Best flea treatment

[Leanne]

We use frontline and tend to do it every 2-3 months.

[Ann Clarke (Tabby cat)]

I normally use Frontline but only 2 or 3 times a year as Hobbes doesn't go out. I have used Advantage in the past and actually found that better but Hobbes is a nightmare to get to the vets so that they can weigh him etc . My little girl Sophie who is sadly now at the bridge had a bad reaction to Frontline and Advantage was much gentler I found. We had a bad outbreak at the time and I found it killed them off really well, can't remember the household spray I used.

[maryas]

I use Frontline on Bonnie 3 times a year but only because of the rash she had wehn I got her from the RSPCA nearly 3 years ago.

I told the vet I would not bother with her being an indoor cat BUT because she had the bad rash and had to have her tail removed because her previous owner didn't take her to the vet in time he advised me to use it.

In the 12 years I had Smudge (outdoor cat) I never used anything UNTIL one day there was loads of the ruddy things in the house.  I put powder on Smudge and got a house spray from Wilkinsons (their own make) and it was brilliant.

Mary

[Mark]

I used Indorex last year round the house, it was very good.

We had some 4 or 5 years ago and I used Indorex then and it did the job well. 'Touch wood', we haven't had any since then. Clapton is allergic so I would soon know.

[Janeyk]

i have never needed to use flea treatments on either of ours until recently, when Darcy went to stay with my friend she found a flea on him and Frontlined him, this didn't work and there has now been a full break-out in our house  I just wanted to ask a question, feel free to move it if you want, i was looking at the spot-on treatments and it says that they're not effective against existing fleas, so what would i use instead? I don't want to treat them only for it not to work and then I'd have to wait 4 weeks before treating again at which time the poor kitties would be absolutely crawling Can you get a spray to use on the cats themselves and also around the house or do they come seperately? I've read not to use powders and would rather use a spray, can anyone recommend one? I feel like a bad meomy

I used Indorex last year round the house, it was very good.

[Mark]

I used Stronghold for Kylie & Alice. Clapton is allergic to it so I have been using Frontline, although even that makes his neck a bit pink. I haven't used it for a while - partly because of trying to avoid unnecessary chemicals with him having advanced CRF; also because until a couple of weeks ago, he didn't go out. I spoke to the vet about it recently and he said I should avoid treating him unless necessary.

I tried Promeris a couple of years ago and didn't like it - I found there was a lot more liquid in the pipettes compared to others and it was really runny, so ran off.

I know there is an alternative to Frontline with exactly the same chemical in but a bit cheaper.

[AliCat]

I normally use frontline, but last month it appeared to irritate Tachi's neck. I think I'm going to switch to Stronghold.

[Gillian Harvey]

I don't flea treat often, maybe once a year, don't like putting chemicals on them. Have recently spotted flea dirt on one cat, funnily enough inspected all the others, and no signs! Anyway, I've used frontline spot on in the past, but when BB came with fleas, vet gave me Promeris http://www.promeris.com/faq.html and that seemed to be effective, and it smells nice too - coconut! I do use a spray in the house once a year too though - think its Staykill.

[Desley (booktigger)]

I dont flea the girls that often as they dont leave the house, they were done with STronghold last time for the worm aspect. Buster is going to be done with Frontline this month purely because I ordered Milbemax rather than STronghold at the vets this week, not that there is any evidence of fleas on him (and as he is mainly white, I would notice). The rescue use Frontline spray on all the cats, so he should be fine with Frontline spot on

[Claire_smc]

i was looking at the spot-on treatments and it says that they're not effective against existing fleas, so what would i use instead?

Surely decent (not shop bought) spot ons do kill existing fleas?    and any that jump off onto other surfaces will die if other surfaces have been sprayed with Acclaim or Indorex.  Not sure what literature you have been reading?

I think I read that on some websites, and also on the back of a packet of flea treatment in the shop. Admittedly I assumed it would be the same for all spot-ons but now that I look at the descriptions of Frontline it says it can be used for existing fleas. I definitely wouldn't use Frontline again though so  will try Stronghold

[Pinkbear (Julie)]

Stronghold for the puds, Advocate for Chester. 

Got given a shed load of near-to-date Profender by our vets for the ferals once.... oh, good grief, it had so much spirit in it I thought my eyebrows were going to curl.  We never got to use it... crack the end off and the ferals ran in terror because of the stench of it. 

[Rosella moggy]

i was looking at the spot-on treatments and it says that they're not effective against existing fleas, so what would i use instead?

Surely decent (not shop bought) spot ons do kill existing fleas?    and any that jump off onto other surfaces will die if other surfaces have been sprayed with Acclaim or Indorex.  Not sure what literature you have been reading?

[Claire_smc]

I haven't yet as I was waiting to treat the cats and the house at the same time, I thought that if I got rid of the ones in the house then the ones off the cats would just infest the house again, and vice versa, so was going to to do them all at the same time to stop the infestation going round in circles. But like I said, I'm not sure what to treat the cats with as spot-ons won't kill the existing fleas 

[Rosella moggy]

Claire, have you sprayed your house thoroughly with Acclaim or Indorex?  We recently homed an abandoned kitten who was crawling with fleas and covered in flea dirt.  Thankfully I had sprayed and aired room before his arrival.  He was treated for fleas at vets on arrival on the Saturday and only found dead fleas by the Sunday. 

