Conference misery::feline_v1

    If your cats are going outside, then the guarantees won't do you any
    good, they will just bring more fleas in with them.  If you live in the
    east or where the weather gets really cold, this may not be a problem
    though.
    
    When I looked into an exterminator, it was going to cost $180 up front,
    then $80 a month for a minimum of three months.   There plan was to
    treat for three months by spraying the house and yard.  This meant that
    I had to remove all pets from the environment three times.  Too much
    money and too much hassle for me.
    
    Instead of doing that, I opted to spend $10 on vacuum bags and borax
    and do it myself.  It has worked for two years.  My cats don't go out
    but my dog does.  We keep up with the Borax and we don't have problems.
    
    Fleabusters costs about $200 I think but they guarantee the fleas will
    stay gone for a while or they will come out and do it again.  They
    cover your house in a white powder and have you leave it down for a few
    days.  The white powder they use is Borax mixed with a mild
    insecticide.
    
    For more information about fighting Fleas, check the keywords.  This
    topic has been discussed in this file in at least 50 topics to date.
    
    Jo

    what is the Borax method?
    Pat
    

    Vacuum all carpets and throw out the bag.  Then spread Borax liberally
    all over carpets, in furniture (under cushions, etc) and all over cat
    trees, etc.  Leave Borax down for three days.  Vacuum it up, throw out
    the bag.  Spread Borax down and leave for three days.  Keep repeating
    this for three weeks (life cycle of a flea takes three weeks).  In the
    meantime use a flea comb or shampoo on the cats and dogs.
    
    The Borax dessicates the flea eggs, preventing them from hatching.  It
    isn't very effective against adult fleas.  You can use a bomb in your
    house first to kill the adults, then start the Borax if you want.  I
    don't do this because I would rather not use insecticides in my house.
    
    Check the keywords, there is lots of info about flea control in this
    file.
    
    Jo

        With my 11 housecats, fleas were most definately a problem till
    I started the borax method.   Since I had an infestation of adults,
    I had to bomb first.  I used a pyrethrum based bomb. This is a natural
    insecticide made of African chrysanthemum petals.  It is safe and very
    effective.  Then I used the borax sprinkled on carpets, floors,
    cushions, etc.  and have NOT seen even ONE flea or egg since.  That was last
    summer!  And with 11 cats in the house I think that's saying a lot!
    Try it!  It's easy, cheap and safe. 
    
       Denise and the gang of 11 plus a dog now too!
    

    Denise, we started the Borax method when we got our dog two and a half
    years ago. Before that we had no dog, over a dozen indoor cats, and
    loads of fleas year round.  Since the dog and the Borax, we haven't had
    fleas.  I find this amazing.  Plus, I hate spraying insecticide on my
    cats and in my house.  So the Borax suits my needs just fine.  Glad to
    hear it works for someone else too.
    
    Jo

    We used the vet-kem method when we adopted Tabitha not knowing how
    completely infested she was w/ fleas. The way we found out was by
    trying to shampoo her ourselves. We decided that this problem was out
    of our control, and that she'd need to be seen by a vet.
    
    The vet was surprised she wasn't sick from all of the fleas she had.
    
    We have indoor cats, and opted not to use the collars, but we had
    everything else done--the dip, bombs, re-bomb, and orvitrol +. We have
    not had ANY problems w/ fleas WHATSOEVER since then. THey recommend 
    bombing & dipping once a year, and we haven't even needed to to that.
    (although we did bomb, just to be safe.)
    
    NOW.....This was all before we heard about Borax. Borax seems to be a 
    much less expensive solution, and I think that if I had it all to do
    over, I'd try the borax first. The fleas won't be any deader than they
    are w/ the vet-kem, and if it works for you, that's all that counts.
    
    If I ever  have this problem again, I'll try the borax first, but the 
    vet-kem was great stuff!
    
