WTF
Molly the Cat’s fur on her back has started to thin. It’s been happening for the last few days. I looked up what it could be and finally settled on stress. I assumed it was because she is frightened of the big blue exercise ball in the living room. Molly, who is not scared of anything and whose main pleasure in life is to hover over and taunt poor big cat Miles, is disarmed by a big inflated piece of plastic. Granted, the ball is about ten times her size. If that thing rolls around, she’s under the bed in no time.
So, I thought it was stress. I’d read in one of my many books about cats, with their frightening photos of cat diseases, that emotional stress can cause compulsive over-grooming, which causes baldness, or that it could be the affects of changing hormones. I was still worried, but there didn’t seem to be anything else that would cause the alopecia.
To my dismay I began to notice this morning that Molly was scratching herself more than usual, which can only mean one thing. Fleas.
Sure enough, when I lifted up her belly to examine it, I saw a flea flitter across her soft, white fur.
Damn! Fleas!
Where the hell did she get fleas? The poor girl isn’t allowed outside, so the fleas must have come in to get her. Luckily I had a tube of Advantage in stock, so I quickly administered it. Just to be safe, I checked Miles and saw a flea running across his tummy.
Damn! Fleas!
I ran out of medicine, so I just ordered a new batch.
The presence of fleas just makes me feel so powerless. I have to live with the fact that my cats are always going to be vulnerable, no matter how much I try to keep them safe.
Advantage is the best medicine on the market for fleas, so I know she’ll be happy in no time, and as soon as the new medicine comes, so will Miles. He hasn’t even started scratching, so I’m happy about that. I just hate that nagging feeling that I’ve failed in some way. That I’m a bad parent.
daily life, pets | sighclub November 19, 2005
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By Gunnella, November 20, 2005 @ 5:29 pm
uck and poor Molly!! I had my own shock when a month back I was stroking my daughter … and to my dismay saw scuttling there in her hair… all was cleaned and combed and washed in a mere day but it still gives me the creeps
By robin, November 21, 2005 @ 1:25 pm
i live in fear of the childhood equivalent of fleas – lice! we just had a case in morgan’s school, and i went out and got him a nice short shorn cut to be on the safe side. i’m keeping my fingers crossed.
By Kathleen, November 22, 2005 @ 9:03 pm
We had fleas for the first time this summer too – and I don’t let the cats out either. What is weird is that you’re having them now – because fleas aren’t supposed to be active when it’s cold out. It took me about three months of advantage to actually get rid of all traces of them which was oh so annoying. I figure I brought them home from the house of someone I used to work with whose outdoor cat ending up having them. I was so pissed.
By JIm, November 29, 2005 @ 3:45 pm
Yea, they call fleas the Santa Barbara itch. Being that we got our first 30 degree weather last night the little buggers have been invadng the house in droves. I caught running up my arm last night. Time to bust out the advantage. Sorry Cats!
By lisa, November 30, 2005 @ 11:03 pm
It’s not your fault. I always feel itchy when that happens.