# Barn Cat Flea Maintenance



## BethR (Feb 17, 2021)

The very best flea control is a product called Revolution. It comes in a small tube and you apply it to the back of their necks, where they can’t lick it off. Any flea that bites them will die within a day or two.
Assuming you can catch them to apply it, your flea problems will be history; it works like a charm.
I have nine kitties of my own, all rescued 🙂


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## BethR (Feb 17, 2021)

PS to farmpony: you have to buy this product from a vet. He/she may be able to suggest an alternative for the ferals. And bless you for providing a home for these kitties.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

I went Googling and I still don't have an answer for cats you can't catch. I thought the Internet knew everything

I think Bravecto has a cat de-flea product. If its chewable, maybe you could put it in some hamburger or roll it into a slice of lunch turkey? 

Bravecto works great for my Rottweiler whose hair is too thick for any sort of topical. I only give her the "cookie" every three months and it keeps the fleas and ticks off all year long in Middle Tennessee

I would call the vet and ask them about it, or at least if there's a chewable for the cats and then somehow make sure each cat gets what their supposed to


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

Husband says we can try the guineas. I feel like they will help (if I can keep them alive)... coyotes, foxes, etc...


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

farmpony84 said:


> Husband says we can try the guineas. I feel like they will help (if I can keep them alive)... coyotes, foxes, etc...


You will have to try and shut them up at night and it can be tough gathering up Guineas. My horse neighbor put 40 on his property when he moved onto it. Little by little they disappeared, until a year later he didn’t have any; he never replenished them.

I don’t know if they will help with fleas but I can sure attest that Guineas and chickens both do a stellar job on tick control. My neighbor’s chickens don’t even come over here and my yard tick population is close to zero


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## farmpony84 (Apr 21, 2008)

walkinthewalk said:


> You will have to try and shut them up at night and it can be tough gathering up Guineas. My horse neighbor put 40 on his property when he moved onto it. Little by little they disappeared, until a year later he didn’t have any; he never replenished them.
> 
> I don’t know if they will help with fleas but I can sure attest that Guineas and chickens both do a stellar job on tick control. My neighbor’s chickens don’t even come over here and my yard tick population is close to zero


My brother had several. He's about 25 acres from me and I used to laugh because my neighbor called them the local gang. They would spend their day at her house eating all her spiders and then come down to my house and eat bugs but they never did eat the bugs at his house. They did go back to his place at night though. He has one of those really obnoxious Australian shepherds that he does agility, barn rat (whatever its' called) and herding with. Anyhow - River would heard the guineas into their pen for him at night. The coyotes ended up getting them though and he replaced with chickens.

I would do chickens but they are so sweet (at least the ones my mom has are) that I would be really sad if the coyotes or raccoons got them. At least guineas are stupid so I'm assuming less personality so I'll be less sad if the nasties get them. I have a dog kennel that I would going to shore up and put the chicken coop inside so it would be double penning at night...


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## Danneq (Sep 18, 2020)

Try specifically looking for flea control in feral cats. I got a couple hits:

This has a section on flea control recommending a combination of Capstar and Program tablets. You do have to make sure each cat only gets one, though--don't want them double dosing. Medicating Feral Cats and Kittens

This one has a few suggestions for things that you can put down in areas where they spend the most time, such as food-grade diatomaceous earth. Fleas, Ticks, and Feral Cats: What’s Being Done? | PetMD

This one talks about "flea powder" and also says that adding brewer's yeast to their food can help because fleas don't like yeast. How to Control Fleas in Feral Cats

There's probably no way to 100% get rid of the fleas, since you can directly medicate them, but hopefully something here can help.


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

I get treating the cats, but you also need to treat the host location, aka the ground so fleas are not able to live in/on your ground.
Feral presents a problem but...if you treat the ground it might help as although feral, yours are not going as far away since the food lady comes daily to feed their bellies.
There is a product that you spread with a rotary/drop spreader that does work for many insects to knock down and kill by disrupting the breeding cycle...
I know I've bought it in Tractor Supply.
I think I also bought in larger quantity in Lowe's & Home Depot..
Ortho Home Defense took care of many nasty insects and was not expensive..
https://www.amazon.com/Ortho-Defens...ocphy=9012092&hvtargid=pla-506369932272&psc=1

Take care handling the ferals...the unknown illnesses can be very dangerous to you.
If, if you are going to attempt handling the less friendly of the cats might I strongly suggest you update your tetanus and get vaccinated for rabies before you go to touch.
Wear bite gloves and protect your face as that is where they attack to disable you to get away...
_*Beware...*
🐴... _


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## BethR (Feb 17, 2021)

Danneq said:


> Try specifically looking for flea control in feral cats. I got a couple hits:
> 
> This has a section on flea control recommending a combination of Capstar and Program tablets. You do have to make sure each cat only gets one, though--don't want them double dosing. Medicating Feral Cats and Kittens
> 
> ...


Diamtaceous earth in their bedding area is a great idea


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## avjudge (Feb 1, 2011)

walkinthewalk said:


> . . . I think Bravecto has a cat de-flea product. If its chewable, maybe you could put it in some hamburger or roll it into a slice of lunch turkey?
> 
> Bravecto works great for my Rottweiler whose hair is too thick for any sort of topical. I only give her the "cookie" every three months and it keeps the fleas and ticks off all year long in Middle Tennessee . . .


The cat version of Bravecto is a topical/spot-on, not a chewable. It's what my vet recommends, but unfortunately no easier than any other topical for the OP's ferals.


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## walkinthewalk (Jul 23, 2008)

Ack! @horselovinguy ’s post made me remember that we used to put Sevin Dust down in dog yard, for the first few years we lived here.

It DOES work. DH bought it in bulk and put it in a walk behind spreader.



https://www.cuteness.com/article/kill-fleas-sevin


.

I also used to rub into the topline and tails of my barn cats —- in case you do have a cat or two you can catch


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## horselovinguy (Oct 1, 2013)

We used Sevin product in the yard too...think that one states on the bag animal safe and friendly..
It worked was the important part for getting rid of so many creepy crawlies....but it needed reapplied often during our rainy season it just washed in.
We had fleas, the dogs were miserable and my home...not happy was I.
That stuff make the difference along with the applied stuff to the dogs..we finally got ahead of the cycle and beat them.
🐴...


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