# So my cat has fleas ... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 16, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837 "2015-10-16T19:12:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 17\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/1 "2015-10-16T19:12:12Z")
We moved to this house in July, and had the carpet replaced in August. Previous owners had a dog and several indoor/outdoor cats. We have three humans and only one, strictly indoor, cat. The windows were open a lot until it cooled down in September. For the last week or ten days, the cat has been scratching her head a lot. Today I finally decided to sort through her fur. Found flea dirt. Found a flea. So what’s the next step? Are monthly applications of FrontLine for six months or a year, combined with some laundering and vacuuming, going to take care of it? Or do I need to spray my whole house? And is it likely she picked up a random flea that came in from outdoors, or do you think this infection has been cooking since July/August? ---
**Author:** ![Carryon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc29f/32.png) [@Carryon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carryon)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/2 "2015-10-16T19:31:23Z")
I would start simple with a good flea bath and a thorough cleaning of your home. Then see if the problem reoccurs. If so then start the next line of treatment as your vet recommends. Depending on what area you live in, flea treatment can be a constant thing or a once a year or less thing. But don’t panic and overdo it at once. Take the simplest steps first and continue on. ---
**Author:** ![Sunny\_Daze](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunny_daze/32/438_2.png) [@Sunny\_Daze](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunny_Daze)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/3 "2015-10-16T21:08:25Z")
I wouldn’t even do the bath. Start with either Frontline or Revolution. Check with your Vet in terms of which one is recommended for your area. In some places, Frontline is no longer effective, so it’s worth the phone call to find out before putting it on your cat. Then vacuum and launder what you can, and you should be fine (it sounds like a fairly low grade infestation). ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Panic](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/don_t_panic/32/398_2.png) [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 10:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/4 "2015-10-16T22:17:41Z")
On the bright side, now you can tune your ukulele. ---
**Author:** ![PurpleClogs](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f04885/32.png) [@PurpleClogs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PurpleClogs)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/5 "2015-10-16T23:35:15Z")
Indoor only pets can still get fleas if they hitch a ride on your ankle as you come in. Also don’t let them get nose to nose through a window screen with an outdoor cat. If there’s already easily visible flea dirt, she’s had them at least a week or two I’d guess. Check the fur at the base of her spine. They like that spot because it’s hard to reach. There’s a pill your vet can give her which miraculously kills all of them at once. We used to use that on the foster dogs we kept if they’d been on the loose and good and infested. We had one with so many fleas you could see clumps of them where they had to walk on top of each other. Was so gross. Next day she was clean as a whistle! There’s also flea powder so you don’t have to get her wet. But I warn you… Sometimes the topical remedies will make the fleas scurry around, it tickles, freaks your pet out and makes them spastic for a day. I doubt you need to treat the whole house just yet if you’ve never found one wandering. Treat the cat. Wash where she sleeps. Wait a couple weeks for eggs to hatch, treat her again, and if you still have no wanderers in the house, you’re probably good. ---
**Author:** ![Arrendajo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/e0b2c6/32.png) [@Arrendajo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arrendajo)\ **Post date:** [October 16, 2015, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/6 "2015-10-16T23:55:19Z")
If it’s a strictly indoor cat, you can get rid of the fleas. When that happened to me, I called an exterminator and he sprayed the carpet with flea juvenile growth hormone. That keeps the fleas flooded with hormones that force them to stay in the juvenile larval stage until they die of old age. Never had another (adult) flea in the house. It is harmless to humans and cats. [Ask A Vet Online 24/7 - PetCoach](http://www.peteducation.com/article.cfm?c=26+1303&aid=1589) ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/7 "2015-10-17T00:48:00Z")
Just use [this](http://www.amazon.com/Bayer-Advantage-Large-9-Pound-6-Month/dp/B004QBDO0M/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1445042809&sr=8-1&keywords=bayer+flea+control+for+cats). This stuff works, just a few drops at the back of the cat’s neck, problem solved. Arrendajo’s solution may not work, ditto Purple Clogs (easy to miss fleas if you just wash the animal), ditto Carryon. Fleas are a serious problem. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 1:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/8 "2015-10-17T01:53:32Z")
Fleas generally only turn to people when they run out of animal. If all you did was treat the cat, you’ll probably be fine if the people in the house haven’t seen any or been bitten. Of course you’ll only know you’ve been bitten if you’re allergic. Flea life cycle is 100 days. That’s why the topical treatment is talked about for three months, and often sold in packs of three. Any that are in the carpet and get missed during cleaning, will be caught in the cat’s treatment if still medicated three months from now. ---
