# 5 cats 2 fleas



## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

To summarize as easily as i can:

Living situation: boyfriend and I along with our dog and 5 cats indoors, 4 other people with 3 cats and 1 dog indoors.

Other family: 2 cats that travel with the girl everywhere. (I don't know where), they go to her dads house, and her moms boyfriend's house with her. Other animals are present at other homes. Their dog is inside/outside. 

Us: 5 indoor cats and one dog that have their own bedroom. Dog is kenneled when not home, and door is shut unless we're home. So cats and dogs are out between 1am-3am, and then again between 10am-4pm. The only interaction my animal have with their animals is the dogs. The dogs go out and play together.

We have a neighbor that has 3 Dachshunds. They visited my dog a week ago for about 10 minute until I yipped their way and they went scurrying home. 

Anyway, 3 nights ago my cat Sammi, the only one allowed to be in our room while we sleep, woke up and stretched so I petted her and was snuggling with her, I happened to notice a black dot on her nose. When I went to look at it she got embarrassed and was trying to get away, but I caught the bug. It was one single flea. I combed through her with the flea comb, and no more. I combed through my dog and the four other cats and no others. I put a small amount of tea tree oil on her collar. 

Now just tonight again I was holding Daisy, and while scratching her chin noticed a little "dirt" on her chin. Knowing it is a symptom of fleas, I started searching. She's mostly white, which made it super easy to search her. I found one more single flea. Took the flea comb and combed through the other 4 cats and the dog. No fleas!? 

Therefore in one week I have found and killed two single fleas. I have dabbed small amounts of tea tree oil on all their collars as to aid in natural anti-pesticide. 

Before you freak out and say tea tree oil is poison, I have effectively used small doses safely. Not used directly on skin, and not in large amount either. Vet also suggested this as I had asked for a natural remedy for fleas. We have battled a similar case of this back in October. When the fleas came, the ringworm came. This was when we got our puppy. The puppy brought both into the household. Also, tapeworms. Eek! We went crazy. Flea combing, baths every other day. We have successfully beat the ringworm and had thought the flea problem too. My concern is this:

Do you think the neighbor's dogs brought them to my pup during that small 10 minutes? 

How worried would you be with two single fleas? 

My approach:
Flea baths tomorrow for all 5 cats (don't worry, mine are used to baths, as I like clean smelling animals), and the dog, tea tree oil small application on collar (2 drops on each collar for cats, 4 drops for the dog as suggested by vet), vacuum sleeping areas, and wash anything cloth.

The whole house is either linoleum or wood flooring, no carpeting. In their room they have a recliner, a rocking chair, a rug under the potty, the dog has a bed in the kennel, and my sewing stuff like patches in there is everything cloth. The do have a closet I use for my spare clothes.

Maybe I'm being over scared but...what would you do? Flea collars were highly discouraged per the vet. 6 dosages of Advantix (sp?) is quite costly and unnatural treatment but will do it if necessary. We're looking for a natural remedy for a minor case of fleas. Flea dirt only found on one cat's chin, a few bumps (less than 10) on another, and visually and physically caught 2 single fleas. After we get the flea issue caught again, we'll be sure to worm them all again too. 

Ugh, enough blabbering, but I am so 1-grossed out, 2-stumped as to how they're here, 3-depressed because we thought we ridded of this issue!!


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## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Wow...I would say you are worried! I just use Frontline once a month...it is an ongoing battle with fleas if you have pets, especially with milder winters. You have to stay on top of it....and there is no guarantee they won't get a flea or two anyhow.

I know people this year who have fleas in their house that have no pets....


Oh, and you can use Borax (wal-mart for like 3 bucks)on your animals bedding and on the carpets...must stay on for two weeks to kill fleas. You can also use lemon water and spray it on your pets daily to deter fleas. I personally would treat them chemically first.

sorry just saw you have linoleum and wood flooring....I would use a flea spray (testing a small area first)and vacuum daily for a couple of weeks paying close attention to the crevices.


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## PiccoloGoat (Sep 10, 2008)

I've got an ongoing battle with fleas too, with five outdoor cats and a dog it's really hard to even control them let alone get rid of them.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

Sounds harsh, but the only chemical we have on the hobby farm is chicken dust for mites/lice. It does say it can be used on dogs inside the house (well ventilated of course as application). I have thought about trying this and putting the dust all over in their bedroom?? Bad idea?


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## ogfabby (Jan 3, 2013)

I would use advantage or revolution for fleas. Frontline is loosing its effectiveness. Where there is 1, there are 1000 that you don't see. I would treat the house and every animal in it to keep it from getting out of hand. It will, fast. Good luck!


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## dobe627 (Oct 16, 2007)

As a pet groomer and pet owner I can assure that fleas are on an uprise due to varius reasons. A lot of people have had no luck with frontline. So if you choose to go the chemical route Use another product. As far as fleas if you saw 2, chances are good there are more. And if there are other animals in the house they may have them as well, and they have traveled. You could have brought them in on your clothes. Python dust is a mess but safe for cats and works.


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## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

dobe627 said:


> As a pet groomer and pet owner I can assure that fleas are on an uprise due to varius reasons. A lot of people have had no luck with frontline. So if you choose to go the chemical route Use another product. As far as fleas if you saw 2, chances are good there are more. And if there are other animals in the house they may have them as well, and they have traveled. You could have brought them in on your clothes. Python dust is a mess but safe for cats and works.


It does work? We are more than willing to deal with a "mess". I think someone told me one time to actually sweep it all over the floor and push it into the crevices of the wood flooring too and vacuum in a week. This is our best idea.


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## dobe627 (Oct 16, 2007)

Yes, I had a poblem last year as my 1 cat uses the doggie door and I believe he was the culprit. I used advantage on everyone except my 20 year old cat. Used the dust on him. Its not long lasting thing, has to be applied several times if there are alot of fleas. You should know better after bathes how bad it is


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