How to kill flea infestation without killing cats

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#2164001 20-Jan-2019 10:44

In our house they seem to jump on me first.

As soon as I notice one, the whole house gets flea bombed and then again a few days later.

I close up the house, lock the cat door after making sure they are outside, turn off the HRV and then let off one in each room of the house and go to work.

I repeat the process 2 days later.

I didnt need to do it last couple of years and we had heaps of flies as per normal in a hawkes bay summer.

But this year I flea bombed in december and immediately noticed a major decrease in flies.

The cats get their flea thing from the supermarket put on the back of their necks every 8 weeks so i was surprised to see some fleas this year.

Ray Taylor

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surfisup1000

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#2164013 20-Jan-2019 11:11

Rikkitic:

They are not feral. They would be classed as strays. Because we feed them they tend to stay near the house. If we didn't they would spread out and do far more damage to local wildlife. As pointed out above by @Fred99, people do a hell of a lot more damage to native species than cats ever will. Take your indignation somewhere else.

Regardless of why those birds disappeared, we've moved on from the days where people were allowed to indiscriminately kill native birds. And, pet cats kill a million birds a year, hardly a minor impact.

Your cats will be killing a lot of native birds, just because you don't see it doesn't mean it isn't happening. My mother lives semi rurally, and her cats catch quite a few birds (and mice).

Ideally you should have these stray cats neutered and allow the colony to die out naturally. It would mean catching them and incurring vet bills, but is the right thing to do for the protection of native birds.

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#2164018 20-Jan-2019 11:24

Rikkitic:

They are not feral. They would be classed as strays. Because we feed them they tend to stay near the house. If we didn't they would spread out and do far more damage to local wildlife. As pointed out above by @Fred99, people do a hell of a lot more damage to native species than cats ever will. Take your indignation somewhere else.

I am very surprised to see you comment like this. You are obviously a person who feels strongly about the protection of ecology and of the environment in general. I have seen you MANY times scold people in a superior manner about the fact that a particular measure (plastic bag bans) might be small, but it all contributes to the overall picture.

Bung

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#2164025 20-Jan-2019 11:48

raytaylor:
The cats get their flea thing from the supermarket put on the back of their necks every 8 weeks so i was surprised to see some fleas this year.

What is the collar designed to do? One site advised that if the cats have flea repellent collars you'll end up the target for fleas. You need the cats to be the target and be treated with something that poisons the fleas rather than deters them. Unlike pets humans can't be treated in the same way.

Not many farmers would be incurring vet bills for stray cats ;)

Rikkitic

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#2164080 20-Jan-2019 12:22

Those of you who are attacking me on this do not have all of the relevant details. You only know what I have said and you are using that as a basis for your criticisms. You are simply following the pc line birds good cats bad. The arguments are simplistic and unnuanced and I have no interest in trying to rebut them, but I will say this and then be done with it:

First, there are personal aspects to this that have to do with my stance. Because they are personal I do not wish to go into them. Accept that I have good reasons or don’t. I don’t care. But I am not brainless about this.

Second, the area I live in is full of cats living wild. The reason is because of the stupid, selfish, lazy, f-wit morons who keep dumping them out here. If you want to feel outraged about something, be outraged about that. Those cats come from somewhere.

Third, the half-dozen or so who live around my house and get fed don’t make a blind bit of difference. If I poisoned them all tomorrow and never fed another, it would have zero effect on the bird population.

Fourth, there has been talk from time to time, none of it serious as far as I know, about carrying out a cat cull. This would have to be done by the Council but it doesn’t seem to have a very high priority. Those of you who are worried about the birds, talk to your local politicians, not to me.

Fifth, I went to a lot of trouble and expense to round up all the cats in my area and have them neutered a few years ago. I did this privately. Some cats became pets. Others were just released. I continued to feed those. Over time, other cats from the area have joined them so some are now neutered, some not. It would be a nightmare to try to do this over and in a few years things would be right back to where they were. A larger scale solution is required but if the authorities can’t be bothered, neither can I. I have done my bit. I am growing older and I no longer have the stamina for something like this. As a pensioner, I cannot afford to hire people in to do it. I did it all once and that is enough. But if some of you are so concerned about it, feel free to donate. Once I have enough funds I will see what I can do.

Sixth, I love cats. I also recognise the importance of birds. There should be a place for everything. But I don’t love birds the way I love cats. I enjoy feeding them. I enjoy having them come around. If I stopped feeding them, they would suffer. They are not used to fending for themselves. They would have to eat more birds.