**Author:** ![Girl\_From\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Girl\_From\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Girl_From_Mars)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/9 "2015-10-17T03:20:23Z")
To get rid of them immediately, try Capstar. Kills all live fleas in around 30 min - but beware they go into a it of a frenzy as they die which can cause the cat to go a little mental as the itchiness intensifies briefly. You can Google videos to see what I mean. Then, you need to get rid of all the fleas/eggs in the surrounds - a good vigorous vacuum of all carpets, plus washing bedding and soft furnishings can help. Then regular applications of either Revolution or Advocate (that’s the one that also contains the worming meds). Our vet has recommended for our cat with a flea allergy to alternate these two every two weeks, particularly as it starts to warm up. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/10 "2015-10-17T04:16:56Z")
Thanks for the input, everyone. My husband was in the middle of six impossible things before breakfast when I found the fleas, so he was sending me frantic texts about quarantining the cat and shampooing carpets and arrrrgh. I went to PetCo and said “halp.” They directed me to Advantix, because this is indeed an area where FrontLine doesn’t work so well. I bought a four-month supply. Application went off without a hitch, seeing as the kitty was asleep at the time. Unfortunately it sort of dripped down her side, so when she woke up, she managed to lick some of it up and went running for her water bowl pretty fast. Also, she smells of bitter almonds. Thanks for reassurances. Let’s hope the four-month course takes care the problem. ---
**Author:** ![SeaDragonTattoo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@SeaDragonTattoo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SeaDragonTattoo)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/11 "2015-10-17T04:27:36Z")
Yeah, it might stay on better if kitty’s upright. I part fur laterally in between the shoulder blades with my index finger and apply to the skin along the line it makes across that way. A little bit different from the directions, but seems to stay under the fur and on skin where it belongs that way. I think you’ll be fine. Advantix really ought to do the trick. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 5:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/12 "2015-10-17T05:45:35Z")
I hope you mean Advant_age_. Advantix is only for dogs. ---
**Author:** ![Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/46a35a/32.png) [@Tim\_T-Bonham.net](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tim_T-Bonham.net)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/13 "2015-10-17T06:31:19Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > I wouldn’t even do the bath. Start with either Frontline or Revolution. Check with your Vet in terms of which one is recommended for your area. In some places, Frontline is no longer effective, so it’s worth the phone call to find out before putting it on your cat. No, I would do the bath, with some good flea shampoo. Because getting them all off her will make her more comfortable immediately. Then after that apply the Frontline/Revolution. ---
**Author:** ![Sattua](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sattua/32/11906_2.png) [@Sattua](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sattua)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/14 "2015-10-17T14:48:11Z")
Yes, Advantage, then. The one for cats. As for trying to give my cat a bath … bwahahahaha. _wipes tear_ Thank you for making me laugh on such a rotten day. ---
**Author:** ![northporlarbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/7bcc69/32.png) [@northporlarbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/northporlarbear)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/15 "2015-10-17T15:22:34Z")
One of the reasons why I probably wouldn’t raise pets. ---
**Author:** ![Habeed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a587f6/32.png) [@Habeed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Habeed)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 3:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/16 "2015-10-17T15:29:04Z")
> [@Sattua](#): > > Yes, Advantage, then. The one for cats. > > As for trying to give my cat a bath … bwahahahaha. _wipes tear_ Thank you for making me laugh on such a rotten day. There’s no reason to be sad. The Advantage II stuff works. I am sitting right next to a kitty I applied it to. Didn’t see a single flea after that. ---
**Author:** ![purplehearingaid](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7bcc69/32.png) [@purplehearingaid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/purplehearingaid)\ **Post date:** [October 17, 2015, 4:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-my-cat-has-fleas/734837/17 "2015-10-17T16:13:38Z")
> [@ddsun](#): > > I wouldn’t even do the bath. Start with either Frontline or Revolution. Check with your Vet in terms of which one is recommended for your area. In some places, Frontline is no longer effective, so it’s worth the phone call to find out before putting it on your cat. > > Then vacuum and launder what you can, and you should be fine (it sounds like a fairly low grade infestation). I am so glad you said that b/c I was told by 2 vets Frontline is no effective where I live. And if the OP is thinking of using natural flea product they should made sure all the herbs are safe to use on pets . I brought my dog a natural flea collar from a natural food store and within half a hour I had a headache from it ! I looked up the herbs online and found pennyroyal oil cause headaches and is not safe for dogs ! I got my money back