Conference misery::feline_v1

    Hold kitty by the back of the neck (kitty has enough loose skin/fur
    there so you won't hurt her. Cat's held that way generally won't
    struggle (and can't scratch you). I do it to my kitty when the
    situation warrants.
    
    Fred

    This is what I did and it worked on my very independent (and dangerous,
    I might add) Zildjian.
    
    I put an old towel on the floor and douse it with powder.  I go over
    to my cat who is standing up on all fours just looking around.  I
    wrap the towel around her and towel her for about 1 min or as long as
    she will let me.  Two things:
    
    1.  don't suffocate the cat with the towel - the power is like talc
        and you have to be careful when you do the head (which is one
         of the most important places as fleas like to lay their eggs
        around the neck and ears
    
    2.  make sure you get your kitty the first time cuz he/she will be
        on their guard after that
    
    It worked for me.  The 1 and only time that my kitty ever had fleas. 
    Don't forget to do the rugs if you have any and wherever kitty sleeps. 
    I used the spray for that (my vet provided me with it).  
    
    One other thing, while I am on the subject (I have been known to be
    long-winded).  About 2 years after Zildjian had fleas, I noticed a
    worm in her fecus.  It turned out to be tapeworm.  The vet informed me
    that the only way a cat can get tape is thru fleas.  This meant that my
    poor Zildjian had tapeworm for approx 2 years after she had fleas.  It
    really opened up my eyes.  The vet assured me that the only way you can
    detect tape is to actually see them in their bowel movement.  I felt
    bad for a long time knowing my poor baby had this stupid worm in her.
    They will not treat tapeworm unless they are sure the kitty has it. 
    Boy, I did alot of checking after that.
    
    Anna/Zildjian/Spunks
    
    

    Actually, you can detect tapeworm if you see little things that look
    like grains of rice around their back ends.  Sometimes they will shed
    these so you might check sleeping places.
    

    also, confine the cat to a small room like a bathroom with the
    door closed so they know that they can't get out! 
    Maybe instead of powder, use the spray (not aerosol) for fleas - you
    can really wet down a large area with a few squirts.  Then rub it in
    real well.  just a thought.

    I didn't like using powder because Nippa would lick it all off(or rub
    it on the nearest human bod).  I didn't like he injesting all that
    stuff and the container said something to the effect 'wash hands after
    use'  I don't remember....
    
    I have had better luck with baths - an added plus is it helps reduce
    shedding!
    
    Michele & Nippa
    

    re: .2 - they won't treat a cat for tapeworms unless they know it
    has one.  Not true.  We recently had to deal with tapeworms and
    fleas.  We know for sure that Isis and Flame had tapeworms but I
    saw no signs on any of the others.  They were treated nevertheless.
     They all had fleas.
      I recommend fleabaths.  Did the trick for us (tho I did have to
    do Flame twice)
      N
    

    Whenever I have to do grooming things to Jasper, which are definitely
    NOT on his agenda, I wait until he's in a deep sleep.  That way
    by the time he's fully awake and caring about what I am doing, I'm
    close to being done with the dreaded task.  It also helps to have
    another set of hands involved (if at all possible).
    
    Good luck,
    Karen

    
    	Have you tried a small dose of CATNIP?! That stuff can
    	cause an extremely SHARP kitty (not referring to their
    	mental condition necessarily, rather the little CLAWS
    	and FANGS) to mellow right out for you. When they are
    	all friendly and happy, bundle the your little pal up in
    	a towel that has been doused with the flea powder and
    	rub the kitty all over. Hopefully, making kitty purr
    	rather than attempting to rip the nice person to shreds.
    	I purchase my catnip from a nice health food store and keep
    	it in a glass jar. It is fresh and just the opening of
    	the jar will bring her running.
    
    	Another thing I have heard but have not tried (since moving
    	to Colorado Springs where fleas apparently do not live due
    	to our altitude) is that to sneak some garlic into kitties
    	food will make kitty an unappetizing snack item for fleas
    	and they will head for greener pastures (have some yourself 
    	too).  I suppose a side benefit here would be that you would
    	not be troubled by vampires?  *<8^}
    
    					kim and the NIPPER!
    

    No fleas! What a dream. Now the weather's getting warm here the
    fleas are out in force.
    
    Be warned: some cats get aggressive rather than mellow when they
    have a catnip "trip". See how your cat reacts (if at all).
    
    Shayne (New Zealand)

    re: .9  So That's where our warm weather went!!  Give it back!!
    
    Seems funny to me to think of December being warm and July being
    cold.
      Nancy DC

    Re: .2
    I believe cats can also get tapeworms from eating mice and other little
    rodent creatures.  Ben rarely gets fleas, but eats enough mice that
    he's wormed every 2-3 months.  The vet gives me a year's supply of worm
    pills every year at their checkups.
    
    Mary