char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
I know that this has been discussed before; but I can't find the threads.
We have a cat that refuses to be an indoor cat. One that is indoor.
We use frontline, but my husband and I are concerned about reinfection.
This cat snuggled with my daughter for a yr and has helped her through the worst of her treatment. She is furious (15) that we even brought it up.
Some say doesn't matter if you are being treated..even our llmd said that(not in relation to the cat) but in our discussion of "lyme is everywhere" What if we get reinfected with a tick that gives us a co-infection that we have not yet been gifted with? What about when we, Lord willing, have completed our treatment.
We are not up to the dilegence of daily tick checks, barring increased dicipline and energy.
I don't like Frontline for the animal, also.. we found ticks using it. I believe the ticks may hitch a ride into the house, and once they get through the fur and close enough to the skin to detect the frontline - they can drop off.
I use the oil base bugrepel (or can make your own from concentrate) and rub it into skin and fur every AM. And we do a tick check at the door regardless.
I still avoid letting him out in the late Spring when the nymps are out -- I worry they are just too small to see, so I cannot be sure this repellant works on them. I think it would as it works on adults, mosquitoes, fleas, ect.. but just don't want to take any chances.
Mo
Posts: 8337 | From the other shore | Registered: Jul 2002
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WildCondor
Unregistered
posted
Maybe you can do what I do with my cat. I have one that goes outdoors all summer long, and we bring her in all winter. Once we let her out, she stays out, and we have a screen porch she stays on with her food and perch etc. When she first comes in the porch, I use a lint roller brush all over her fur. Luckily she is very white so any ticks are easily seen. Spend the time to check your cat every time it comes in the house. I actually have a large doghouse outside for her if she is ever caught in the rain. She has a flap with her food in there and water.
Just be super cautious about checking the cat. Get a magnifying glass to inspect the fur and especially the ears! I wouldn't get rid of the cat, it means too much to your daughter. Cats are healing, wonderful animals. Just make sure there are house rules, when it comes in, it must be checked immediately!
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5dana8
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 7935
posted
hey Char
maybe you could try some natural tip repellents listed above.
Also I give my dogs garlic powder sprinkled on their food. Garlic can help repell to a certain extent.
I use frontline too. But also notice they tend to hitchhike on the top of the fur into the house. I look them over careful.
We have an outdoor indoor cat too. He lives out doors durning the day and comes in a "large dog crate" at dusk in our work shop at night.
It's large enough to house a litter box and water and food. I am so careful though in petting him durning the day for fear of any ticks hitchhiking on his fur. He's all black.
I like the idea of wild condors about the lint roller.
I don't know what to say about your situation and your young one, I understand your concenrn.
Take care and hope you can find a way to keep your kitty and keep your family safe too.
-------------------- 5dana8 Posts: 4432 | From some where over the rainbow | Registered: Sep 2005
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Thanks everyone. Good ideas.
Mo- So you are not finding ticks anymore now that you are using the bugrepel or the thing you said?
posted
The smell is of various herbal essential oils.
It's not that strong IMO, soaks into your skin.
Char, no -- I don't see ticks on the dog or cat when I use the oil base on them every AM, and sometimes do refresher spritzes with the water base. The thing is everyone in the house needs to know they cannot go out until treated. When they go out without it, there are almost always ticks (or fleas) on them.
However, my cat is a deep woods hunter, so I do not trust the nymph season, only because I know I cannot see them if they are there. If he passes through a nest of nymphs, they can pick up hundreds, and some may stick to the skin around the eyes and places the oil is not present.
I would imagine they would also repel -- but I don't take the chance.
A tape roller is a good idea in addition, IMO.
I use the oil on my skin and I spray the outside of my pants -- I walk through the feild here to check the blue bird boxes -- and I have never seen a tick on me when I do this.
Mo
[ 06. June 2006, 12:20 PM: Message edited by: Mo ]
Posts: 8337 | From the other shore | Registered: Jul 2002
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char
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 8315
posted
Thanks to all-we have a plan.
We will find a home for our indoor cat as she is highly nervous. She worries and pines every time our male cat does his tough guy ladies man wandering.
She is really high maintenence and we can't give her what she needs(demands) and handle tick issue with the other kitty.
Will use Wild Condor's suggestion to have him outdoors in summer, especially until we move out of the woods here.
And we will get the bugrepel and be vigilant with that when he does come back in. He would make a good barn cat other than the encouragement he brings to the kids here.
I am so looking forward to less litter to deal with! Sounds silly but the humans here need a lot of TLC!
My husband and I-whole fam are so relieved to have plan we all feel good about.
2roads
Frequent Contributor (1K+ posts)
Member # 4409
posted
Hi Char,
It sounds like everyone has given you some things to try on your cat.
I have to say that when I read your most recent post about ticks in your daughters room, I asked myself if you had any pets. Then I went further back in the postings to read and found your question about your cat.
I was a real heartbreaker. I made my daughter part with both our indoor and outdoor cat. Both cats had a reaccurent choking cough despite antibiotics, and both kids were PCR pos for bart.
In addition, I was worried about the ticks that hitched rides right up to our stoop. My son was bit playing in the driveway. I did not want him in the yard after I realised I lived in an endemic area....I moved later.
I tried frontline on the outside cat, and he was still carying the ticks. Basically, I also did not want to touch him to apply the repellant.
I started bringing him in, in the winter only, and letting him out the other months (he always escaped out the door). I would bathe him with medicine and then isolate him from us for a few days before mainstreaming him in the house. But, he drank from the same bowl as the indoor cat, spreading disease, and after awhile it was more stress than I wanted to deal with.
Perhaps you could replace your cat with another one that only knows the indoors. We gave are cats to a facility that was required to find a home for them, not euthenize them. You could get a kitty and raise him in your home for your daughter to love, and have one less worry. That's just me. I do know when things are hard on the kids, it hurts to take this away.
I don't agree with already being on meds so let the cat stay. There are so many coinfects, and yada yada yada.
Try that Bugrepel, I know I'm gonna for the kids. If things slip through, then atleast you know you did your best, and you can make changes with a better conscience.
All the best-
2 Roads Posts: 2214 | From West Chester, PA | Registered: Aug 2003
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