Seventh, I have not carried out a systematic survey of the cats’ kills, but anecdotal evidence counts for something. One of my cats, who was tame, used to bring her trophies inside every night to proudly show them off. Every night it was at least a mouse, often a large rat. Over a period of several years, there were not more than three birds, all of them sparrows. We also used to have bunnies everywhere. We never see them anymore. Those and the rodents are the victims of my cats. Of course cats will go after anything that moves, but I have never seen them with a native bird, and only with a handful of others like sparrows and swallows. I am not saying they don’t get others, but I suspect the case is overstated. In any case, our trees are full of birds and there is no lack of birdsong. They also roost all over the house and sheds, crapping everywhere. That should please the critics.

That is it. If anyone wants to continue this discussion, please start a new thread and quit hijacking this one.

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Fred99

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#2164131 20-Jan-2019 12:30

surfisup1000:

Regardless of why those birds disappeared, we've moved on from the days where people were allowed to indiscriminately kill native birds. And, pet cats kill a million birds a year, hardly a minor impact.

Indiscriminately...

This is interesting, birds and other wildlife dying from thiamine deficiency.

Over a 60-year period up to 2010, for example, worldwide seabird populations declined by approximately *70%, and globally, species are being lost 1,000 times faster than the natural rate of extinction

No answer to the cause of the thiamine deficiency yet, possibilities include changes up the food chain due to climate change, overfishing, pollution (eutrophication) or pollution (toxins), diet change due to (human) introduced species etc.

(*the article isn't claiming that thiamine deficiency is the sole reason)

Rikkitic

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#2164151 20-Jan-2019 13:11

Cats are an easy target. No deep thought required. Just aim and shoot.

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blakamin

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#2164175 20-Jan-2019 14:14

Rikkitic:

Just aim and shoot.

That's what happens to them around here.

raytaylor

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#2164177 20-Jan-2019 14:22

Bung:
raytaylor:

The cats get their flea thing from the supermarket put on the back of their necks every 8 weeks so i was surprised to see some fleas this year.

What is the collar designed to do? One site advised that if the cats have flea repellent collars you'll end up the target for fleas. You need the cats to be the target and be treated with something that poisons the fleas rather than deters them. Unlike pets humans can't be treated in the same way.

Not many farmers would be incurring vet bills for stray cats ;)

Its a little thing you squirt on the back of their neck where they cant lick it.

Our cats dont wear collars - tried that but they always seem to get out of them. With collars, you can get ones with bells on them which alert the birds. Worked well for my old cat who was a very good hunter.

Ray Taylor

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afe66

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#2164178 20-Jan-2019 14:25

If you have a reservoir fleas in form of semi wild cats, I imagine you will have a never end battle with reinfestation.

Maybe will end up having to have fleas..

networkn

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#2164185 20-Jan-2019 14:38

Rikkitic:

Second, the area I live in is full of cats living wild. The reason is because of the stupid, selfish, lazy, f-wit morons who keep dumping them out here. If you want to feel outraged about something, be outraged about that. Those cats come from somewhere.

Both deserve outrage, those dropping them out there and those making it easier for them to stay alive and breed. You can't control the first part of the equation, but you do have some over the second part.

I like cats, we have 2, lovely animals except for the plaintive meowing... It's understandable to your desire to feed cats due to your affection of them, but I don't think it's reasonable to say doing so isn't having an impact or isn't a risk to native life in your area.

Third, the half-dozen or so who live around my house and get fed don’t make a blind bit of difference. If I poisoned them all tomorrow and never fed another, it would have zero effect on the bird population.

The impact might be low, but you don't know for sure, it's almost zero chance there is zero impact though.

mudguard

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#2164188 20-Jan-2019 14:43

Is there any chance you could keep the cats out of the house? I realise that this isn't great for you pet cats. My folks a few years back had three cats, and when one of them started spraying inside the house, none of them were allowed to come inside. This was in Dunedin and there were warm places for them to sleep so they coped just fine.

Rikkitic

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#2164238 20-Jan-2019 15:19

blakamin:

That's what happens to them around here.

And how is that working out for you? Lots of bandicoots bouncing around?

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Rikkitic

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#2164241 20-Jan-2019 15:26

raytaylor:

Its a little thing you squirt on the back of their neck where they cant lick it.

Our cats dont wear collars - tried that but they always seem to get out of them. With collars, you can get ones with bells on them which alert the birds. Worked well for my old cat who was a very good hunter.

Our remaining tame cats do get the back of the neck treatment. They could be kept outdoors but we don't really want that. We might try it temporarily if we spray inside.

The other cats are not feral or wild, but they would not willingly let us approach closely enough to apply any treatment I can think of. We might be able to get a couple of them while they are eating but I have doubts. It wouldn't be easy. We could dose their food, but it would be hard to ensure that each cat got the right dosage.

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Rikkitic

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#2164243 20-Jan-2019 15:29

afe66: If you have a reservoir fleas in form of semi wild cats, I imagine you will have a never end battle with reinfestation.

Maybe will end up having to have fleas..

After several years this is the first time we have had this problem. At least to this extent. My hope is that it is temporary.

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