricted have had their patents expire and become OTC. These may be different and less toxic than the older drugs (possibly the ones that made your cat sick). So instead, look for the newer OTCs. They may still be more expensive than the older drugs, but they’re likely safer and more effective (although they could have resistance issues). For example, IIRC Frontline (fipronil) is now OTC, and WalMart used to have their own generic brand (may have changed now). Also make sure you get the correct dosage.
Option 3 is the cheapest, and while some home remedies may not harm your cat, they may not be as effective as options 1 and 2.
Keep in mind that part of what you are paying for with the vet is, ideally anyway, knowledge of the correct dose and not making your cat sick in the process. Those are additional costs to the OTC home treatment option.
And there may be some other skin problem that is causing your cat to bite. My few experiences as a kid with the cats having fleas was that there was no uncertainty, because everyone in the house had the g-dd-mned fleas, and it was a nightmare.
Advantage II is the only thing that works for my cats & it is pretty expensive. If money is the issue, google ‘discount veterinary services’ or go to the Humane Society website to find free or discounted veterinary care & medications.
Given the age of your cat, it is probably a good idea for him to have a relationship with a vet anyway. I’ve had cats for decades and this is about the time that age related health issues start to arise.
I’m sure I’m telling you what you already know, but you can’t just treat the animal, you need to treat your home as well, particularly the places the cat hangs out the most. Clean the area real good, launder blankets/pet beds, vacuum upholstery, and spread some diatomaceous earth around, everywhere, then vacuum again.
If you want something in the middle ground between the safety and efficacy of something prescribed by the vet, but the cost and convenience of something over the counter, I’d go with the Seresto flea collars, which are made by Bayer (a human-centric pharma company very much more reassuring than a name like Hartz, etc.) It’s kind of pricey, but not really when you consider how long they are effective. No over/under dosage concerns to worry about, either.
Some of the cheap OTC products use some pretty potent neurotoxic pesticides that you have to be very careful with the method of application and dosage.
Note:
The old flea collars worked well with shorthair cats.
If you have a long or double coated cat, the effect may be localized. Watch the skin under the collar CAREFULLY - you really do not want kitty licking a sore spot impregnated with a toxin.
Revolution is what has been prescribed for my cats. It is a generic anti-bacterial and anti-fungal treatment. You need a prescription but Pet Shed, an Australian company, sells it w/o Rx. Don’t know how it does that unless because it is not subject to our laws. It is expensive when you buy it from your vet, but much cheaper (still not cheap) through PetShed.
The problem with the most common OTC remedies (Frontline (Fipronil) or Advantage (Imidacloprid)) is that they have been used so much in some areas that the fleas there have developed an immunity to them – all the fleas that are susceptible have died, so only the immune ones are left to breed and infest cats. Thus they are introducing Frontline Plus, Advantage II, etc.
So ask your Vet which ones are still effective in your area, and use those.
Also, DCnDC’s advice is also important – you need to deal with the accumulation of fleas in your house: fleas can live up to a week or so, and flea eggs can hatch a couple weeks later. That’s why the topical medications need to last for a month, to outlast both the current fleas & the crop that will hatch soon. But cleaning & laundering in your house can get rid of a lot of them before hatching.