Hello! I am a fairly new Ragdoll Mommy to a gorgeous Seal Point Mitted Lynx girl that I named Eloise. She is 7 months old and the love of my life.
She eats all natural foods and I give her pro-biotics as well as vitamins... with all that said, she has a problem. She has fleas. I bathe her in all natural shampoos to kill the fleas but as soon as she dries off the fleas come back. My home is not infested, only her. I am at the end of my rope and do not know how to help her. I refuse to use chemicals on her but I am also afraid the fleas are going to cause her major damage as well.
Any advice would really be appreciated!!
Hi and welcome to the forum. I'm so sorry to hear about your flea problem with Eloise, but other than using chemicals, I don't know how you can get rid of them. Chances are they are laying eggs throughout your house (even though you can't see them - if your cat has them, the they are in your house), and you're going to have to treat your house along with your raggie to get rid of them. Sorry, maybe someone else here will have more help for you.
I've only ever found a flea or two on my cat Leo a couple of times when I used to let him outside. Both times I gave him a flea bath and washed my sheets and vacuumed. Since it was only a couple I found I think they didn't have a chance for it to get out of control. Like Teresa said though, they probably are living in your house and you can't see them. A friend of mine's pets kept getting fleas and they had to flea bomb their apartment to finally get rid of them. Good luck!
Hello and welcome to the forum, I'm new too and it is excellent!
As for the fleas, I have to agree with Teresa you wont get rid of them without using chemicals. An adult flea can lay around 40 eggs a day, the are sticky and will be all round your house. Wherever your cat has been there will be eggs that is why she is being re-infested. I can only suggest that you treat the house with chemical sprays etc, and keep bathing her. Even if you get completely clear of fleas the eggs can be brought in by anyone at any time and the whole cycle would start again. I had the same problem with Coco about a week after we brought her home the fleas came! It can take around six months to break the flea cycle fully and then you have to continue flea treating your cat so they don't come back.
I'm sorry this is probably not much help as you don't want to use chemicals.
Please show us some pics of your little kitty.
Hello & welcome to the forum. I love the name Eloise!!
I don't use chemicals on my animals. I use lavender oil in my shampoo when Peek-A-Boo was alive. She & Teddy got fleas once before she passed away and I gave both of them a bath with the lavender oil in their shampoo and that was the end of that.
I also sprayed my whole apartment with OdoBan let that dry then vacuumed. We have not had any more fleas.
I think I brought the fleas home to them from a friend here in the apartments. I went to help with her computer and I think I had stowaways on my wheelchair because Peek-A-Boo never had any fleas till then. They have not come back since either. Teddy is free of fleas and I was checking everyday because of eggs but I guess the lavender oil killed them too. That's all I've every used.
I know chemicals are scary, but frontline plus or revolution, advantage etc (anything from a vet) are the safest and most effective flea treatments out there. I would NEVER buy anything over the counter like hartz and put that on any of my animals. I use frontline plus, and have never had a problem and my pets do great and never get fleas. I treat with the medication every 6 - 8 weeks, even though the package usually says to treat every 4 weeks.
If you are still not going to use chemicals, then I would recommend getting a flea comb and picking them all out and combing out the eggs. It is a lot of work, but can be done!
I came across this product sometime ago. It's a natural product which is safe for all animals including cats and dogs. It's also a natural wormer but I would still use a product from my vet to target specific worm treatment as it doesn't say which worms it treats.
It's basically powdered fossils which stick to the hard shell of insects including fleas, scratching the hard shell and the insect eventually dies of dehydration so not an instant cure but can be safely used around the home, sprinkling around the edges of the room (where most insects hide) and left as a preventative. It also worked on the green fly on my apple tree but it did cause the leaves to curl.
http://www.flytesofancy.co.uk/chickenhou...tml#aDIAT2
I don't know if this product is available in the US.
I've always used tea tree oil in the past on my dogs/horses and also as a head lice preventative on my kids BUT IT IS TOXIC to cats.
If you haven't all ready you need to get your self a flea comb.
You can use Dawn dish soap on her to bath her just be careful not to get in her eyes it kills fleas.
Dry her and then use flea comb to make sure there are no eggs or fleas left on her and I would do it a couple times a day.(The combing that is )
I have heard if you fill spray bottle with Dawn Soap and spray around the house were she has laid or were the fleas could be it will kill them and then vacuum. I,m thinking you would need to do this at least a few times a week till cycle is broke.I have all so read to put flea collar if you have a bag sweeper in the bag sounds good not sure if it works tho never tried it.
Firstly, welcome to the forum...
As for the flea treatment, I agree with what the other members have said, ie. use Frontline, Revolution etc medication to completely get rid of the fleas on your kitten, and then do a treatment on your house with fogger or spray insecticide.. Good luck!
Btw, I use Frontline Plus on my dogs, and I never have any fleas problems..
Fleas are a health risk in addition to being uncomfortable. (The fleas are in the house even if you are not aware of them.) Use Frontline, Advantage or another effective flea treatment from a vet.