Hello! Nigel, here! I know that we have talked about these little creatures before, but there has been an uptick in flea problems as of late, so I thought it would be a good time to revisit this topic. FLEAS!
As discussed previously, fleas are those annoying little insects that like to live on the bodies of cats and dogs. They are really quite aggravating and cause most cats to itch terribly when the fleas bite. And fleas are not just a problem for outdoor kitties. They cause massive itchiness issues for indoor kitties as well. Many of the patients suffering with fleas that Dr. S and Dr. J see at For Cats Only, live their entire lives inside. Fleas can come in to your home on your clothing or on the clothing or accessories of your friends. They can jump very high and far and are excellent at hiding under furniture, in carpeting, in couch cushions, etc…just waiting until a beautifully furry cat walks by for them to jump on to and set up housekeeping. They are often difficult to see, but if you know what to look for, you can easily check your kitty for fleas. The best way to do this is to gently part the fur on your cat’s hind end, just in front of his tail. What you are looking for is little specks of dark dirt or dust. You may or may not see the actual fleas.
This is an example of what “flea dirt” looks like.
Here is what the fleas themselves look like. Just gross!
It is very important to keep your kitty flea free as fleas carry diseases that can make your cat quite ill. In order to keep fleas from being a problem in your home, every animal that lives there (dogs and cats) must be on a safe and effective flea control product every month. Now…this brings us to the main discussion….which products are going to work? This is where it gets tricky.
There are many different products available for purchase that claim to control fleas. Unfortunately, not all of these products are effective in every geographic location. You see….over time, these little nasty bugs have evolved resistance to many of the products that have been used in the past to effectively control them. At For Cats Only, the doctors have noticed that highly reputable products that have always done a fabulous job of killing off fleas in the past, are just not doing a great job anymore. Some of these products are ones that you may have even purchased from your veterinarian. But don’t be discouraged! There are new products available that the fleas have not yet had a chance to become resistant to.
If you are noticing that your cat is having some issues with itching, please don’t delay. Call For Cats Only and make an appointment to determine if this is the case. Dr. S and Dr. J can get your cat on a product that will truly work, and get your poor cat the relief she deserves!
Well, that’s all for now. If you have any questions, please just send me an email and I would be happy to help you as best as an extraordinarily intelligent house cat can. Meow!
