Indoor Cats in The Villages
 

Hi -

Question for indoor cat owners - Do you treat your indoor cat with any flea treatments? I have one indoor cat with no dogs. I have vinyl planking floor throughout home, and there is no carpet or area rugs for fleas to hide.

When I adopted my cat earlier this year, during the first vet visit, they recommended I purchase a monthly flea treatment (a few drops behind her head once a month),even though she is an indoor cat. The six month supply has been exhausted, and of course, they are recommending I refill the subscription. It’s a little pricey, and I’m not sure how much of a risk fleas are here to a cat that never goes outdoors or onto the screened lanai.

Looking for comments from other cat owners. Thanks.

I have been here 11 years and have never had to treat my cats for fleas. They are also indoor cats but do enjoy sitting on the lanai. That being said, I had a neighbor that had a cat on the lanai and the vet believes she got fleas from a squirrel at the screen. (?) Anyway...I don't get anything for my cats since they are never outside. Shots only when they were babies from the breeder, and once here when I had to take one to a vet that wouldn't treat her without a rabies shot.

You can find out if your cat has fleas by buying one of those "flea combs" (I think that is what they were called) and combing out Fluffy. It is fine-toothed enough to snag some of the fleas, which you can (barely) see on the comb.

Vets use them all the time. I thought that they were just combing the cat to be nice, but I was told that it was a way to check for fleas.

No and it's a scam that you need a vet visit and a prescription for flea and tick medication.

Also your correct why is it so dam expensive.

You can get the flea treatment drops at Petco and Petsmart. They're still expensive, something like $30 for a 1-month treatment thing (so $30 for 2 drops).

But you shouldn't be giving them treatment for a problem that doesn't exist. Do a simple test: with the cat in the bathroom, use your flea comb to comb the cat through, and set the fur it collects into the toilet. See if anything in there moves, or turns red after around a minute in the water. If it turns red, it's flea dirt, and there are definitely fleas somewhere on your cat. If it moves, it's probably fleas. That's how you know your cat needs the treatment. Tip: if your cat is long-haired and sheds a lot, be sure to flush often during this, you don't want to clog up the toilet! You can use a bucket instead, and dump the used furry water outside in the gutter.

If you are NOT using treatment for the first time in awhile, definitely do this test.

Our indoor Himalayan has fur so thick that no flea combs will work.
That said we use over the counter every month, I get from Amazon, or Costco for the best prices.

She loves the lanai and has a tall cat tree to sit on. Has never been outside, she is all 4 declawed, and wears a apple tracker harness when she is on the lanai. 2 months ago, I was spreading her fur, to put on flea applications, there was a tick dead, on her skin. For us it’s worth spending the money.

My opinion would be no, you probably don't need it, if your cat doesn't have fleas now. I had two indoor cats for 23 years & when I first got them as kittens they arrived with fleas. I treated them with a powder that I got from the Vet (it killed fleas & eggs) & after that initial treatment I never had another problem with fleas. This wasn't here in The Villages, but in my Village there are amazingly few bugs around (there are some but not many). I think it is primarily due to the pesticide use, followed by the lizards & birds which eat bugs. I don't know if you are near swamps & lots of wildlife, each village is undoubtedly different.

IMO living in Florida you will have other insect problems. To small ants, insects coming up through drains, drug in sacks and boxes from shopping. Also if have dog door will get in and around garage door due to not sealed that tight.

You can either pay for treatments or treat yourself. I find that bug bombs kill all breathing insects and controls them for around 4 or more months. If you use bug bombs follow the instructions and don’t over bomb. I also put them in attic when I do the house. Brown recuse wandering spiders don’t seem to be problem in my area down here, but was problem at my previous location.

I’m also lucky that there not many bugs in my area, hardly ever see insects around street lights at night. But they are still in rocks, grass, and landscaping.

The OP is asking about treating their CAT, not their house. Specifically for fleas, not for ants or other insects. Bug bombs will not do a darned thing for a cat, other than give them a respiratory infection.

Don’t flea’s breath air? How do know don’t already have fleas? Most people figure out by reading the instructions not leave cat inside when bug bombing. Most.

No need. I don’t even give my dog flea treatment year round anymore. I’ve never seen a flea.

My indoor cat is 15 yrs old and has never been treated for fleas nor has she had fleas.

No flea treatment required
 

2 cats and been here 5 years. They love the lanai that was enclosed with plexiglass when we bought it. We open the panes frequently for them, but we have never used flea treatments since we've been here nor do they have fleas. Not necessary.

They do recommend flea treatment for all cats, indoor or outdoor. Here is the most inexpensive one I’ve found for my cat. There’s also a flea and tick version.

We have an indoor cat and she's treated once a month .she goes I to pool area and she got fleas years ago before I started treatment.
I don't like putting on the back of the neck but it helps .My vet also told me probably from squirrels getting on the screen ,their loaded with fleas and will fall off of them onto screens.!

We have never treated our indoor cats for fleas. No issues. We have always had rescue cats, and our vet in IL didn’t recommend any shots after their baby shots as long as they were 100% house cats. We have done the same here.

