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Saturday, March 21, 2009

Dangers of Flea Powders on Kittens

This is an older article, but a must read for cat owners-----
Flea Season is Hopping Around
Friday April 25, 2008
I received a recent email from a heartbroken woman who had lost three 2-week old kittens after dusting them with flea powder. She meant well; she saw that they were covered with fleas and wanted to help them. It is too late to save those kittens, but other readers should know the facts about flea control for cats. I do not personally recommend any flea powders nor flea collars for cats, and definitely not for young kittens. Nor should any flea control product labeled for dogs ever be used on cats of any age.
In 2001, hundreds of cat owners lost their cats after using certain flea products containing either permethrin or methoprene. After hearing hundreds of specific consumer complaints, the EPA investigated the Hartz Mountain Corporation, manufacturer of a variety of pet products, including flea control products. These unnecessary deaths underscore the necessity of reading and understanding labels, not only on food products, but also on flea and tick control products.
Fleas are not only annoying, but they are nasty little critters that carry number of "hitch-hikers" such as tapeworms and the Haemobartonellosis microorganism. I'm sure you'll agree with the importance of stopping flea infestations before they occur, for your cats' comfort and your own peace of mind
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