maybe this is another reason why I hate vampires

[thehefner]

Every day, for the past few days, I've found at least two-three ticks on my cat. So goddamned gross, creepy, and unsettling. We haven't had ticks for eight years, not like this, anyway.

The only reason I can imagine for this sudden infestation is that our neighbors' backyard has become hugely overgrown and wild in the year since they moved out to begin major renovations. That untamed yard of high grasses has become my cat's favorite skulking ground, and it's right next to the dog yard, too.

Tweezers are really hit-and-miss, and if the head gets torn off, it's impossible to get the fucking thing out. I hear tell they make tick-tweezers, but where the hell can I get them? Dunno if there's a PetsMart anywhere in the area. Hrmm.

Any good over-the-counter tick medications? Or should we just bite the bullet and take him to the vet? Getting him in the box is an ordeal in of itself. Trust me, you do not know the sound of anguished misery until you hear a caged cat riding in a car.

Every day, there are more. None found on my person yet, thankfully, and may it stay that way. This is entirely too gross.

Comments

[chickenhat.livejournal.com]

Frontline Topspot OR Advantage will do it, BUT they're both something you'll need to pick up from the vet. Not sure if you need a prescription for it, so...

Call your vet to 1. see if you need the prescription and 2. see if they have it on hand.

[lariel.livejournal.com]

Or you can just order the stuff off the internet. I've done that; I guess it means you don't need a prescription (I use Frontline for the dog)

[lariel.livejournal.com]

The vet probably won't make you take him in to get the stuff. Unless the cat is overdue for shots or something, and then they might try to blackmail you into getting them. Or they might not.

[wondermojz.livejournal.com]

FYI those products from sites where you can get them without a prescription may be knock-offs and may not work. Reputable sites require a prescription. Bright side - many veterinarians make house calls.

Ticks aren't a major problem for cats - more of an annoyance. But there are other parasites that do carry diseases harmful to cats, so getting some kind of product on board is always a good idea.

Also, if your cat is roaming outside with out a recent rabies shot, that's against the law, anyway.

Bite the bullet. Call the vet.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Right right right. Will do.

But yeah, they're up to date with rabies shots. They damn well better be, what with the raccoons and foxes and evil twin doppelganger cats.

[deliapuppeh.livejournal.com]

S'one reason, if I ever get a cat, that it's going to be an indoor cat.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

All good, if you're cool with boxes of shit in your house. I hate the damn litter box, and the little gritty bits all over my carpets.

They almost seem like more trouble than they're worth... but on the other hand, KITTEHS!!!!!!1!

[deliapuppeh.livejournal.com]

We had two kittens for a little bit, and we don't have any carpets. We already get chinchilla shit everywhere, but they're little sterile pellets that seem to come from their food straight through their system pretty much completely intact.

[heleneotroy.livejournal.com]

I cannot say this loud enough:
KEEP YOUR CATS INDOORS!
The world is a dangerous place. With cars, trucks, and large animals around, ticks are the least of your worries.

[thehefner.livejournal.com]

Sorry, they refuse to be indoors. I gave up trying a long time ago.

And besides, we have large dogs. Large dogs that live indoors. Large dogs that killed one of my cats. I am not leaving them in the same house unattended ever again, and I can't keep them locked up in seperate rooms, because it'll drive the tenants bonkers with yowling and barking from claustrophobic, restless animals.

So yeah. They want to be outdoor cats, and in all my years, it's never been a problem. Doesn't mean it won't be, but this is the way it works in our menagerie of a household.

[wondermojz.livejournal.com]

s'ok - you have to balance the whole quality of life thing. If they're miserable indoors, what difference does it make that you've added a few years?