Cat Chat Feline Forum

Please help.

My cat has been poorly after both Stronghold and Advantage fles treatments. Each time she's needed a steroid injection at the vet and although not direly ill, she's been poorly enough to not use them again. My vet is useless, suggesting the Program injection, but not really interested. I've been desperately trying to treat the house while I beg for help from cat specialists I've found online for their suggestions. I have poor health including mental health issues and I also have an elderly and poorly rabbit at the moment, in whose room I am in (including sleeping) virtually 24/7.

I thought I was getting on ok doing the house, using the Indorex stray. It's not easy as I have house rabbits and house guinea pigs and I'm terrified of them being poisoned.

Today I have had my cat with me a lot and she is covered in fleas. I'm literally picking them off and killing them with tweezers and my fingernails. I feel so ashamed and I know I have failed her. She has some signs of flea allergy and has had steroid injections in the past for this. I can't get an appointment for this until Monday as my vet says they're really busy with everyone who bought pets in lockdown.

I am absolutely terrified by these fleas. There are several quite often in the same area. I'm having panic attacks with fear and guilt. I know I've failed her, but please, please can anyone suggest someone at least short term, to get them off her? I wondered about literally washing her. I know it isn't the long term solution but I'm terrified she'll be ill with so many on her.

You are more than entitled to judge me. I deserve it. I am genuinely a decent person who worships all animals and to be in this position appauls me. I am everything I hate in other people. Please help.

No one is going to judge you - too many of us have suffered from run away flea infestations.

Do you have a flea comb? I would start by filling a shallow dish or bowl half full of water and add a small dash of washing up liquid. Then comb out the fleas, dipping the comb in the water to drown them. Vacuum thoroughly and repeatedly, and wash everything that can be washed in hot soapy water (35+ C) or in the washing machine. You probably won’t get rid of them all this way, but you should be able to reduce the numbers by doing it repeatedly until you can get an effective treatment from the vet. One of my cats reacted badly to the spot ons - he was fine with the injectable but it only acted to stop the fleas breeding, not to kill the ones that were already there. You may need a safe contact spray for that - your vet should be able to advise on one that would be safe for all your animals.

Sending hugs and sympathy, not judgement. You have not failed your cat at all, she had bad reactions to the products you tried that should have helped her, you've been doing your very best, you have other little lived to think of and care for, you don't know what to do or where to turn and you're getting no help - you're not to be judged.

Is there any other vet locally who you could go to for more constructive help?

I remember using a spray for the house after my cat died, the fleas had no cat to bite so they attacked us and there must have been millions, it was horrendous. Have they maybe got resistant to the Indorex?

There is one product I know of and it is extremely serious, it's licensed in the USA where it has been in successful use for over 30 years, but it's not licensed or available in the UK. It's different chemicals, so there is nothing to say it would be safe or unsafe for your cat if she has issues with other flea treatments.

But the fleas on your cat are a tiny proportion of the infestation in your home, in carpets and soft furnishings, so there is no way any treatment on the cat alone can possibly deal with this. From what you describe and the stress you must be under with it all, I think I'd be looking into moving all the animals into boarding, treating them, and having some professional firm go in and deal with your home while the animals are away.

But you are not to blame and not to be judged, you need help and support and hopefully we can do something positive.

it might be worth asking your vet in advance if they can get hold of a treatment called Comfortits, which is a tablet to treat fleas, which I had to use when my cat kept getting bald patches after spot on treatment. Randomly, the cat version comes in 2kg doses, so it might be a couple of tablets, but it does work. Like the others have said, you need to find a way to treat the house too, or