FLEA TREATMENT
A cat who scratches, chews her skin, or seems restless could mean that she has fleas. You can ease her itch (and protect yourself) by knowing how to spot and destroy fleas on your pet and in your house.
Do a Flea Check
Before you spend money on flea treatments, find out if these pests have settled on your cat:
Watch for any signs of movement in her fur. If you spot tiny bugs bouncing off her coat, it’s time to fight fleas.
Comb your cat with a fine-toothed metal flea comb from head to tail several times a day. This will skim off adult fleas and their eggs and ease her itching.
Then, dip the comb in a mixture of water and liquid dish detergent to kill the fleas.
How to Prevent Fleas
Your cat's warm, furry coat and nourishing blood supply are a flea's dream home. Protect your pet with a flea barrier to prevent these tiny pests from settling in. There are a few different types:
Products you put on your cat. Spot-on treatments are safer, more convenient, and more effective than traditional dusts, shampoos, and sprays. You can buy them from your vet or online. Ask your vet where on your cat to put the product, how much to apply, and how often to use it. If you’re not getting the treatment from your vet, read the product label first to make sure it's safe for cats. Some common active ingredients and brands include:
Fipronil (Frontline Plus)
Imidacloprid (Advantage)
Selamectin (Stronghold/Revolution)
A flea collar with flumethrin and imidacloprid (Seresto) can also work well.
Medicines your cat eats. The pill nitenpyram (Capstar) kills adult fleas on your cat within 30 minutes. It doesn’t have any lasting effects, though. Spinosad (Comfortis) is a fast-acting chewable that starts killing fleas before they lay eggs. It provides a full month of flea protection to help prevent future hatchings.
PET ALLERGIES
If your nose runs and your eyes water or you start sneezing and wheezing after petting or playing with a cat, you likely have a cat allergy. A cat allergy can contribute to constant allergy symptoms, as exposure can occur at work, school, day care or in other indoor environments, even if a cat is not present.
Cats produce multiple allergens (proteins that can cause allergy). These allergens are found on the fur and skin and in saliva. All cats produce allergens; studies have not shown that cats can be hypoallergenic (meaning that they don’t cause allergy). Homes with more than one cat have higher levels of cat allergens. Characteristics such as the length of a cat’s hair, its sex and the amount of time a cat spends indoors are not associated with cat allergen levels.
Dust and pollen in a cat’s coat can also cause allergy symptoms. In those cases, the allergy is to the dust or pollen, not to the cat.
Cat Allergy Symptoms
Flea Allergy Dermatitis (FAD) in Cats-Causes, Symptoms & Treatment
What is Flea Allergy Dermatitis?
Flea allergy dermatitis (flea bite hypersensitivity) is the most common skin allergy in cats. As the name suggests, it is caused by an allergic reaction to a flea bite. There are 15 known allergens in flea saliva, each one is capable of causing an allergic reaction in the cat. Just one bite from a flea is enough to trigger an allergic reaction in your cat. FAD is one of the major causes of miliary dermatitis in cats.
Symptoms of Flea Allergy Dermatitis:
Symptoms vary depending on the degree of sensitivity. Some symptoms include:
Frequent scratching & biting of the fur, especially on the back & the base of their tail. Other symptoms of flea allergy dermatitis include
Raised bumps (papules) or scabs on the skin
Thinning fur in the affected area.
Cat allergy symptoms range from mild to severe, depending on an individual’s sensitivity and the level of exposure to allergens. Those variables may also influence how quickly symptoms develop after exposure. Highly sensitive people can develop symptoms, including breathing problems or a rash, within minutes of touching a cat or entering a house with a cat.
Cat allergy symptoms may include:
(01) Sneezing or a runny or stuffy nose
(02) Facial pain (from nasal congestion)
(03) Coughing, chest tightness, shortness of breath and wheezing
(04) Watery, red or itchy eyes
(05) Skin rash or hives
Some people may also develop a rash or hives after being scratched by a cat.
