From: molvey...@hotmail.com
To: felvtalk@felineleukemia.org
Subject: RE: [Felvtalk] Pet Armor
Date: Tue, 31 May 2011 19:18:36 -0400
It's so funny that this conversation has come up because I was just discussing
it with my feline asthma group.
Beth, I'm in GA also and having major major flea problems. I have a cat fence
up so all my cats go in the backyard. That is making things ten times worse.
I've been using Revolution for several years now with no problems. Like you, I
work in a rescue and have a lot of cats so I buy the dog size and split it up
between the cats. I don't know if the Revolution isn't working this year or if
it's just an especially bad year for fleas. If you say Advantage isn't working
then maybe it's just an especially bad year. Some people in the other group
were talking about how sometimes switching products can help because either the
fleas have built up a tolerance to the current flea meds or maybe the cat's
system is processing the flea stuff differently because they've had it on them
for so long. Who knows. If you've been using Advantage maybe you should try
Revolution or Frontline Plus. I believe Frontline Plus kills fleas and larvae
so it kills and breaks the life cycle so that might be a good one too. I hate
using all these chemicals on my cats but there's no way around it for me
because I've got so many plus a few ferals that live here that I can't touch.
I've never sprayed my yard but since this year is so bad I've got to do
something. I'm trying to go natural first because like everyone else is saying
all these chemicals for yards say "don't get on skin, don't get in eyes, don't
inhale, etc. etc. and keep pets and children off until it dries" and that
really scares me. If my cats didn't go out I'd spray the yard with every
poison I could find because I hate the fleas so bad. But since they do, for
now I'm trying the beneficial nematodes and I just bought the food grade
diatomaceous earth. I've been using Flea Stoppers in the house which is a
borax type of product. Well, I just sprayed the nematodes last week so I can't
tell if they're working yet because they just eat larvae so they don't kill
adult fleas so it'll take a while to make a difference. But if anyone wants to
try them I got them at Pike's nursery for $39.95. I think you can order them
online also. I don't remember if the nematodes do anything for ticks.
The diatomaceous earth I got from a local feed store. It's the food grade and
a lot cheaper than ordering online, so if any of you are thinking of trying it
check your feed stores first. I got a 50 lb bag for $39.95 and this stuff will
last forever. I can't believe how little it takes. I didn't need a bag that
big but that's all she had. I'm using it outside to try to hopefully kill the
adult fleas and putting a little in my cat's coats. It's very very very dusty
so you definitely need a mask on when messing wtih it. I am hesistant about
using it in the house because it is so so dusty. That's why I went with the
borax inside in the carpets. I did put the diatomaceous earth on the cat trees
and their bedding though. The DE is the consistency of flour. Feels just like
it and is dusty just like it. I put some on some of my cats and when they
shake you can see a dust cloud around them. So for now I'm glad I didn't put
it everywhere in the house. I think the Flea Stoppers with the borox has
helped but I'm also vacuuming every couple of days which makes a big
difference. I've put the diatomaceous earth on several of my cat's then
checked them when they come in from outside. They are still coming in with
fleas but I don't think it is as many. The DE doesn't kill the fleas right
away either. It just cuts them and the fleas dehydrate and die so I'm thinking
it will take a week or more before it really starts cutting down the flea
population. If anyone puts it on their cat I'll just warn you that it does
make the coat dry feeling. Still better than fleas if you ask me. Of course
the cats are going to clean themselves and injest the DE so it's very important
to get the food grade stuff. They use it in other forms, like in swimming
pools, and it's very toxic.
I haven't put the DE in my cats' food yet but a woman in my feline asthma group
swears by it and she uses it and puts it in her cats' food and has for years
and says they always test negative for worms. She puts it in her coffee and
says she can see differences since she started using it.
Well, just thought I'd share the things I'm trying. I'm still putting
Revolution on the cats because I've got a lot of it but if I don't start seeing
a difference soon I'll probably switch to either Frontline Plus or Advantage.
Nothing has made a big difference so far, except the borax and the vaccuming,
but I think that's because there are so many fleas outside that every time the
cats go out they pick up 100 more fleas and it takes time for all those fleas
to bite the cats and die. I don't know. I would think the flea products would
kill the fleas that get on them pretty quick but honestly it's not. I'm hoping
once I get the yard under control that will bring the flea population down
tremendously. Well, I'm off now to go finish spreading more DE in the yard.
I'll let you guys know if it makes a difference.
“I am not interested to know whether vivisection produces results that are
profitable to the human race or doesn’t….the pain which it inflicts upon
unconsenting animals is the basis of my enmity toward it, and it is to me
sufficient justification of the enmity without looking further.” – Mark Twain
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