It is sooo important to properly treat the house 

[Claire_smc]

i have never needed to use flea treatments on either of ours until recently, when Darcy went to stay with my friend she found a flea on him and Frontlined him, this didn't work and there has now been a full break-out in our house  I just wanted to ask a question, feel free to move it if you want, i was looking at the spot-on treatments and it says that they're not effective against existing fleas, so what would i use instead? I don't want to treat them only for it not to work and then I'd have to wait 4 weeks before treating again at which time the poor kitties would be absolutely crawling Can you get a spray to use on the cats themselves and also around the house or do they come seperately? I've read not to use powders and would rather use a spray, can anyone recommend one? I feel like a bad meomy

[Dawn F]

I use frontline because its easy to get hold of  - I don't use if very often because we have cat proofing they don't mix with other cats

[bunglycat]

I use Advantage too and have done for years , bought from the vet . No problems with it -use every 2-3 months in summer and 3-4 months during Winter -they only go out in my back garden so don''t come into contact with other cats unless they come over the fence which is only late at night when mine are all in bed .

[clarenmax]

I only use the flea treatments about once a year when the warm weather approaches, as Poot is an indoor boy, as was Maxy, and we've always used Advantage. 

[Liz]

Programme injections for all of ours here - done twice a year - no after effects at all - it lasts for 6 months and also works on Ticks - they go all grey and drop off - being in the country we have ticks from sheep and foxes and deer

Just  add the dogs get Programme Plus trablets monthly so all of ours are on the same thing

Ace and Blue get Profendered when we can get neat them

[Susanne (urbantigers)]

Fleas have never been a big problem for me as my boys are indoor cats.  Up until a few years ago I always used Advantage from the vet.  I was happy with that but when I needed something a few years ago, it was easier to buy frontline from pets at home than to go to the vet so I used that and have always used that since.  Can't really comment on it's effectiveness.  Both had fleas a month or so ago and Mosi is still scratching but I've not sprayed the flat yet so that might be why.  I generally treat them for fleas once at the start of the summer, later on in the summer and before christmas if they are going to the cattery (which they haven't for a few years).  As they've had fleas recently I will be doing them every month for a while until I'm sure the fleas are gone.  Then I'll probably leave it over winter and do them again in the spring.

[Ellen2010]

I have only had one problem with frontline and that was after using it every month for 7 years it stopped working.  I am now back to using frontline again.  Vet advised that if used on a regular basis the fleas can mutate and become immune to the flea stuff.  Mine are done monthly as have mates that have had flea problems with their animals and also have rescues coming in regular and two dogs.  The rescues are either treated just before coming to me or immediately on entering my house.  Dogs are treated to try and prevent them fetching them in.  I have two cats with flea allergies so am unable to not to treat them for this reason.  Home is done with spray every 6 months and carpet with bob martin house patrol weekly.

I have not had or seen any fleas since going back on frontline.  I had a cat in the vets that came out infested with fleas though although she had non when she went into there.

[Feline Costumier]

Have used Advocate and Frontline but like JS, only treat if there is evidence of fleas. I have only treated my two twice in 3 years. Both occasions they were very effective, no further treatments needed beyond one pipette and we encountered no side effects.

[Teresa Pawcats]

Frontline combo spot on burnt hole size of 10pence piece in Ollies neck.
Currently using Stronghold and happy with it, we treat monthly however am having major rethink as to wormer and it may be necessary for me to change from stronghold,but am told that Effipro is Frontline.
When Ollie was burnt we posted his pic on Purrs and sent copy off to Frontline as well as notifying vets, the makers of Frontline hid behind the words" It is up to your vet as he examined Olly before prescribing Frontline" that to me spoke mountains, yes Olly had been seen by a vet but not checked out for Frontline. In rescue we buy rucks of flea treatments /wormers and use accordingly.
 

[Janeyk]

I've never flea treated ours and none have ever had fleas in 20 yrs of us having cats until last year and I got frontline combi from the vets and have recently treated them with the same because didn't want the same problem as last year.

[madamcat (Edd)]

Used Frontline Spot on for years and then vets stopped selling it ( know should be getting it on-line - its cheaper ).

So tried Stronghold for 3 months. When using Stronghold, the cats did seem to scratch more than they used to and Sam developed an nasty acne spot on his chin (may be unrelated) but vet had to deal with it.

All the vets now stocking Effipro which I am trying (under protest really - supposed to be same as Frontline). Probably will go back to Frontline.

Yet on CC there were a number who found Frontline was not working for them and switched to Stronghold and it worked fine for them.

Normally deflea monthly from April to September and then only if needed during the rest of the year.

[JackSpratt]

Seems to be effective. Treat if I see any evidence of fleas.....firm believer in not putting chemicals on the feline family unless necessary. None that I've seen.

[Teresa Pawcats]

Which do you use,
Do you find it totally effective?
How often do you treat?
Any side effects