Need advice on getting rid of my cat’s fleas!!!!!

Lisa_fr

21/02/2022, 21:40

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Hi, my cat has fleas and she’s scratching like crazy. I’ve bought a flea spray to put on her and a flea comb.

I’ve tried using the comb and there were loads of tiny black specks and several fleas.

I’d like to know how to go about getting rid of them completely. Where on her body should I focus on to get the fleas off, and how do I make sure I’ve got them all? Should I wash the bedding she often sleeps on? Please, I need some clear advice, especially as it grosses me out having to take the fleas off her when they’re jumping all over the place.

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Del2244

22/02/2022, 13:04

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It's true that people sometimes shave heads for head lice (it's still pretty cruel to put a child through that, though; I remember a little girl who had that "treatment" 😯). But that’s mainly because their eggs are stuck to the hair and it’s hard to get them all out, whereas flea eggs are in the bedding, on the floor, and so on. Shaving a pet won’t even stop fleas from coming for a feed, as they don’t need to hold onto fur to hop onto their lunch!

As for a bath, it is actually possible with some cats (some even love it 😄), but generally speaking, it's massively stressful... and a huge risk for the person doing the washing! 😆

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Liquid_paper Icon representing the flag French

22/02/2022, 12:30

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Sorry if my 'extreme' suggestion of shaving him was a bit over the top, but it’s what we sometimes do with people when they get head lice! ;) As for the bath, it was actually doable with Bertrand (his kidney failure indirectly made him quite dirty, greasy, and flaky, so he needed a wash at least every month or two).

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Del2244

21/02/2022, 22:45

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Janette, stop!! Bathing is mission impossible with 99% of cats. Worming treatment is for tackling worms, and shaving is pointless unless you’re trying to make the cat look like a Sphynx (which no groomer, and definitely no vet, would agree to do, thankfully).

The only good bit of advice you’ve given is to thoroughly clean the whole environment. Ideally, you should use a steam cleaner to kill off the eggs, especially if your home has rugs, carpets, or floorboards with gaps.

As for the cat, use a flea comb to get rid of the dead ones and, most importantly, a proper flea treatment bought from the vet or the chemist.

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Lisa_fr

21/02/2022, 22:07

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But the problem is, my cat is absolutely terrified of water. I’ve tried several different techniques but nothing works; as soon as I lead her towards the bathroom, she susses it out and starts getting really worked up. It’s just impossible to give her a bath. Is it possible to get rid of them using just the spray and the brush?

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Liquid_paper Icon representing the flag French

21/02/2022, 21:55

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Washing the cat. It’s the best way to get rid of fleas. Using an anti-flea pet shampoo that you can easily find in any pet shop, give your cat a thorough scrub from head to toe and try to kill off all the little beasties. After the bath, you can give them a worming treatment and/or put a flea collar on, and make sure you keep washing any infested areas. Even if the thought of washing a cat crawling with fleas makes your skin crawl, you’ve just got to do it once and for all. Otherwise, the drastic solution would be to take your cat to the vet or a groomer to have them completely shaved. It won't look pretty, but it’s very effective.

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