Flea Control in the Feline

Flea Control

The 4 Point Plan

A parasitic condition that strikes fear in pet owners is flea infestation. The flea has the potential to breed inside your house within 12 days and each female flea can lay several hundred eggs per week starting 24-48 hours after her first blood feed from your cat. The eggs are laid on the animal but soon drop off into bedding and especially like the base of the pile of carpets. Hatching and survival is dependent on temperature and humidity. Modern houses with carpets and central heating, providing an ideal microclimate for the larvae to thrive and feed on organic matter such as dead skin cells. The larvae finally pupate, forming a cocoon, usually at the base of the carpet. Carbon dioxide (breathed out by animals and people) plus vibration (animals or people moving near by) are the trigger factors for hatching of the adult flea. The adult flea usually lives for less than 20 days but due to the short life cycle and high egg count, many thousands of fleas can form in a room within a matter of a few weeks of a single female flea being introduced into a household.

The 4 Point Plan of Flea Control

It is important to understand the life cycle to be able to control the problem. The key to success if fleas are a problem in the house is to tackle all stages of the life cycle using appropriate products and techniques.

Point 1. A flea contraceptive

Such as Program which works by preventing the flea pupa from emerging from the egg. It is extremely effective and has a high safety margins. In cats there is a small capsule given monthly in the food or a six monthly injection given by a veterinary surgeon, which is even easier. Where there are no fleas in the house, this product alone should prevent any household infestation so long as all dogs and cats in the house are treated at the same time every month. In houses that are infested with flea eggs and larvae, it will reduce the egg and larval infestation of the house to a a very low level after a few months of continuous use. The manufacturers of Program even guarantee its efficacy. Please remember it prevents flea breeding but does not kill fleas.

Point 2. A topical insecticide

Many of these are produced as an aerosol (eg. Frontline and Nuvan Top) and will kill adult fleas on the cat. Other products are produced as a monthly 'spot-on' treatment applied to the back of the neck and are very easy to apply, even in cats (eg Frontline Spot On and Advantage Spot On). Alternatively flea powders such as Head to Tail may be used or the Vetkem Cat Flea Collar

Point 3. An environmental insecticide

These products are used to spray your house. All the rooms where your cat may have access must be treated. It has two functions: Firstly, a chemical which kills any adult fleas in the room and secondly an 'insect growth and development inhibitor' which prevents the eggs and larvae progressing to their next stage and lasts for up to 7 months. Acclaim adheres at the base of the carpet where the flea larvae live (other household sprays do not adhere and are vacuumed up). Spray your rooms with this product twice a year and you will substantially depopulate the house of fleas. (Read the directions carefully as many are potentially toxic to fish)

Point 4. Vacuuming

Thorough vacuuming has been shown to remove up to 20% larvae and 32-59% of eggs from a carpet. A good tip is to spray the inside of your vacuum cleaner bag with Acclaim or place a flea collar in the vacuum bag eg. Vetkem Cat Flea Collar.

Do bear in mind that a very high percentage of skin conditions in cats are caused by fleas.