Cat Health Advice For Getting Rid of Fleas in 10 Easy Steps

To help with this commonly asked cat health advice following is a simple 10-step program to help you know you have a flea problem and how to get rid of these pests for once and for all. 

1. Are Cat fleas really the problem? Start by grooming your cat and checking the skin for the presence of flea dirt - the black dots on the skin and flea comb that is actually flea excrement. If you don't see any fleas, other critters may be causing the itching in your house.
2. If there are fleas, completely comb your cat out with the flea comb and find all the adults you can. Remove them from the comb, dumping them into a bowl of hot water or a mix of water and bleach. That should take care of them.
3. If you wish and your cat is not adverse to it, give him a bath. Use a flea shampoo or any baby shampoo. Don't use a flea shampoo that's not made for cats; it may be too harsh for them.
4. Use a topical cat flea product like Advantage or Frontline. These are usually applied to the back of your cat's neck once a month. You can also use a flea collar, but the topical medications are usually more effective.
5. Once the cat has no fleas, it's time to get rid of them in the house, including the eggs. Start by washing all the bedding, including the cat's.
6. Thoroughly vacuum the mattresses, carpets and upholstery. Shampoo the rug and wash all the carpets.
7. Treat the furniture with an anti-flea spray that is safe for cats. Before you do this make sure the children and pets aren't in the room. Cover the aquarium too, unless you want to buy some new fish.
8. In really bad infestations, use an insecticide bomb and bomb the whole house or bring in a professional. You'll need to plan this as you need to be away from the home for several hours after bombing it.
9. Vacuum regularly for at least the next week. This should catch all the eggs.
10. Watch for the first signs of re-infestation. If the fleas return, you'll have to do this all over again.

If your cat is an outside cat then you'll need to bring in a professional to treat the whole yard. This, when combined with a topical product or a flea collar, should keep the fleas from hitching an unwelcomed ride on your cat. Hope fully this Cat Health Advice will enable your cat to live flea free from here on.

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