My cat has fleas, biting, losing fur and weight. What to do?

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! George's itching can be caused by a reaction to the fleas, a secondary skin infection, ringworm, or other skin parasites such as mites. George may need antibiotics, medicated shampoo or ointments to resolve the issue completely. I recommend having her seen by her vet, who can take a sample of the affected areas to determine what is going on. I hope this helps and that all is well with you and George!

here is the list of the best flea products on the market. Spot ons: Revoulution (stronghold in the UK) Advantage Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats Tablets: Trifexis/comfortis Bravecto (ticks as well) - for dogs Collar: Seresto ( (ticks as well) House spary: Indoorex Regarding the weight loss - it may not be related to the fleas, i recommend an urgent vet visit.

I would talk with the veterinarian to see if he has a skin infection. He may need antibiotics to help also. The other thing you can talk to your vet about is a steroid injection (if he is healthy enough) to help with the itch Pepe is experiencing. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I recommend taking him to a veterinarian. If he is not on flea prevention I highly recommend using it as you may not always see fleas on cats. It looks like he has a skin infection and needs antibiotics so taking him to a vet is important. Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach

Hi, thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Poor Smokey! Smokey could be flea allergic, meaning he only needed to be bitten by a single flea and exposed to the saliva which is what flea allergic animals react to. I would still treat him for fleas since he was in the cattery. Otherwise he should see your Vet to treat him for the scabs which may consist of antibiotics and steroids. If not fleas it could be an allergy. Scab formation is common in cats with allergies. Cats metabolize medications differently than people and dogs and only veterinary approved medications should be used. I wouldn't self medicate Smokey. I wish you the best of luck and a speedy recovery!

It sounds like your cat may have some allergy issues, fleas, food allergies or something else. To get to the bottom of it, she should be seen by a vet. If you are in financial difficulty, there are ways of still getting your pet treated by a veterinarian. Ask if they take Care Credit and apply online. This is a credit card specifically for medical, dental, and veterinary expenses. Call a local animal shelter or college of veterinary medicine in your area and ask if they have a low- or no-cost veterinary care program. GiveForward and Youcaring.com are crowd funding websites that help you raise money to help take care of your pets Harley’s Hope Foundation is an organization that ensures low income pet parents and their companion or service animals remain together when issues arise. Banfield Pet Hospital has its own programs for owners that can’t afford their pet’s care. Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance (FVEAP) works with seniors, people with disabilities, people who have lost their job, good Samaritans who rescue a cat or kitten who may need financial assistance to save a beloved companion. The Feline Veterinary Emergency Assistance Program is a nonprofit 501 (c)(3) organization that provides financial assistance to cat and kitten guardians who are unable to afford veterinary services to save their companions when life-threatening illness or injury strikes. God's Creatures Ministry helps pay for veterinarian bills for those who need help. The Onyx & Breezy Foundation has many programs including helping people with medical bills. They are a good resource for information. Brown Dog Foundation provides funding to families with a sick pet that would likely respond to treatment, but due to circumstances, there is not enough money immediately available to pay. The Pet Fund and Redrover.org are great sources for help to care for your pet. The Humane Society website has many links to other organizations that help with veterinary expenses. For every flea you see on your pet, there are 100 more in the environment. Get your pet on a good topical or oral flea control through your vet. In flea control, you get what you pay for. Consider asking your vet for a dose of Capstar. It helps get the problem under control by killing the fleas on the pet starting in five minutes but only lasts for 24 hours. You need to treat your home environment. If you use a pest control service, tell them you are having a flea problem and they can adjust their treatment. Use a premise spray that also contains an IGR, insect growth regulator. This keeps eggs and larvae from maturing into adults and helps break the life cycle. Also, vacuum EVERY DAY, throwing out the bag or emptying the canister every time into an outside receptacle and spraying the contents with insecticide to kill the fleas you’ve vacuumed up. Treat your yard too, since fleas are opportunistic and will hop a ride into your home on your pant leg without you knowing it. Concentrate on areas under bushes, in the shade. Fleas are less likely to be located in open sunny areas where it gets hot. If chemicals are a problem, you can use borax. Sprinkle it into rugs, into corners and under furniture, use a broom to work it into the fibers and let it sit for hours, days even. It won't hurt you or your pet to have it present. Then vacuum it up, reapply as needed. Food grade diatomaceous earth can be gotten from a health food store and worked into the rugs and corners in the same way as borax. These treatments aren't as fast and effective as chemical insecticides but they can help. You might want to consider boarding your pet for the day at your vet, to give you the opportunity to flea bomb your house without having to worry about your pet being exposed. They can bathe your pet and give a dose of Capstar while you treat your home. Be patient, you may have to repeat these steps multiple times 10-14 days apart to help break the flea life cycle.

It sounds like Boots has an abscess from the bite wound. He needs to be examined by a vet for treatment. The abscess may need to be cleaned and flushed and then your vet can prescribe an antibiotic to treat the infection.