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Flea treatment and cats

Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
in The potting shed
I seem to have acquired at youngish cat. He officially lives 2 doors down ( not the best of households ).  His owner thinks it is acceptable to put down a dish of dried food, leave a small window open and disappear for a week....even during the lockdowns. I started giving him a small pouch of cat food each day and have now been 'adopted'.

As he wanders in and out of our house all the time I was wondering if I could give him a flea treatment. Giving it to him wouldn't be a problem as we can pick him up and cuddle him without any problem and he jumps up onto our laps all the time.

I doubt if he has ever been treated at 'home', but would it be dangerous for me to treat him if he has?

Many thanks

West Yorkshire
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Posts

  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    Ok thanks PF
    West Yorkshire
  • februarysgirlfebruarysgirl Posts: 835
    We give our cat a flea treatment every couple of months (in theory, we sometimes forget). It's just a couple of drops on his neck but he's an absolute sod to get it on as he's not wild about being picked up and if you try to hold him still, he keeps wriggling. If left, fleas can lead to other problems. Ours needed to have surgery a while back and he had his pre op bloods done only to find that he was slightly anaemic because of the fleas (although we didn't think he had much of a problem) so they wouldn't go ahead with the operation. Gave him a flea treatment and when they checked his bloods a couple of weeks later it was all fine.

    We were also adopted from a neighbour a couple of doors down. Soft touch here had been letting him in and he'd stay all day so I thought I'd get him some treats. Treats developed into cat biscuits and one day I saw my neighbour and asked if he was still going home but he wasn't. He'd decided to move in 😆 Turns out that he was her daughter's cat and when she moved out, she didn't take him with her. My neighbour has two terriers so it's possible that with the daughter gone, he wasn't getting as much attention so moved in with the two suckers who made him the centre of attention. Can't complain though (although he has had some expensive health issues), he spends about 80% of the day asleep on the bed so he's not much trouble at all.
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I’m on my 14th cat now, always treated for fleas and worms, you can buy the flea treatment the vet sells for a lot cheaper on the net,  he will probably need a wormer if he’s been left out a lot.  It’s all part of the cycle. 
    Best way is to put him on the table, put your arm the length of his body so you press him to the table, he can’t get up to scratch you. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Pauline 7Pauline 7 Posts: 2,246
    edited July 2021
    Thanks 

    I was wondering about worming too
    West Yorkshire
  • ObelixxObelixx Posts: 30,090
    I do our pair every couple of months too, and the dogs.   Most flea treatments also deal with ticks which are even worse than fleas and worming is essential too.

    We too buy the products online now.  Much cheaper.
    Vendée - 20kms from Atlantic coast.
    "The price good men (and women) pay for indifference to public affairs is to be ruled by evil men (and women)."
    Plato
  • LynLyn Posts: 23,190
    I think you can buy a Spot-On wormer but I’ve always used the ‘pin them to the table’  tablet method.
    lift the heard with the arm/hand that’s pinning him down, tablet in with the other hand then hold his head upward so his neck’s stretched and stroke his throat until he swallows. 
    I could show photos if it would help. 
    Gardening on the wild, windy west side of Dartmoor. 

  • Pete.8Pete.8 Posts: 11,340
    I agree @pansyface
    Maybe the cat is already being regularly treated with flea and worm treatments.
    I get both for my dog from the vet in chocolate-flavoured tablet form - needless to say I have no problems with her taking them.
    But as pansy says, there's no way you should start giving someone else's cat medical treatments - that would be totally out of order, despite your best intentions.
    Is it something you could casually drop into a conversation with the owner and take it from there?
    Great that you and your visitor have become such firm friends :)

    Billericay - Essex

    Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
    Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
  • BenCottoBenCotto Posts: 4,718
    Isn’t there a big problem with flea treatment and water courses? I believe it is very toxic to aquatic life. I don’t know how the flea treatment gets into ponds and streams but somehow it does with very negative effects. Just a cautionary word, especially for dog owners administering flea ointment. Turkish vans too, I suppose, as they like water (the cats not the vehicles).
    Rutland, England
  • fidgetbonesfidgetbones Posts: 17,618
    This one has been trying to adopt us. It turns out that his humans live about 200 yards away, he has a sister and they also have a poodle that he seems to have fallen out with.  He settles on a patio chair(with cushion) to sleep. We have an arrangement that if they haven't seen him for a couple of days, I take him to the back fence and hand him over  he eats and sleeps for a couple of days then comes back.  He follows me around the garden like a dog. He eats a lot of mice and got worms which I noticed because he likes to show me his bottom. I let them know and they wormed him.

  • philippasmith2philippasmith2 Posts: 3,742
    @fidgetbones You DID let him in didn't you ?  :D
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