use of household pestisides

[annie]

 Any ideas chaps?  I have a cat and I have ants (I have other house  companions too).  I need to treat my house and cat for fleas (I`'ve had a couple of bites, so I know they're here!!).  Any ideas about how I can keep my ants safe while I use pesticides, or will I have to put up with some flea bites?!!

[Deleted]

Are you going to use a spray? If so then you could move the ant farms to another room whilst you spray the room.

[Jenny]

I have had cats with fleas in the past. Ants were no problem as they are covered anyway, it's birds you have to be careful of as they are delicate with breathing as are some rodents. Fleas really need to be caught early from spring, but with vets products can be brought into control. The shop products are no good and a waste of money. If you don't treat the fleas, the cat will suffer, with other illnesses and things deteriorate.  I used the vets carpet spray, was £12 back about 5yrs ago, and because I had bathed them as kittens I was able to use Vetzyme shampoo. But most people don't go there, so next best one is Frontline, either spray or drops at the back of the neck. Frontline is sold in Pets at Home, Pampurred Pets, Online, Vets, but at the vets you need to be registered with them.

It's weird, since I have only dogs now, I have had no fleas. The vet said it was because the cats always pass fleas on to the dog.

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2014 5:33:43 GMT Jenny said:

I have had cats with fleas in the past. Ants were no problem as they are covered anyway, it's birds you have to be careful of as they are delicate with breathing as are some rodents. Fleas really need to be caught early from spring, but with vets products can be brought into control. The shop products are no good and a waste of money. If you don't treat the fleas, the cat will suffer, with other illnesses and things deteriorate.  I used the vets carpet spray, was £12 back about 5yrs ago, and because I had bathed them as kittens I was able to use Vetzyme shampoo. But most people don't go there, so next best one is Frontline, either spray or drops at the back of the neck.

It's weird, since I have only dogs now, I have had no fleas. The vet said it was because the cats always pass fleas on to the dog.

Just admit it Jenant:.... Dogs are much better then cats!

[Jenny]

I am beginning to find that out  But I haven't escaped altogether. Blessed sheep ticks, in June/July they kept getting them. I found a good tip to get them off easy and it works. Spin the tick firmly with the tip of your finger clockwise to get it dizzy, and it drops off into your fingers, without using tweezers.

[Deleted]

Cats don't have fleas!  

[Driver Ant]

Aug 21, 2014 7:42:56 GMT @myrm said:

Cats don't have fleas!  

Yes they do as our cat got covered in them. The vet said he had probably got infested from wild animals like foxes or hedgehogs. 

[Jenny]

When I used to bath the cat in insecticidal shampoo, I used to count the fleas coming off (yes I know I'm sad ) I would get no less than about 60 fleas or more each time. The flea uses the cat as a host, sucks the blood and jumps off into the carpet. Hence they love central heating, as over winter gives them ideal time to lay eggs in your carpet and round the flea cycle goes again.

I have had several cats over the years, and most of them have had bad eczema because the flea bite causes a skin allergy. Bobby our dog gets eczema, an allergic reaction to the sheep tick bite also.

So if you can treat early, your in with a  head start. (Pardon the pun )

[Deleted]

When I had a cat I used to put those drops on the back of his neck, I can't remember what they were called but it may have been Frontline. The liquid soaks into the cat's bloodstream and kills all the fleas. It was amazingly successful and I never had problems with fleas in the house after that. I put it on the cat one night and the next morning his bed had loads of dead fleas in it. Good thing about it also is because it goes on the back of the cat's neck he can't lick it all off >_<

[Deleted]

Aug 21, 2014 9:47:22 GMT @myrm said:

When I had a cat I used to put those drops on the back of his neck, I can't remember what they were called but it may have been Frontline. The liquid soaks into the cat's bloodstream and kills all the fleas. It was amazingly successful and I never had problems with fleas in the house after that. I put it on the cat one night and the next morning his bed had loads of dead fleas in it. Good thing about it also is because it goes on the back of the cat's neck he can't lick it all off >_<

Hi Myrm,

I use this for my dog 'Avocate' once a month on the back of neck for fleas as given by the Vets. 'Frontline' is also brilliant. I don't know if the store bought 'Bob Martin- Spot on' is any good. Since it's on the animals neck, there should be no threats to any ants!

[annie]

Thanks for all your ideas. I am planning on spraying the house, the kitchen where the ants live has hard flooring so I'll leave this room alone. I plan on keeping the door closed, probably for the rest of the day and try to stop people walking into the kitchen all the time treading the pesticide in. I`'ve had cats for years and I know that many are sensitive to the bites of fleas and can chew their skin raw and experience temporary hair loss too. So long as my ants are safe I`'ll be happy!

[Thebugman]

I did work experience at a vets and so I can tell you that advocate is the best treatment for fleas. Whereas Frontline is only absorbed into sweat glands, Advocate is absorbed into the bloodstream (so when the flea bites it is poisoned and dies) , meaning that Advocate will kill all of the fleas on your pet whereas Frontline will only kill the fleas where sweat glands are present, so may miss areas such as the legs. And also many fleas are also becoming immune to Frontline. I am not saying Frontline is not effective, however advocate is the better choice.

And never buy Bob Martin, it does not work.