how often for flea treatment

[nanny pamy]

Hi everyone. Im not sure if ive asked this when I first got Theo but how often do I need to do his flea treatment. Hes an indoor cat and up to now ive done it once a month but a friend said he shouldnt need it that often if he doesn't go out and she does hers every three months. So now im confused .

[Marla]

If your cat is indoor only and no fleas are present, I wouldn't use flea treatment unless you discover fleas. In the 18 years we've had our kitties, we've only had to use flea treatment 3 times when adopting new cats that came with fleas.

[meriad]

I'm with Marla on this one - I've got six cats; all indoor / outdoor. Two are treated monthly because one has a problem with ear mites and the other a suspected intolerance to flea bites but the other four only get treated every four months or so. I don't like using all those chemicals unless totally necessary.

If they were 100% indoors only I don't think I'd bother all and if anything maximum every 6 months I suspect

[Janey]

Another here, in 25 years of having cats we've only had to treat twice, the first was after adopting our first kitten which had fleas, then about 7 years ago when we adopted an oldie who came with fleas on those occasions we had to use treatment. Our cats have all had access to outdoors too but generally stayed in the garden.

[nanny pamy]

im so glad I asked this. he gets so distressed with the treatment (frontline) and when I asked my vet how often he needed it he said every month. even though I told him hes an indoor cat. Hes due his annual check up and needles in march so I think I,ll leave his next one till then and then I,ll just do it every 4 to 6 months.

[meriad]

In all honesty if you're using the regular Frontline (and not Frontline Combo) then chances are it's actually not even achieving much. There have been lots of reports of the normal Frontline not having any effect what so ever.

As a matter of interest, do you buy your Frontline from your vet? Just wondering why he's recommending monthly treatment for an indoor cat. Also I'd probably be tempted to change your treatment from Frontline to something like Stronghold or Advocate as they also treat some worms (just not tape worm) so it's actually covering more and more effective. But both Stronghold and Advocate are only available either from your vet or online with a prescription from the vet.

[Kay]

I personally wouldn't bother at all unless you see evidence of fleas and/or worms - I never have over the past 12 years, and mine have access to an enclosed garden

if you live closely with a cat, who is around all the time, you are unlikely not to notice, and anyway nuisance though they are, the fleas and worms found in the UK do not pose a serious threat to a fit adult cat, and I can't myself see the need to pump them full of chemicals just in case

[Crewella]

I do the same as most here, if I see fleas I treat, and if I don't, I don't.

I used to do it once or twice in the summer, but recently I've moved to a more rural area, the cats are out more meeting all sorts of wildlife and I'm also taking in foster cats, so I notice I'm doing flea treatments more often, which, I guess, makes sense.

[nanny pamy]

Meriad when Theo was taken to the rescue he was full of fleas and scabs so they were treating him with Advocate monthly. He was in there for a year. When we adopted him they told us to carry on with the advocate monthly even though we said he wouldn't be going out and all his skin was clear. When I first took him to the vet he asked why I wanted Advocate and when I explained he said its far too strong and they can become amuned to it. He said to use Frontline monthly. (even when I said he doesn't go out). When I last took him to get his claws trimmed he actualy said * oh I see you didn't bring him last month for his Frontline, I,ll do it now while your here* and it was done before I had a chance to argue. Now im thinking its totally unnessasery (sorry I cant spell that) So i.l take the advice from you peeps and leave off it. I don't like how he reacts to it anyway. He goes really strange and hides for a day. He was never like that with the Advocate

[Crewella]

Just to be clear, I've never had a cat with a flea allergy - I suspect I'd be a lot more 'on it' if I had. I'm not anti flea treatments at all, just not keen on treating unnecessarily.