It's been years since you need to get flea treatment from a vet. No prescription is necessary.

Flea/Tick/Intestinal drops
 

You can buy flea/tick drops anywhere. You don’t need a prescription. However, my cats, who have been on the lanai only and never set foot on grass, have to have prescription drops that include medicine against intestinal parasites. One of my cats had black stools and I had the vet check it out. It was blood. She couldn’t figure it out at first because she knew they never stepped on grass. BUT, Tawny is the mighty huntress and often catches geckos/lizards on the lanai. She doesn’t eat them, but you know how they lose their tails. The vet said she probably got the hookworms from that. You have to have prescription drops for the ones that include internal parasites. They are pretty expensive, except if you are a member and get them from Sam’s. The plus membership price for prescriptions is less expensive than the regular membership. Still not dirt cheap, but much less expensive than ordering from a vet. Sam’s also sells prescriptions for dogs.

We have seen two different vets - both recommended Revolution Plus for Kittens for Heartworm disease and fleas. The vet the first one directed us to sold this product at $98. We bought it from Allivet for $77 for a three month supply which would have cost $59 if we were on automatic renewal. The wife would rather be overly protective than have a problem.

SWMBO uses the flea drops on the cat because she says she read somewhere that there are mites the bug the cats.

Fleas are annoying but the heartworm disease (that is prevented with the Revolution topical medication) is the life threatening problem she is trying to avoid.

https://todaysveterinarypractice.com...-from-fiction/

and indoor-only cats are certainly at risk

Heartworm infection in cats: 50 cases (1985-1997) - PubMed

Different people have different risk tolerances and financial concerns and the risks aren't large, but her recommendation was correct.

Joe

I had a problem several years ago after I left the windows open. I sprinkle Borateem or 20 Muleteem borax on their bedding & around the room. Repeat after 10 days. Been using this successfully for 40 years.

Looking at Chewy most of the more notable brands still require a prescription. I don't know how effective the non prescription medications are but it's good to see it comes in a chewable form now.

Also if you have rocks around your house you're less likely to have fleas around.

Indoor Cats
 

No! You do not need to treat your cat for fleas! My husband and I have lived in Florida for over 20 years, all of which time we've had cats in our family. Our cats have always been indoor cats that also had a cat door that led to a screened in lanai. Not once have any of the cats had fleas or any other transmittable disease. Dogs on leashes are exposed to 100's of times more germs and viruses than indoor cats! Years ago I lost a kitten from a Vet that injected the kitten with excessive amounts of vaccines all at the same time and it died. Be careful!

I had a similar experience years ago - a vet pushed a rabies shot on my indoor cat - saying “what if a rabid rodent” gets in your house and bites your cat - like that’s gonna happen - my cat swelled up , had to rush to ER, and was on life support and almost died from a reaction to the vax - now, I only get kitten shots for my indoor cat - no annual vaxes.

I would pass on it. At the moment we are without a cat, unfortunately. But when we had cats they went on the lanai and never picked up a flea. This was in SE FL too and was over a 20 year span. I believe the vet is just trying to make extra money for something that is needless. Why put chemicals on your pet if you don't have to.

Google Dr. Karen Becker and flea treatment. She has an article(s) about flea protection and helps to determine how to decide which is best for your pet and you.

The thing about flea prevention medicine is that it is poison. We had seven cats down through the years. They were indoor, with the occasional escape into the front yard. Some were longhair. You check for fleas by putting the comb up next to the skin (part the fur with your fingers and you can get to the skin), preferably down near the base of the tail, and flick it backwards, against the direction of hair growth, for an inch.
We never gave them flea medicine nor got them yearly vaccines after their initial vaccines. They all lived into their late teens, and one lived to be 20.
Our dogs are a different story--flea, heartworm, the yearly works. They go to the dog park and on walks. I must say none of them made it into their late teens. Maybe our current one will because she's only 35 pounds.

I already commented but this just rubs me the wrong way.

Over 20 years ago I worked as a receptionist for a vet in Boynton Beach, Florida. I was shocked and saddened to find out that he really didn't have much love for animals and didn't like people either. He would determine the plan of care for pets not by what was best for the pet and discussing it with the owner but the one that would be the most profitable for him. I finally quit working there.

If business was slow for him he would tell us in the reception area that if anyone called with concerns over their pet to tell them to bring Fluffy or Fido in that day. Even if it wasn't necessary.

But there are caring, knowledgeable and compassionate vets out there. We had one vet for 15 years. We moved out of the area. One of our dogs who the vet had cared for since we got her at 8 weeks old became very ill and was at the end of her life. She was 11 years old. We hadn't found a new vet yet and I had concerns over our girls health and her response to the meds she was on. I called them on a Friday afternoon. That night one of the vets called back at 7 pm and apologized for not getting back to me sooner. He was very concerned about our girl and spent time on the phone with me so he could help her. He didn't charge us for this. He knew we wouldn't be going back again because we lived to far away. He had his own family and pets that he could have been spending time with that night when he called us. But he took his own time to call and check on our dog.