    Bonnie

    I will admit...that Borax did work for us too!  The only difference
    approach we took (probably took a little longer then Jo's) was
    I had a real hard time leaving it down for three days straight.
    (I just couldn't stand the mess with powder everywhere..it was 
    driving me nuts)
    
    So what we did was for just about 4 weeks straight (every other day) 
    we would put the Borax down on all carpets prior to leaving for work 
    in the AM and vacuum each night when we got home.  It stayed down 
    for approximately 9-10 hours a day!  It was a little extra work...but 
    worth it to me.
    
    On top of the borax..we also put flea collars on all cats...and
    flea combed them just about every night!
    
    Good luck!! 
    
    Sandy

    I used the vet-kem method and it worked for me.  The only thing I did
    not do was bath the cats but I did use the Ovitrol once a week on them
    but only around their necks and a stripe down their backs and their
    tails.  I did not put collars on them.
    
    I used the Siphostrol Plus carpet spray every two weeks for a total of
    three applications.  I also vacuumed every other day, always spraying
    the vacuum bag before and after vacuuming.  The cats were flea combed
    2x a day or more often if they'd let me (it depended on which cat it
    was).
    
    The key to getting rid of fleas is to break the
    egg-larvae-pre/adult-adult life cycle.  The spray will not kill the
    eggs or larvae which is why you must repeat the spraying - you have to
    kill the fleas which hatched after the previous spraying.  Also be sure
    and wash the cats' bedding and the blankets and sheets on all your beds
    the day you spray.  Be sure to vacuum all upholstered furniture,
    especially under the cushions.  Like one noter said, though, if your
    cats go outside I think the best you can do is keep a handle on it. 
    Mine are indoors so I could eradicate them but since I live in a condo
    complex I have to be really viligant because other owners let their
    animals out and they bring fleas in with them.  That's how I got the
    problem in the first place.
    
    Good luck. It is a tremendous amount of work but it is a successful
    product/program.
    
    Terry + 4
    

    We had the neighbors problems for a while too! We'd bomb, and it seemed
    like the fleas would go to the neighbors apartment (who had cats),
    they'd bomb & the fleas would come up to our place. Finally we got
    together on the project & ALL bombed at the same time. I guess the
    fleas went to the apartment between us where there are NO cats!! ;*)
    
    Because of that Orvitrol plus spray, all I have to do is LOOK at a
    spray bottle, and they're GONE! THe ***HATE HATE HATE*** that stuff!
    I only use it once a month.
    
    Bonnie

    The best time to start the Borax is when you don't have a problem,
    since it takes about 3 weeks before you notice a difference.  If you
    haven't tried it yet, why not plan on doing it in the spring, before
    flea season starts.  If you get in the habit of doing it, then you will
    have them licked before the actual flea season even begins.
    
    Once we bombed our house and I broke out in a horrible contact allergy
    rash all over my body.  I was miserable.  It was a bomb that we got
    from our vet.  Can't remember what it was.  That is one reason why I
    won't use those things anymore.
    
    Jo

Just wanted to thank everyone for their replies and summarize my findings
on professional exterminators.

     Price:  Ranged between $95.00 and $145.00 for 5-room condo/house
     Guarantees:  Most places had guarantees.  They ranged from 3-6 months.
        Some charged additional fees ($15.00) to come and re-spray 
	during the warranty period.  Most were "free" during the warranty.
     Procedures:  All places had you do the following:
	1)  Dip cats/dogs the day of the spraying
	2)  Vacuum the entire house, remove linens from bedding, pick up
		loose items from the floor.  Throw out the bag you vacuumed
		with (entirely out of the house!)
	3)  (One place asked for vacuuming again after the spray process
		was done).
	
The pros would schedule a time, spray for approx. 1 hour.  The place has to
air another hour before it's safe for humans and pets to return.

Anyways, I'm going with Dennis the Menace pest control ($95.00 and 6 mo. 
guarantee with free re-treatments during the 6 mo. period) and bath/dip/nails
by my vet $20.00/cat for a total of $135.00.  That's about the same price
as doing the Vet-kem "procedure" to get the Vet-kem guarantee and a lot less
work if you ask me!

On to battle the fleas,
Ruby

    Please let us know how you do.
    
    Bonnie