Had a look online at different products that are supposed to rid cats of fleas, and I've been reading that some products (mainly Bob martin branded) may have adverse side effects on cats. The spot on treatment and flea collars seem to be harmful to some people's cats, has anyone here had any experience of this?

I know its the internet but it seems a weird thing for people to make up, if these claims are true then it's rather scary.

For now I've been using Frontline (on my cats) and flea spray and its looks to be working ok.

Some people say Frontline is no longer effective, but if it works for you...

My vet prescribes Advocate for my cat. Pinning her down to administer it is another thing altogether

(You need one hand to hold the cat and two to take the cap off and break the seal. I only have two in total. )

Unless they have fleas, no need to treat IMHO

They had fleas but not anymore
The Bob martin products apparently are highly toxic, I've read that some peoples pets have died because of the spot on stuff.

I wouldn't use Bob Martin stuff, not because it's likely to kill an animal but because it is likely to be less effective than something that can be prescribed by a vet so I wouldn't waste my money. I don't believe that the Bob Martin products are any more dangerous than other chemicals. There will always be some animals that react badly to any chemical.

Perhaps people who are reluctant to pay for vet prescribed products are less careful in the application and frequency of use of pet shop products and overdose their animals leading to problems and to these scare stories. And perhaps big pharma pepetuates the alleged bad news.

Frontline Combi still works for us - and for ticks too, which is important here - but we're probably the only people regularly treating our cats in this area so any resistance to the active ingredient is going to take longer to build up than in a town, for eg, where Frontline is used a lot.

But advocate and other spot-ons prevent flea infestation, killing the fleas as soon as they hop on to the cat, and hence should be used monthly because it's much better to prevent fleas than to have to treat them. Once a cat has fleas the fleas get transmitted to the home environment, bedding, soft furnishings etc and I understand they can be a nightmare to get rid of (plus very costly). Also, very unpleasant for the poor cat.

I've never had that problem and don't intend to so shall continue to use preventative measures to ensure my cats remain healthy and happy. I certainly don't want fleas in my home environment.

I agree that it's very difficult to apply the treatment. As soon as my Bernard hears the crinkling of the blister pack he's off - and all 3 of my cats get very offended at having to endure what they consider to be an unpleasant and unwelcome sensation.

Some time ago, I used Bob Martins and it caused my cat to foam at the mouth.

I don't use them, but both my cats are combed thoroughly each day, and the occasion flea I come across is killed. My house isn't infested, and my cats are very happy and very healthy.

Noooo... we have just had a weekend of boiling anything washable and indorex spraying the entire flat, please always prevent rather than treat ! We usually use the preventives but decided to wait until Elsie was a bit older but too late realised fleas don't care if she is only 4 months they came in their droves !

Vet prescribed a tablet version that kills ticks and fleas, next time we will get the one that deals with worms too just one tablet every 3 months it isn't worth not preventing IMO

You are supposed to squirt it on the back of their neck, not down their throat.

We all take some degrees of risk with our cats but flea prevention is so easy and straightforward (if a little costly) - if you can get the cat to stay still for a few seconds while applying!

One flea can be responsible for up to 500 eggs over the course of just a few weeks, the fleas lay in batches of up to 18 eggs at a time. These eggs can lay hidden in soft furnishings until they hatch, leading to a flea infestation in the home. I've read this forum for enough years to know that this does actually happen to many people...........

I suppose those who've never had a flea problem are lulled into a false sense of security until a problem actually arises. I've never had a problem myself and only ever saw a few fleas on my late Tabitha, once, years ago, when she was just a kitten. That one occasion alone led me to keeping up with preventative treatment for her and my subsequent cats.

Prevention is always better than cure, within reason, in my opinion, though we should obviously be free to prioritise what is necessary and what works best for us. I use a flea comb too but mainly to keep fur knot free and I don't have time to use one every day because my cats aren't always at home when I arrive home from work late. The flea or fleas would already have laid eggs by the time I got round to combing and, to be honest, I don't like seeing fleas, at all, in the same way that I don't like seeing head lice or scabies in humans!

