My cat got flea spot-on, but I still see fleas. Is it working?

It usually takes 24 to 48 hours to work, however, 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 (Avecto will do) 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.

some flea treatment just don't work on every cat/flea! I advice waiting at least 10 days and the use a completely different product. Spot ons are usually the best option (revolution/advantage/advocate) make sure it's an appropriate one for kittens and a different main ingredient in it to avoid toxicity. Going to the vet for this will be the best idea. Treatment should be given every month, especially after he start going out if he does. A spray for the house to kill the fleas is very important as well as fleas can survive in carpets for ages.

Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Frontline is indeed effective. However, it may take a few days to see effect. Hopefully, it does work for Shadow. However, if no effect is observed, consider checking in with your veterinarian as other options could be attempted like Bravecto for example and even Capstar which has more of an immediate effect. Best of luck!

Hello! Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! I would not apply another dose at this time. The effipro will not work immediately, you can give a Capstar which will kill all adult fleas on Stella within 30 mins. You can purchase this at any Petco Pet supply stores. This can be given even if the pet is on a monthly preventative. Combing should not have removed the treatment as long as you are applying it correctly, directly on the skin. They put a lot of liquid in those vials, so it's impossible not to get any in the fur. If in 2 weeks you are still finding fleas, you can apply another dose of the effipro. If by next month, the fleas remain a problem you may need to consider changing to another flea preventative. I hope this helps and best of luck to you and Stella!

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’.

If you used a topical preventative and applied it soon after bathing, it won't have been as effective as it should be. These produce use the oils in the skin to spread. When you bathe a pet, these oils are stripped and you have to wait for them to build up again. Typically, it recommended to apply a topical 3 days before or 3 days after a bath or getting wet. It should then be used monthly for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round. You should also treat the environment, since most fleas live off of the pet and only hop on for feeding. Vacuum everywhere the cats have been. Discard of the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately after. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable by fabric and dry in the dryer. Use a cat safe area treatment to prevent reinfestation. An oral preventative, such as CapStar, can be given to quickly kill any adult fleas on the cats. Get it from your vet or from the local Petco.

It is labeled for use approximately every 4 weeks. If you need to use it more frequently, check with your veterinarian first. Most fleas live off the pet, necessitating the treatment of the environment as part of management. This includes vacuuming everywhere then disposing of the bag or emptying the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in the hottest water allowable. Use a cat safe area treatment to prevent reinfestation. A topical should be used for at least three consecutive months, preferably year round.