Been here 13+ years w/o any flea issue
 

My cat's vet offered to give a stronger treatment than what you can get at Petco. I declined. First off, my cat doesn't have fleas anymore. Second, it's because Advantage II took care of them just fine. The vet said theirs lasts longer. I don't care. I don't need it to last longer. I only need it to last until the fleas she had were dead. If she gets fleas again, I'll start a new treatment. One month at a time is plenty enough for me.

Same, after the initial vaccine I never give my cat any yearly vaccines.

Most Vets are very good at playing off people's emotions for their pet for profits.

The only time I ever gave my cats their rabies vaccine were when I had to bring them to the vet for some other reason. And then, the rabies was because it was required by law, she wasn't allowed to leave the vet's office without the rabies shot.

I added the distemper this year, because apparently it's more common in indoor cats in Florida than it is in Connecticut. And my current cat already has some weird upper respiratory issue (we're pretty sure it's environmental allergies), and distemper could cause a very quick, very unpleasant, and very lethal downward spiral for her if she caught it.

If her respiratory system was 100% perfect, I wouldn't have given her the distemper shot either. Just the rabies, and only because it's required by law.

Speaking of rabies shots, this happened just last night…wife and I were watching the 6pm news having a glass of wine when all of a sudden a bat (okay, I’m a guy and we tent to exaggerate) a giant bat with an 8” wing-span flew through the kitchen and into the living room, dive bombing my head! I screamed like a girl, “Ahhhhhh!” as my wife said, grab the cat and open the front door!

After another circle around the interior of our home, the thing headed for the stairs, that was her fatal mistake because our cat, Ginger-the-rescue cat, was watching…she went up the stairs, took flight and caught the damn thing in her clutches! She brought it to the living room where it escaped under our end table. After securing the cat in the bathroom, I grabbed a towel and tossed it over the vermin. Sliding a magazine under the towel and with my wife opening the front door, I tossed it outside. It hit the pavers, hopped around a bit and then took flight. With our adrenaline flowing, we released the cat and gave her some treats for her bravery…..on Friday we are taking her to the vet just to make sure her shots are up to date.

Clinton – Freeport, ME

Read post #21 to learn why she recommended monthly Revolution.

Joe

Rabies vaccines are the law in Florida just like speeding is the law in Florida. The vet has no authority to hold your cat hostage as you could've wanted to go to a different bet for the vaccine.

The lady who runs Sumter Co. animal shelter told me you don't really have to give the rabies vaccine but if your cat gets out and gets rabies they will euthanize it.

Cats do have an immune system and it has been documented that sometimes these vaccines compromise their immune systems.

Although I am thinking about the chewable flea and tick only because I play a lot of golf and walk through a lot of grass and would hate to bring a flea or tick home with me.

This plus rabies being 100% fatal seems like a good reason to consider staying current on rabies vaccination.

First of all, I live in Lake County, so what someone says is the law in Sumter County has no bearing on my situation at all. Second, what some lady who runs an animal shelter, who is neither a lawyer, an employee of the Department of Health, nor a veterinarian, has no bearing on my situation at all. Third, we all pick and choose which laws we'll obey and which laws we'll risk breaking.

I wasn't willing to have a debate with a veterinarian on the merits of vaccinating my cat. They said without proof of recent vaccination, they'd be required to vaccinate her. I could've brought her to a different vet instead. But why would I want to waste hours and hours of phone calls and waiting for people to answer voice mails, when I could just obey the law and get it done?

You can't just make an appointment with a vet who tells you in advance that your cat MUST be vaccinated, and then tell the vet you refuse to let her give your cat the shot after showing up at their office. The vet will just tell you - "we won't treat your cat then, see ya" and show you the door. And your cat will still need to get all its teeth pulled, and will still be in pain.

You are completely right. Most veterinarians won't knowingly treat an animal that is not current on rabies. This is because if an unvaccinated animal bites a human then it needs to be quarantined for 10 days in a state approved quarantine facility.

So here is the scenario....a person doesn't want to vaccinate and the veterinarian, trying to be accommodating, agrees to see the pet. The animal is frightened because it never leave the house, freaks out, and bites one of the clinic staff. Now the veterinarian must, by law, report the bite. The county gets involved and, again by law, quarantines the cat for 10 days. The county charges the owner the cost of the quarantine. And they vaccinate the cat at the end of the quarantine.

Does the owner say "gee doc, thanks for trying, I understand completely, this was my decision, I appreciate you trying to help me" ? Or do they throw a complete hissy fit, yell at the doctor and staff and put up a bunch of crap on social media? I can tell you from personal experience, it's the latter.

So that is the long explanation why your doctor requires rabies vaccination. I hope the background info helps :)

Joe

"The lady who runs Sumter Co. animal shelter told me you don't really have to give the rabies vaccine but if your cat gets out and gets rabies they will euthanize it."

Had to repost this. Just cracks me up.

It's a long read but very informative and the vet herself does not give her cats rabies vaccines and especially not every year.

Vaccines for Cats: We Need to Stop Overvaccinating