Diagnosing Cat Allergies
If you suspect that you are allergic to cats, see an allergist for proper diagnosis and treatment.
A skin-prick test is the most common way of diagnosing a cat allergy. For this test, a small amount of an extract of cat allergen is placed on your skin. Your skin is then pricked with a small, sterile probe, allowing the liquid to seep under the skin’s surface. You’ll then be monitored for swelling and redness or other signs of a reaction, signalling an allergy. Results typically become evident within 15 to 20 minutes.
Even if you’re sure your symptoms are caused by a cat, it’s a good idea to be tested, since the symptoms may actually be caused by other environmental exposures.
Cat Allergy Management and Treatment
Your veterinarian will be able to diagnose flea allergy dermatitis. This can be done visually. Signs of fleas on your cat are a good indicator. However, extremely sensitive cats will have few if any fleas on them. This is due to excessive self grooming. In such cases, to get a definite diagnosis that your cat is in fact allergic to flea bites & not something else then a intradermal skin testing is required. Treatment involves several areas:
Eliminating fleas from your cat & environment, and preventing re-infestation of fleas.
Treating secondary skin infections caused by excessive biting & scratching of the skin. This may involve a course of antibiotics, medicated shampoo & or a topical medication.
Antihistamines or steroid injections & or ointment may be prescribed by your veterinarian to control inflammation & reduce itching.
Anti-inflammatory injection to reduce the itching.
Hyposensitisation (desensitisation). This involves injecting minute amounts of flea antigen into the cat in the hope that it will re-programme the immune system so it's not hypersensitive to flea antigen.
Prevention of Flea Allergy Dermatitis:
Strict flea control is the best way to avoid/limit your cat's exposure to fleas & therefore flea bite allergy.
Avoidance is the best way to manage a cat allergy. If you have a cat and are allergic to cats, consider removing the cat from the home.
If you have a cat but don’t want to find it a new home, or if your family wants a cat even though someone in the household is allergic, here are some strategies that may help keep symptoms at bay:
Keep the cat out of your bedroom and restrict it to only a few rooms. Be advised that keeping the cat in only one room will not limit the allergens to that room.
Don’t pet, hug or kiss the cat; if you do, wash your hands with soap and water.
High-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) cleaners run continuously in a bedroom or living room can reduce allergen levels over time.
Regular use of a high-efficiency vacuum cleaner or a central vacuum can reduce allergen levels.
Giving your cat a bath at least once a week can reduce airborne cat allergen.
Treatments for cat allergy vary, depending on the symptoms.
Your allergist can help determine what treatment would be best to treat your cat allergy. Nasal symptoms often are treated with steroid nasal sprays, oral antihistamines or other oral medications. Eye symptoms are often treated with antihistamine eyedrops. Respiratory or asthma symptoms can be treated with inhaled corticosteroids or bronchodilators to either prevent or relieve respiratory symptoms.
Allergy shots (immunotherapy) are an effective treatment of allergies by building tolerance over time through gradually injecting increasing doses of an allergen.
Is there an allergy-free cat?
Cats produce multiple allergens (proteins that can cause allergy). These allergens are found on the fur and skin and in saliva. All cats produce allergens; studies have not shown that cats can be hypoallergenic. Homes with more than one cat have higher levels of cat allergens. Characteristics such as the length of a cat’s hair, its sex and the amount of time a cat spends indoors are not associated with cat allergen levels.
House fleas
Fleas are wingless parasites who live on the blood of warm blooded mammals. There are over 2,000 types of flea, the most common varieties found in the home are cat fleas (Ctenocephalides felis) or dog fleas (Ctenocephalides canis). Fleas are most prevalent in the warmer months but can be found all year round in warm climates. Not only are they a nuisance but they are also capable of passing on tapeworm and causing anemia in pets. Some humans & pets are also extremely allergic to the bite of a flea.
Signs of fleas in the house:
Itching, scratching, flea bites on both pets & humans.
Finding fleas on your pet.
