Fly Repellent for Cats

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Sal the 1st — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 20:42:16 GMT

I have been asking around on this one - suggestions are stronghold, advocate or ivermectin inj. See if your vet can have a chat with somebody from either of the companies. The first two ?may have a repellent effect and should stop any eggs hatching. The last not known if repellent or not but should stop anything hatching

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Calli D — Fri, 06 Jul 2018 14:49:50 GMT

Thank you all. Good to know that about the rear guard. They were definitely fly eggs and the owner could see flying buzzing around her whenever she was in view. The owner have put a dilute solution of citrus and lavender essence on the cat before I could pass on the information about essential oils in cats being verboten but no harm done. It worked too. We have since seen the cat - the cat is ancient and lounges in the garden all the time. The owner cannot keep her indoors so could only keep cleaning her off when she came in. We found no wounds, owner says motions normal and not urine stained. The vet did find a heap load of flea dirt though, which I would never have thought it but that alone will attract flys apparently. They are treating for the fleas and using a very fine spray of dilute dilute lavender solution to hopefully continue to repel the flys in this weather.

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Sal the 1st — Thu, 05 Jul 2018 07:52:40 GMT

are they definitely fly eggs and not a heavy tapeworm burden? could she bring some in ? - even if they are dry and crispy if you drop them in a little saline to hydrate and stick them under the scope. Is the cat a hunter? My old boy I lost last year was a mass murderer and I had to really be hot on his worm treatment

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Robyn — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 17:36:37 GMT

Good to know Chris, thank you!

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Chris Geddes — Tue, 03 Jul 2018 15:50:15 GMT

I can't think of anything that I'd know is safe. Synthetic pyrethroids have some repellent activity, but we all know about their toxicity in cats.

Re Rearguard - I have no idea if safe in cats, you'd have to ask a vet to check with the manufacturer (off label use can only be discussed vet to vet). But, it also is not repellent. It's an Insect Growth Regulator. So it's not going to stop flies laying eggs. It's going to stop larvae without teeth becoming larvae with teeth! Unless the problem is fly strike (as opposed to just egg laying), it's not going to help.

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Robyn — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 15:41:39 GMT

Don't suppose it would be worth phoning whoever it is that makes Rearguard and seeing if you can use it off-license in cats? Or would it be worth checking Seresto if the wee one will wear a collar? I don't know how they'd do against regular flies, but the dog version is licensed against sandfly?

I saw the essential oil advice a few months ago after that viral facebook post. As far as VPIS is concerned, toxicity via inhalation is "extremely unlikely" but it's worth being cautious with daily or heavy use.

RE: Fly Repellent for Cats

Calli D — Mon, 02 Jul 2018 12:39:19 GMT

In researching this I have come across some articles regards the toxicity of essential oils in cats which may be of interest to others. What has surprised me also is the toxicity is not just absorption through the skin but orally through essential oils used in diffusers within the home. Long but Interesting read. http://www.thelavendercat.com/images/PDF-TheLavenderCat_temp_use.pdf