Where Do The Fleas Come From
Although dogs and cats do pick up hitch hiker fleas when they go for walks, most of the fleas come from your own property where the animal lies or digs etc. 95% of fleas are the juvenile forms and are not actually on the animal. The eggs are very slippery and fall out of the coat readily they then hatch to larvae, and then pupate and then hatch to adults who jump back onto the animal.
Some flea products are designed to kill adults on the animal whilst others actively prevent fleas from developing or the eggs from hatching. If you have a bad flea problem, or a very sensitive animal, you may need to treat both the animal and the environment .
Adopting My First Pet
As I ventured out on my own and bought my first house I decided to get a dog and he lived right up until our son was born in 2014.
I adopted him from a lady who was no longer able to care for him any longer and it wasnt until the end where the vet bills started piling up.
He lived a good old life but looking back I would most certainly do more like a pet owner in terms of pet budgeting.
Although he may have cost us about $3000 in vet bills before he passed away had we not saved that money we would have been in a financial bind.
How Much Do Cats’ Toys Cost
Herring believes cat owners should always factor cat toys into their budget, “as they’re very important for keeping our furry friends stimulated.”
Doron Wolffberg, Founder at All About Cats agrees, noting how toys can range in cost depending on what your cat is most interested in.
She told Newsweek: “If you don’t have enough money to lavish your cat with fine foods and gifts, please don’t think that you’re a bad cat guardian.
“Almost everyone can afford a cat and can afford to raise them well.”
Embrace Pet Insurance suggests the cost can range from $5 per toy to $40 depending on the size and quality.
They said: “As for more enriching toys, such as scratching trees or cat condos, these range from anywhere between $30 to $200 for higher quality products.”
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What Happens If I Dont Get My Pet Vaccinated
Your pet will be at higher risk for contagious diseases, illness, and even death if they do not receive vaccines for preventable conditions. Vaccination also can reduce the severity of illness if your pet gets sick.
There are local and state laws regarding pet vaccination. Proof of current vaccination is often needed to get a license for your animal. Some states may require a pet to be vaccinated each year for rabies.
How Much Does Cat Food Cost
Experts at Embrace Pet Insurance suggests the cost of keeping your bundle of fur’s belly full can can vary widely, depending on several factors.
The told Newsweek: “The average cost of cat food can range between $10 to $40 per month. Some factors that can cause the food to be cheaper or more expensive include brand, type, special needs, or additional treats.
“Depending on the type of treats, these extra goodies can cost an additional $10-$50 per year. Some factors that can affect the average cost include brand, type, and quality of the kibble.
“If we are looking at the monthly cost of a four-pound bag of food then basic, dry kibble is most affordable â ranging from $5-$15/month.
“Premium, high-quality kibble increases to approximately $10-$20 per month. Canned, or wet, cat food is typically the most expensive ranging between $20-$40 per month.
“Other factors such as prescription diets, specific brands, or amount of food needed can cause these figures to fluctuate.”
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Frontline Spot On For Cats: The Best Efficient Flea Treatment
Price: £13 for three pipettes, £30 for six pipettes, £38 for 12 pipettes |
Whether fleas have taken up residence on your cat or youre keen to protect them from an infestation, this easy spot-on treatment is ideal. Itll kill fleas in 24 hours, ticks in 48 and even biting lice as well as making sure they dont come back. While its not suitable for very young kittens, its safe for pregnant and nursing cats, plus this pack comes with an ebook detailing everything you need to know about keeping fleas and ticks at bay. The pipettes are easily applied too: simply squeeze onto the base of your pets skull and just above the shoulder blades, let it dry and youre good to go.
Key specs Pack size: 3, 6 or 12 x 0.5ml pipettes Frequency of use: Monthly Type: Spot-on Suitable for: Cats older than 8 weeks and weighing more than 1kg
Flea Shampoos Are Unnecessary
“Nowadays, flea shampoos are rarely if ever needed because the topical and oral flea products are much more effective and safer,” Sawyer said. “For flea-infested animals, we typically give a fast-acting oral product such as nitenpyram and follow with a bath in Dawn dish detergent or another mild cat shampoo. You can use a flea comb to assist in removing dead fleas and flea dirt .”
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Flea And Tick Prevention
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Bravecto 1 Month Tablet Flea/Tick Prevention $20
Bravecto Plus FOR CATS Flea/Tick/Heartworm Preventative for 2 months. All sizes only $39!
Provecta Flea/Tick Preventative & Mosquito Repellent Monthly topical Very effective, safe and inexpensive! $14/dose
Selarid & Provecta Monthly topical flea/tick preventatives Starting at only $12!
