HELP! Fleas after using Top Spot AND a flea bath!

[krankedyann]

I have an elderly cat who isn't doing well. The fleas are literally killing him. Three weeks ago we put Top Spot on both our cats. It did nothing to stop the fleas. We put it on them and left for a two week vacation, and when we got home our house was infested with fleas. Last night we gave both cats a flea bath, and this morning they're still crawling with fleas. HELP! This cat is old and in poor health and he's going to die if I can't get these fleas off of him. They're all going for him and barely touching the healthy young three year old cat.

This weekend we're going to borax the carpets. Does anyone know ANYTHING else I can do? I'm desparate.

[4evermom]

Flea eggs can stay dormant for a crazy long time. They hatch out as a result of sensing vibrations, like people walking around after coming home from vacation. So multiple treatments are needed, first to kill the live fleas, then to kill the eggs that hatch out a while later, and maybe a third time after that for the rest of the hatchlings. I don't recall their life cycle length and don't know what kind of pesticide is best, though. I used the bomb kind once years ago which was effective though not something I would recommend with kids (if you resort to this, maybe you can set them off and go away for the weekend, having someone come home early to open the place out to air)

I don't suppose you have any friends or relatives who would take the cat in, after it is deflead while you get the buggers out of the house?