Here's my first new-cat owner question. What is safe for tick and flea prevention for an outdoor cat?

I would say anything that your veterinarian offers will be safe, for the most part. The only drawback to the collars are that cats are explorers, and they are prone to getting the collar hung up. If you do go with the collar make sure it’s a “break-away type”. Milo the Magnificent is an awesome name. Our cats are Bela Lugosi, because he is huge with long fangs, and our little kitty’s name is Lily Toes, because she is a little prancer. Cats are awesome, and I’m sure Milo the Magnificent will be the happiest cat, living at his granny’s.

We have three outdoor cats. All of them use Advantage. We don’t do anything special and they never seem to have fleas.

I would hit up the vet. They would know best about the critters in your neighborhood.

Thank you. There are waiting lists for the vets here because everyone and his brother have multiple pets. It took me two months to see a new Internist. So I may have to piggyback myself onto friends…or try to jump the queue. Either of you live in tick country?

My daughter’s dog was Bela, but named after Bela Fleck, the Hungarian jazz banjo player. Don’t ask me why. Bela Lugosi is funny. I love it.

Ive also used advantage and have one cat who is more outdoor, but indoor as well. She’s only had fleas once (thankfully) when she was a kitten. My mom and I gave her a flea bath and she went crazy!! Aw, good times. Good luck gailcalled! :)

Agreed johnpowell, Advantage is pretty common of my cat use, either that or Frontline. Both i commonly use on my 7 cats. Other then good luck, let us know if you have any other questions =]

Revolution works for fleas, ticks, and earmites but can only be bought at a veterinary office.

Revolution does indeed cover a lot of ground, but like many products that promise to do everything, it only does some things well. It’s not that good for fleas. Advantage works well for fleas but does nothing for ticks. Your best choice is going to be Frontline (some flea populations are developing resiitence, but you seem to be in a fairly rural area and I doubt you’ll have that problem). There are some newer products that have become available in the last year or so, but why go to the big guns if tried and true will work?

The overwhelming advantage of these products is that you do not see toxic side effects like you often do in the use of over-the-counter insecticides (TopSpot, for example). These products tend to work on the nervous systems of insects exclusively and do not affect mammels at all.

Apply the product to the back of Milos neck, high enough so that he cannot turn around and lick it off. It needs to be reapplied once monthly. If you have a lot of ticks in the area, you may still see some on Milo, but they will die andeventually fall (or be groomed) off.

Take care – make sure that whatever product you use is labeled for cats. There is a saying in veterinary medicine, “Cats are not small dogs”. Many products and doses that are fine for little dogs are lethal to cats.

Maybe see if you can schedule a phone call with a vet sooner, rather than a full visit with cat.

Very good advice, all, particularly Zaku. The pre-Milo-arrival phone call makes sense. My daughter, the owner, says to use Frontline.

And explain how I can groom M to remove residual ticks. And do cats get Lyme disease?

Thank you, everyone. You haven’t heard the last from me, however.

Most likely Milo will do the grooming (via tongue). If he is particularily old and stiff, or has a very long coat, he made need occasional brushing (only works on a cooperative cat). Cats are really very low maintenance, in general.

Hmm, I don’t actually know if cats can get Lymes, but I’ve only seen it in dogs (and people).

I use Frontline as well, and it works great. Apparently cats can get Lyme according to this information I found.: http://www.messybeast.com/lyme.htm

Once you decide to use Advantage (yes: this is good), you can order it online for
half what the vet would charge.
If Milo likes to be brushed: I have a wonderful brush that doesn’t look like it
makes any sense, but it’s wonderful for removing dead hair and for ecstasy production and bonding. It looks like a rubber kitty cutout, and has longish smooth prongs that appear widely spaced to do any good. It’s stupid looking, but it’s great.

Susanc is absolutely correct, you may buy Advantage online. As an extra precaution though, if you go this route, check for expiration dates on your product before administering. From experience buying online and working as a groomer in a veterinary office this problem is very common. An expired product will provide perhaps 1/2 the protection needed. And in my opinion and from what I have learned working for a veterinarian, Revolution is still my favorite because it works for those pesky earmites also, but that is only an opinion. Good luck!

@ladymerle: Oh, dear. What is an earmite?

@bulb: And what is a “break-away” collar?

@susanc: I don’t know what Milo likes since I have never been involved w. a cat. Will he let me know if he doesn’t like to be brushed? And if he groans w. pleasure, where do I find your brush? And tell me about cat groomers. So much to learn; so little time.

One that has a breaking point, usually elastic, in case they get hung-up. Since he’ll be outside most of the time, I wouldn’t use any type of collar.

It’s a collar that has a regular buckle, but contains an elastic “weak point” that will break if the cats’ weight is suspended from it (cats are notoriously good at hanging themselves).

Ear mites are an ectoparasite that cats (and dogs) can acquire. As a healthy, adult animal, you really don’t have to worry about Milo getting them (unless he starts hanging out with a truly unsavory crowd).

Cats are highly opinionated and will absolutely let you know (without prevarication) whether or not they like something that you are doing to them.

You really won’t need a cat groomer unless Milo is particularly hairy and unkempt. (Cats typically do not like to go to the groomers.)