Why does my cat still have flea dirt after using flea drops?

Fleas hatch from larvae and then still grow to adult size, so you are seeing fleas of different ages. Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your pet when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae). Flea treatment:  1) Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly 2) get flea powder, put some in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum your house and furniture and also non-carpeted areas frequently to remove flea larvae and eggs which live off house dust., Dispose of the bag in the trash outside. Hot-wash all the pet's bedding, If you do this diligently for a few months you will get rid of the fleas. Flea products: Spot-ons and/or chews Advantage, Advantix Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs Simparica, Nexgard Revolution (stronghold in the UK) Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once) Collar: Seresto (ticks as well)

Hello and welcome to Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach. Until you wash her the flea-dirt will remain, as it is the poop from the fleas and won't go away without her grooming it off, or you washing it off. Giving her a bath with warm water and a tiny bit of soap (avoid any flea shampoos as you have already used good products) is a good idea. However I would wait for about a week to perform this bath as you don't want to wash the Revolution off. After you bath her, you can use the flea dirt to monitor if more adult fleas are present. If you don't bath her, which is an option, eventually she will groom it away, and this is ok. Best of luck with Cleo!

Ticks will feed until engorged then drop off and lay eggs. Fleas will also hop off and lay eggs in the environment. You can check for flea dirt with a wet cotton ball. Rub some of the "dirt" on the wet cotton ball. If rust colored streaks appear, this is flea dirt. If not, it is likely ordinary dirt, grime, dead skin cells, etc. Fleas be treated using a topical or oral preventative. Discuss options with your veterinarian. You will need to treat for at least three consecutive months, preferably year round. Treat the environment as well. Vacuum everywhere Gab has been and discard the bag outdoors. Wash all bedding in hot water and use an area treatment, such as Knockout ES, prevent reinfestation.

Hello, my name is Dr. Shines and I am happy to help. Ugh! Fleas are the worst but the good news is that you can effectively get rid of them if you use a good product and are diligent in the treatment. Here is a link about the flea life cycle: https://vcahospitals.com/know-your-pet/flea-control-in-dogs The flea life cycle can last as long as 6 months. The key to getting rid of fleas is to make sure EVERY dog and cat in the house is treated with a good flea prevention AND that this treatment lasts an entire 6 months. Your vet can give you access to the best flea products on the market. top products for cats are Revolution and Cheristan. I recommend to ask your veterinarian what they used and to continue it for a solid 6 months. Also know you will likely continue to see fleas for at least 6 weeks (assuming your product is working correctly) because of the newly emerging adult fleas. Lastly, know there is great variation in the effectiveness of topical flea products. As far as they go, for over the counter options, name brand Frontline and Advantage are your best options (but what you get from the vet is usually newer and better). I hope this helps and please feel free to reach out with any additional questions.

A flea bite can cause itching and irritation for several weeks after the fleas are controlled. The majority of a flea problem is the environment. The fleas still have to get on the cats to bite and get the medicine to die, so you can still have a flea problem without seeing fleas on the cats. IF the spots and itching persist you will need to see a vet for a culture to diagnose ring worm. To get rid of the fleas you will need to get everyone out of the house and treat the house also

This medication should kill all the fleas within two days of use. If it's not, then I would check to make sure you gave the right dose, gave it properly and did not give a bath soon after applying ( should not bathe for at-least a week after applying). If the flea you combed-out was dead, then all is good. If not, then wait a day, or two and see if there are any live ones. The medication will kill any flea that jumps on her for the next month. However, there is a concern with the fleas reproducing in the environment. Treating for fleas is not just restricted to the host, because fleas do reproduce and nest in the environment and continually cause an issue. Below is a link to a short article that explains treating the cats and environment for fleas: https://www.petcoach.co/article/5-tips-to-get-rid-of-fleas/ I hope that helps and all is well with Missy.

SIGNS OF TOXICITY All flea control products are potentially toxic or may produce unexpected side effects. Toxicity may result from accidental overdose or unexpected sensitivity. Known side effects, although rare, are vomiting, diarrhea, drooling, sluggishness, weakness, or abnormal behavior. If you suspect that your animal is reacting adversely to a flea control product, stop using the product and consult your veterinarian immediately. If the reaction occurs immediately after application, the product should be rinsed off thoroughly and the animal brought to the veterinarian for evaluation. Adverse reactions may occur from minutes to days following application. Insecticides can be toxic to people; all products should be handled carefully, avoiding direct contact as much as possible. Keep all products out of the reach of children. Cats are particularly sensitive to many pesticides. ONLY USE PRODUCTS LABELED TO BE SAFELY USED ON CATS. If you have any questions about a product’s safety, please consult your veterinarian. FLEA CONTROL IN YOUR ENVIRONMENT Immature life stages of the flea accumulate in the environment when animals with fleas serve to disperse flea eggs into the environment where they then hatch into juvenile life stages. House and yard treatments need to be concentrated on "source points", which are areas where your pets spend most of their time. This typically would include the bedding and resting areas, the feeding location, etc. You can lessen the flea burden in your home by thorough vacuuming of all source points followed by disposal of the vacuum bag and by washing all animal bedding weekly in hot water and drying at high heat for twenty minutes. Steam cleaning of rugs and carpeting +/- upholstery is also helpful. In the yard, focus on areas where your pet(s) or other animals spend most of their time. Typically, fleas survive and reproduce in shaded, moist areas with plant or organic debris (under decks, bushes, storage sheds, etc). Fleas do not survive or reproduce well in sunny, open areas of lawn or patio. Elimination of yard debris will be helpful in reducing flea numbers. You may choose to utilize a professional exterminator service for the treatment of fleas in your home and garden. REALISTIC EXPECTATIONS It is important to realize that the various anti-flea medications do not eliminate the immature forms of fleas in the environment. Thus, for the first month or so you may continue to see fleas on your pet as the juvenile forms mature and search for a new host. This does not mean that the fleas have built up resistance to the medication – in reality, flea resistance to these products is quite rare. The most common reasons for failure to control a flea problem are: 1. Frequent washing of a pet treated with a spot-on product (this includes swimming in pools, lakes or the ocean). 2. Inconsistency in the application of the product. 3. Failure to treat all pets. 4. Wildlife reservoirs of fleas (feral cats, raccoons, opossums, coyotes, etc.). Thus areas below outside decks, old sheds, etc. should be barricaded or locked to discourage such ‘visitors’.