Flea droppings appear as brown specks on your pets skin. They can also be seen on pet bedding. If you are still unsure, stand your pet on a sheet of white paper & rough up the fur. Remove the pet & then spray the paper with a de-mister. If you have very small brown specks which leave red stains on the paper then that is a sure sign your cat has fleas.
If you are still unsure, put on a pair of white socks & walk around the house. Fleas are attracted to white clothing.
How to get rid of house fleas:
There are several tasks involved in ridding your home of fleas. These must be done together or you will not combat the problem. It should be noted that it is possible to have fleas in your home even if you don't have pets. They can come in on clothing & other furnishings.
The percentage of fleas on your pet is only small (see picture below). So failure to kill fleas at all stages of their life cycle will result in fleas re-infesting your home (and pet).
Treat the pet:
As you can see, only 5% of the flea population lives on your pet. There are a vast array of flea products on the market including topical, flea collars, combs & sprays. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on the best product for your pet.
Treat the home:
As most fleas life in the surroundings, it is important to treat your home at the same time as your pet. Foggers are sprays that contain insecticide to kill fleas in the environment.
Pay attention to out of the way areas such as under sofas, skirting boards etc. This is where fleas in all stages of their life cycle can thrive. Place a flea collar in your vacuum cleaner bag to kill any fleas sucked up.
Wash pet bedding in hot water.
Treat the garden:
Outdoor areas should also be treated for fleas. Pay special attention to areas that pets sleep such as kennels etc.
All of these treatments must be done at the same time to effectively break the cycle.
Tips for Controlling Your Pet Allergies
(1) Wash your hands after handling your pet.
(2) Wash your pet's blanket frequently.
(3) Have a non-allergic family member bathe your pet weekly with an antiseborrheic shampoo to reduce the accumulation of skin dander and shedding hair.
(4) Have a non-allergic family member brush your pet regularly and have your pet groomed often to keep the haircoat as short as possible. Short haircoats have less dander and shed less.
(5) Spray your pet daily with a humectant (moisturizer) to hold down the dander and shedding hair until it can be removed with bathing.
(6) Between baths, wipe your pet with unscented baby wipes to help control dander.
(7) Talk with your physician about allergy shots or medication approved for the treatment of pet allergies.
(8) A vaccine for people allergic to cats is now being tested.
Proper care for Persians
Persians require a much higher level of care compared to other breeds, below are things you will need to do so you have an idea of what is required:
1. They should be provided ONLY filtered/ boiled water while in summers; they need cold drinking water (not chilled), you can use ice according to the requirement if there is a need (we provide them Reverse Osmosis filtered water)
2. Persian is a cold climate breed so they need to be kept cool in summers otherwise, they will fall sick eventually. A fan is not enough to cool them down with their thick coats, air conditioning is best. They are happy at around 24-25 degrees temperature
3. Never let your cat outdoors under any condition, this is strictly an indoor animal only. They are easily stolen as they are people friendly while secondly, they can get ticks which with their thick coats, you will not notice until it becomes an infestation
4. In winters, DO NOT let them sit on the bare floor, etc because they can get phenomena, carpet is best.
5. If you have a carpeted house, only a vacuum will do the job to remove hair fall. Their living area carpet will have to be vacuumed daily or 1-2 days.
6. Brushing daily is a must, takes 5 minutes only!
7. De-worming every 3 months is necessary; you can get de-worming powder or liquid from your vet and give it yourself orally.
8. Always bath your cat with a medicated ticks and flea shampoo you can get from a vet.
9. Vaccinations is necessary, kittens require a high number of vaccinations (4-7) while adults cats needs one vaccination a year.
10. We advise using clumping litter as there is no smell and it clumps into a ball use, easily scooped and thrown. It is a little more expensive but worth it, advisable is keeping the litter in the bathroom at some corner so there is ventilation from the exhaust and privacy for the cat.
