Dealing with fleas can be very annoying especially for your cat it’s hard to watch them suffer. But science has brought us excellent tools to combat fleas, one such brand is Frontline Plus each tube works for a month killing fleas, lice, and ticks. Packages come in 3, 6, or 12  month supplies.

Prevention from fleas and ticks with Frontline Plus

So what are fleas and why are they dangerous to your pet?
Fleas are evil little insects that bite your cat and suck on their blood. While some cats deal with the fleas better than others some cats get flea allergy dermatitis.

Fleas live and die in four stages (and can live from 8 months in their pupa stage)
eggs
larva
pupa
adult fleas

Now we aren’t going to get into who came first the flea or the egg but what happens to your cat is…

Adult fleas lay eggs on your cat (several hundred during the lifetime of a flea) these eggs can also end up anywhere your cat goes.

If you have ever seen little black flecks that resemble pepper it’s called flea dirt that’s the nice name its actually flea poo. Sometimes the flea dirt has a red tint to it that’s your cats blood. The larva munch on organic matter like dander or dried blood and turn into pupa, this is when they get on your cat.

Most cats tolerate fleas with discomfort but other cats are super sensitive (flea allergy dermatitis) to fleas and they can get what is known has hot spots, this is where a bad flea bite has gone wrong your cat may scratch the area raw, his or her hair may fall out, and it gets progressively worse.

Indoor cats can get fleas too, fleas can sneak into the house if they are in the grass outside.

If you suspect your cat has fleas start right away to prevent an all out infestation. In the adult stage they don’t live long but they reproduce quickly. Fleas mainly come out during summer and fall months however, they can survive the winter in the pupa or larva stage.

What can be done about fleas?
One is a topical solution like Frontline Plus
Second in the line of defense are flea foggers – fleas aren’t just on your cat. The eggs may be in your bed, carpet, and couch you should use a flea fogger to rid your house of fleas.

flea fogger

Follow the directions on the can you may have to do your house 1 – 3 times while maintaining your cats flea medication to help prevent a new life cycle of fleas from developing. You may need a follow up spray after a couple months.

After the fogging make sure you vacuum thoroughly and it is recommended that you spread flea powder then vacuum again and dispose of the vacuum cleaner bag immediately in the outside trash.

Frontline Plus kills ticks too

Ticks are another blood sucking parasite that feed off the blood of your precious pet, they start out small and expand the more blood they consume. Ticks spread diseases to humans in the form of Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

An infected tick bite can cause anemia, diseases, tick paralysis in cats or dogs and then death.

Ticks are more common in the summer months when is warm and are drawn to more wooded areas, shrubs, and tall grass. The most common is the deer tick which carries Lyme disease.

If you keep your cats inside then it is less likely to see a tick however using Frontline Plus protects your pet from the 4 major types of ticks.

To help prevent ticks keep your grass mowed and always check your pets when coming into the house, they can crawl off your pet and onto you. If you find a tick on your pet be careful when removing it.

Tick Key

Tweezers are usually used however they are not the best method you  should use a tick remover that removes the entire tick. You may want to use gloves since Rocky Mountain spotted fever is transferred from the tick body itself. You can save the tick in a jar or bag or dispose then watch your pet for a couple days and check the spot if it latched on.

Frontline Plus is recommend by veterinarians to control fleas, ticks and lice

Frontline is applied once a month and kills existing fleas in than 24 hours. Frontline kills the flea eggs and larvae as well, disrupting the reproductive cycle so no new fleas can develop, in addition Frontline Plus is waterproof so if for some reason your pet gets wet or you give them a bath the medicine is still working to protect your cat against fleas and ticks. Frontline Plus is safe to use on kittens over 8 weeks old.

If you have not used Frontline Plus before it is simple to apply to your cats honestly getting it out of the foil is the hardest part! I suggest using scissors once you have the application you hold it and snap the tip down on the applicator away from your face then place the tip on your pets shoulder blades and squeeze, I also suggest doing this step as quickly as possible your cat may smell the medicine and if you don’t have a grip on them they may scoot away.

Get a Frontline Plus discount through Amazon.com one of the most trusted names on the internet.

Anyway back to the video it’s with a kitty in the bathtub chasing her/his tail while the other one is watching. I can related to this cause I like hanging out in the tub myself. While Mum is taking a bath I make her fill up a cup for me to drink out of. If she doesn’t I hang over the edge of the tub and drink out of it, makes her nervous –> Alert Touchdown New Orleans <– almost missed it, doesn’t look like it’s going to overtime.

Well back to the game here’s the video

Cat climbers come in many varieties you can buy high and low; the term the sky’s limit can refer to cat climber, ranging from a few feet high to 5 1/2 feet, higher if you go custom-built. Most are wrapped with sisal or extra strength carpet for scratching. You will find that your cat climber is made with a neutral color palette that goes with any décor.

For the truly crafty person you can build your own using pre-made cat climber plans, naturally if you build your own you can match to your taste. Another alternative would be covering the perch of your cat climber with holiday fabric for the different seasons hey, why not?

Cat climbers may include a hammock, a hiding spot, playful swinging and swiping toys and trees (climbing posts). Or for the more relaxed cat a cat condo with a sleeping hole or two will do, but your little couch cat potato may turn into a wild beast once given the opportunity to explore the nooks and crannies of fully blown kitty deluxe cat climber.

Multi-cats? Get a multi-cat climber, read the fine print, make sure the cat climber you buy supports more than one cat at a time. You don’t want your cat climber to topple over although the say cats land on their feet your plasma TV might be another story. I plan to buy a cat climber for my two cats Sonic and Bella, but I imagine Slinky the dog (who thinks he’s a cat) sneaking his way in there somehow.

Own a condo or plan to buy one? Leave a comment and let me know how your cat likes it, or what type you are considering.  You can find a cat climber at PETCO.com (hint look under cat furniture) or try the Top Pet Pics Auction