I am not taking a 'risk' with my cats, thank you. It has nothing to do with cost, nor the ability to apply. They are wormed regulary throughout the year using the spot - on method. They are now 13 years old, so to me, combing has proved to be an effective method, reducing the need for unnecessary chemicals.

It's still a risk though no matter how you look at it, when my dogs get older we don't vaccinate but we have to recognise it's a risk.

The frontline doesn't seem very effective on our Leo. he's very scratchy still and OH has been bitten.
@Marellak he tries to do a runner every time I get the scissors out of the drawer, never mind the rustle of the packet

Am anxiously awaiting delivery from amazon of a flea trap as I don't want to spray around our snake

No, it isn't. Combing is obviously effective, and seemingly, more so than some products.

Only if you can absolutely say you have dodged the bullet so to speak, and no way of telling what the flea situation is like in your area. My dogs managed to get cat fleas, didn't occur to us the cats here could bring that problem into our flat, means some one here has fleas but ask all the cat owners and they will say not them.

Yes, I can. Hand on heart. I have always got the comb on the table next to my chair, each time they come and sit with me, I give them a quick once over also. I am fortunate that from being tiny kittens, they loved being combed, as they get lots of strokes and fuss at the same time

So you're at home all day every day What if they go and lie on a carpet or rug or another armchair and the flea bounces off to lay eggs and then bounces back again before the cats go anywhere near you?

I think most cats like being combed but I personally would actually hate to have to comb out living fleas, yuk I'd rather a flea didn't get to 'grab hold' of any of my cats at all. Advocate kills them on contact.

Anyway, each to their own. We all take risks, as I said earlier. I certainly take some risks with my cats (they go outdoors and wear collars), we decide for ourselves the best course of action for our own cats.

Muze stated earlier that flea treatment was unnecessary unless cats actually had fleas. I felt compelled to refute this as flea infestations are horrible for cats, really uncomfortable - it is bad advice coming from a poster who seems to have issues with cats in general.

I don't deflea my cat regularly does that make me a bad owner or taking risks She doesn't have fleas and hasn't for as long as I can remember. She has skin allergies so I am constantly checking her fur/skin to see if that has flared up again and whether she is pulling it out so it's not as if I am blindly ignoring them.

No, of course I am not, but what I am doing is obviously working, as neither my home, nor my cats, are infested with fleas.

That's not true, prevention is ALWAYS better than cure every time.

To those using frontline and Bob Martins, stop and get proper stuff from your vet, as frontline doesn't work and BM's is just rubbish, none of their products actually work, much better to spend a little more on something that does the job properly.

My cats both came back from the cattery earlier this month with a few fleas on them (I know because I've been bitten) treated them both with advocate and they're all gone now.

I knew they were likely to come back with some fleas, so I left it so they were due a re-treatment after I got back from holidays.

As for popping the top off the advocate, I do that before I get anywhere near the cats, so I have both hands free, one to hold the cat and part the hair, and another to squeeze it out. As long as you keep it upright, it doesn't squirt out.

I know many of you will be sceptical but I've found Billy No Mates has worked really well on our dog and it is suitable for cats too. Our dog used to be constantly scratching and picking up skin complaints partly from fleas and mites but her hair and skin are so much better since using this product and I haven't seen a flee on her.

Can't do any harm to give it a try.

Billy No Mates - can you give me more info?

Of course!

http://www.myitchydog.co.uk/billy-no...-for-dogs.html

With our dog we drop it onto their food each day. I'm honestly amazed at how well it works I only tried it because Bob Martin was recommended by our local pet store and completely failed. I was also told by the dogs previous owner that Frontline didn't work either so I was running out of options. It does smell funny and apparantly some pets don't like the taste so if your cat is a really fussy eater they might turn their nose up at it but it might be worth a go.