11. One tablespoon of good quality honey once a week administered by a syringe will clear their system. Excess honey will cause a lose motion at most but do not exceed the requirement and do not get worried if they throw up as it means the honey is doing its job! Aside from its other benefits, it will remove hairballs stuck in their stomachs, etc
The above is not to scare but is intended to help people who already have or looking to buy, if you want to have a healthy family member, it sounds like a lot but is not as once you get into the routine, you will not even feel it, it’s not as much care as it sounds, only just a little costlier. A healthy Persian cat lives for 10 + years with the female having two litters a year averaging 4-6 kittens while pure breeds do not start to re-produce until one year of age.
Flea Treatment Products For Flea Control
Today we are swamped with a vast array of different types of flea products to use on our cats. It can be somewhat confusing for the cat owner to choose which product should be used on their cat. We will attempt to look at the different products available, what they do & their efficiency.
It should be noted that no flea control method will work if you don't treat your house & garden at the same time. Only 5% of fleas actually live on your cat, the rest of the flea population is in the environment. Both your cat & home (including cat bedding etc) should be treated on the same day.
Flea collars:
There are many different types of flea collar on the market. Some are insecticide only & work by killing adult fleas on the cat. Other flea collars contain IGR's to kill the eggs & larvae.Flea collars often only kill fleas on the cat's head & neck, but fleas further down the body survive.Some cats can develop a rash from the chemicals in the flea collar. This is known as "flea collar dermatitis or flea collar rash". One handy use for flea collars is to put a flea collar into your vacuum cleaner bag, so that any fleas that are vacuumed up from the environment will be killed.
Is it ok to use cat flea collar with spot on flea treatment?
You should not use more than one flea product on your cat as both products combined may result in a toxic level of exposure to your cat, which is life threatening. ALWAYS consult with your veterinarian before using more than one flea control method on your cat.
Flea powders, shampoos & dips:
\Flea shampoos are an effective way to kill fleas on your cat. The down side is that many cats can be difficult to bathe. Also, flea shampoos & dips will only kill the fleas on your cat at the time, and won't help prevent re-infestation. Therefore re-infestation will occur if your cat is exposed to fleas remaining in the environment or on other pets.
Shampoos & dips also need to be repeated often.
Flea Combs:
Flea combs aren't overly effective, only removing 10 - 50% of fleas on your cat. If you wish to use this method place a small bowl of water with some detergent in it close by & drop the fleas into the bowl. This will drown the fleas. Placing a small amount of petroleum jelly onto the teeth of the comb will help the fleas stick to it. These can be useful when removing fleas on newborn kittens as flea products are not safe to use on very young kittens.
Oral Suspensions
Program® and Sentinel® is given to cats via an oral suspension once a month. The product is added to the cat's food & is absorbed into the bloodstream. When a flea bites a cat treated with Program it ingests the active ingredient (lufenuron), which is passed to her eggs & prevents them from hatching. As this product only prevents eggs from hatching, an appropriate adulticide will also be needed to kill adult fleas. Seek advice from your veterinarian before using more than one product on your cat. It is also extremely important to speak to your veterinarian if you are considering treating a pregnant or nursing cat. They will be able to recommend the safest treatment for your cat.
Spot on treatments
Topical adulticide. There are several effective products on the market which are administered via liquid form to the cat's shoulders. These are available through your veterinarian or online pet product store. These products are very effective for killing adult fleas on your cat. The active ingredient varies from product to product. Application is generally once a month.
When applying a flea product to a cat it is important to follow the instructions on the packet to the letter. Cats are extremely sensitive to chemicals & if you are using one than one product your cat may be exposed to too many toxins, resulting in sickness or death.
Some of the most effective & popular topical flea control products used on cats (and dogs) include Advantage, Revolution & Frontline. Revolution also kills worms (except tapeworm), so makes life a bit easier for pet owners, according to the Bayer site, advantage cat flea control, also kills flea larvae in the pet's environment to.
Warning:
Never use a dog flea product on your cat.
Always follow the manufacturers instructions.
For more information on flea control products, see your veterinarian.
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