How Often Do Cats Need Shots And Other Preventative Treatments
I received an interesting question in the comments section on a Catster post I wrote about Advantage II flea medication: Do indoor-only cats need to be as heavily medicated or vaccinated as indoor/outdoor cats? I understand that I may bring fleas into my house, so I am okay with using something like Revolution, but do really need to be vaccinated for rabies every year or get booster shots? I cant wrap my head around this. I dont think I can bring rabies home, and there is a lot of conflicting information out there about booster shots. This question is a very good one. And it touches upon the ultimate unanswered million-dollar question of veterinary medicine: How often do cats need shots and other preventative treatments?
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Costs Of Cat Food And Supplies
When we owned our dog we used coupons any chance we could to buy his pet food as he wasnt on any special diet.
Buying cat food from the vet may be recommended for your cat or perhaps you want to feed your cat high-quality cat food.
The choice may or may not be yours but always ask about rewards programs, discounts and whether pet coupons are available.
As Dana Lynn points out below she often finds buying cat food in the United States is far cheaper than buying it in Canada.
Dana Lynn
- Litter, 18kg bag costs $9 and lasts 6 weeks, so approx. $78/year.
- One time purchase of cat litter box, approx. $20.
- Food, we buy Royal Canin Indoor Adult cat food, 15 lb bag costs $84 and lasts 6 months, so $168/year.
Recently we found the same food across the border in Bellingham, Wa for less.
We live in Surrey, B.C. so its close for us.) for $45 USD, so with exchange the same 15 lb bag costs approx. $60 CAD, which is a savings of $24 for us.
It is strange that this cat food brand is made in Canada, but is cheaper to purchase in the U.S.?
Weve had our cat for 10 years, and luckily weve had minimal vet costs.
Maybe $400 total over 10 years for shots, check ups etc.
We got our cat from the Surrey SPCA, current adoption fees for kittens includes spaying/neutering and costs $244.
We paid a less 10 years ago, so fees have increased over the years.
- Total yearly cost for our cat between food and litter: $246.
- If food is purchased in the U.S. total yearly cost is: $198.
What Are The Risks Of Vaccination
There are very few risks to vaccination. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you on specific details concerning your pet. You may notice your cat has a temporary loss of appetite or is less lively a day or two after a vaccination, but this should resolve within 24-48 hours. Very few cats may be allergic to one or more components of the vaccine and have more serious side effects such as difficulty in breathing, vomiting or diarrhea. If these signs occur, contact your veterinarian immediately.
“You may notice your cat has a temporary loss of appetite or is less lively a day or two after a vaccination, but this should resolve within 24-48 hours.”
A rare form of soft tissue sarcoma known as vaccine-associated or injection-sitefibrosarcoma has been associated with a reaction to vaccine components or medication in a very small number of genetically susceptible cats. This association is controversial, and studies are in progress to investigate whether the association is real. The benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh these small risks in most situations .
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Costs Of Owning A Cat
There are both monthly costs and financial risks involved when owning a cat.
Owning a pet is a big financial risk and you must be prepared for the unexpected whether you have an indoor cat or an outdoor cat.
This is where I asked my Facebook readers to help me out because I knew they would have the answers we were looking for.
If you are contemplating adopting a cat or taking on a stray its important you consider various costs involved.
Perhaps you are already straining to make ends meet and your budget is tight but you might be able to fit some cat food in, dont do it.
Its not fair to the cat.
Owning a pet means you need to have a budget category for pets and a pet fund where you save up for emergencies throughout the year.
Alicia Dutka
We budget a certain amount every year per pet to cover
- Annual checkup
- Medications
- Unexpected visits to the vet
We divide it into a monthly amount that gets transferred beginning of each month into a savings account earmarked Pet Fund.
You can treat your pet fund as a projected expense where you calculate estimated yearly costs and divide it monthly and save it in the bank.
When you need the money you wont have to scramble for it because youll have it. Some years you might not use all of your pet funds but thats ok because the following year you might need it all.
The key is to have a pet fund for those times where an emergency vet visit arises and they tell you what it will cost to help fix your family pet.
What Is The Difference Between The Various Types Of Vaccine
There are three major types of vaccine:
1. Modified live vaccines. These vaccines contain live organisms that are weakened or genetically modified so that they will not produce disease but will multiply in the cat’s body. Live vaccines induce a stronger, longer lasting immunity than inactivated vaccines. It is not advisable to use modified live vaccines in pregnant queens or cats whose immune system is not working properly , or other diseases).
