EEEEKK!! Help Fleas in Winter?!?!

**shais_mom** · 12-25-2002, 06:03 PM

I thought I saw a "bug" or flea on Keegan last week, so I frontlined her.
Well tonight Kylie was laying on my stomach while I was laying on the couch and I saw she had something crawling thru her fur. Lo and behold I found 3 fleas!! I wanted to hop in the shower myself and give myself a flea bath!

I thought since the directions on Frontline say summer and spring that they probably didn't get them in the winter!!

Of course with everything closed today I couldn't run out and get anything to treat her with. But I will tomorrow. I will get the spot - on I am assumming that the cat formulas must be safe for kitties if they clean themselves. And should I get a flea bath and bath her? Not looking forward to that at all!

What should I do?!

**wayne0214** · 12-25-2002, 06:37 PM

shais mom; It could be that your furkids went somewhere that fleas were living. When I moved into this house, there were some fleas in the basement, but I was unaware of it until I saw them on my cats.

Winter is not normally a season for fleas unless you live in a tropical or semitropical area. But since you saw only a few of them on your furkids, in lieu of not having regular flea killer for pets, I am thinking that they could be killed , without going through a major program of flea irradication. with cologne, or something similiar that you might have in your bathroom cupboards. I would suspect that even mouth wash will do the job. You might try it

............wayne

**jenluckenbach** · 12-25-2002, 07:22 PM

1st...read the instructions. It must be for cats (you know that) but check for an age on the label, some vary.
2nd..fleas don't LIVE on the pet, they live in the environment. They FEED on the pet. So, if it is freezing outside, then they must be alive inside.
3rd...Fall is your prime flea season. This is when the weather cools enough for the fleas to seek a warm place to spend the winter.

If it is only a couple, don't panic. Get them off the pet. Treat any area in the home that you suspect. Even a good vacuuming with disposal of the bag immediatly outside, will help. And keep an eye on the pet because fleas are very persistant and can be hard to get rid of. If just one pregnant female survives the cycle can start all over.

Good luck

**krazyaboutkatz** · 12-25-2002, 11:26 PM

I had this happen to me a few years ago in February so I've been using advantage once a month ever since and I haven't had any problems since. Good luck.

**Cataholic** · 12-26-2002, 01:41 PM

PLEASE CHECK THE LABEL FOR AGE! Jen is right, some are not safe for 'kittens'....

Second, I would vaccuum and wash everything you can...then powder everything. I had ONE really really bad flea infestation. It was probably infested before I moved in. The twins were just babies, maybe 3 months at the time. I had a professional company come and treat the house and the yard, then I bathed everyone..not fun- bathing five cats.

Good luck and be persistant.

**tatsxxx11** · 12-27-2002, 10:09 AM

You've gotten all the good advice already, Staci!

BUT, my vet has a huge printed warning on their counter that warns against using Spot On. My vet prescribes Advantage for the kitties and formulates the dose according to their wt. Actually, I saw a few fleas on the dogs late Oct. and ended treating eveyone! Good luck. Fleas...YUCK!

**shais_mom** · 12-27-2002, 01:33 PM

Well, both girls got flea baths! And I just have to sweep and I have a collar on Kylie for a short time. Kylie was pretty ticked at me!!! It was kinda funny seeing her white fluffiness looking like a sphynx tho!! AND Keegan who has been very ornery lately trying to pounce on her and even got time out last night for trying to grab her around the neck, was standing outside the door whining while Kylie was getting a bath! B/c she was making so much noise!! Of course as soon as she came out of the bathroom she pounced on her!