2. Killed vaccines. These vaccines are prepared using actual organisms or genetically modified organisms that have been killed by various treatments. On their own, they do not give as high a level of protection as the live, replicating type of vaccine, so killed vaccines may have an adjuvant to make the immune response stronger.
3. Subunit vaccines. These are more commonly called recombinant-DNA vaccines. These are vaccines in which the infectious organism has been broken apart and only certain parts are included in the vaccine.
“Some vaccines are intranasal but the majority are given by injection.”
Many vaccines come as combinations, so that protection against more than one disease is achieved in a single injection or administration. Some vaccines are intranasal , but the majority are given by injection. Your veterinarian will advise you on the most appropriate vaccines for your cat.
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How To Buy The Best Cat Flea Treatment For You
How can I tell if my cat has fleas?
A fine-toothed flea comb is a handy tool for investigating, although it wont get rid of them completely. Comb your cats fur while theyre on a clean, pale surface and see if you can spot any fleas or small black specks, which may be flea faecal matter. Check if it is by placing it on damp cotton wool itll dissolve to a reddish-brown colour. Alternatively, place it within a folded piece of paper and press down if its flea faeces, itll have tiny blood-red flecks.
If you suspect your pet has fleas, youll need to treat your home as well. A room fogger or household flea spray used on bedding, floors and along skirting, followed by thorough vacuuming, should effectively evict any unwelcome houseguests.
What types of cat flea treatments are available?
All treatments will need to be used regularly to maintain protection against fleas.
Flea collars are impregnated with an insecticide that kills fleas and prevents their return. The insecticide used is commonly permethrin. It is worth noting that while this chemical is considered safe as part of a cat collar, it must not be used as a spot-on treatment. These products may be safe for dogs, but the chemical is poisonous to cats and can be deadly.
How much should I spend?
Oral Flea Control Products For Cats
Oral flea control products are also available. Nitenpyram is good for heavy flea infestation. A single oral dose of nitenpyram will kill all of the adult fleas on a cat. It has no residual effect, however. Spinosad is an oral formulation that kills 100 percent of adult fleas on a cat by 24 hours after administration. Spinosad has residual effect it continues to kill adult fleas for 30 days before the next oral is required.
Lufenuron is an insect growth regulator. It works by interfering with the growth and development of fleas but has no effect on adult fleas. It is given orally once a month however, an injectable form is available that is effective for six months. When a female flea ingests blood from a cat treated with lufenuron, the eggs she produces will be infertile.
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Which Are The Most Important Vaccinations To Have
The answer to this difficult question depends on individual circumstances, including the area you live in and the lifestyle of your cat.
“Certain vaccines are more routinely given and are regarded as core vaccines.”
As mentioned, certain vaccines are more routinely given and are regarded as core vaccines. Others may or may not be advised, depending on the particular situation of your cat. Your veterinarian will be able to advise you of the most appropriate vaccination schedule for your cat. The following is a list of disease that affect cats:
Feline panleukopenia infection . This is an uncommon disease today because of widespread vaccination, but the risk remains widespread. When disease occurs, it is a severe and often fatal gastroenteritis , with profound depression, dehydration, and collapse . It is very contagious to other cats. Vaccination provides a high level of long lasting protection.
Feline infectious peritonitis . FIP is caused by a coronavirus. Infection with coronavirus is common, but development of FIP is less common. We do not understand why some infections lead to fatal disease whereas the majority of infections cause only minor illness . Vaccines may be advised in some high-risk situations.
More About Fleas And Your Cat
Fleas are small, wingless insects that, despite their inability to fly, can travel huge distances by jumping. To survive fleas must feast on warm blood, and they arent fussy most household pets can be bitten by fleas, and sadly humans are also at risk too.
Did you know there are over 2000 species of flea? There are only two that commonly cause problems here in the UK though cat fleas and dog fleas. Most of the flea infestation we see are cat fleas, but as both species can bite any warm-blooded family members and arent actually species specific, in reality it doesnt matter which species of flea is in your home.
Signs of a flea infestation include:
The best way to keep fleas at bay is to treat your cat regularly with a good quality flea treatment.
There are a number of different options, but not all of them may be suitable for your cat, so you should check with a Vets4Pets vet as we will be able to give you the most appropriate advice for your pet. You should never use a dog flea treatment on your cat, as they can contain permethrin which is extremely toxic to cats and can result in death. Always make sure you are applying an appropriate cat product.
Although the summer is the most common time to see fleas, vets also see peaks in flea populations in winter, when central heating tends to warm up houses. This means that flea protection should be given year round, not just seasonally.
If you have an adult cat, you can start any time just ask your local Vets4Pets vet.
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