im house sitting for 6 months for a friend.they have a cat and the house is well out in the sticks surrounded by fields. the cat reguarly is out for long periods and brings home dead stuff and eats stuff it catches too.
im not a huge cat fan but am happy to live with this feline as long as its on my terms! i dont want any flee or worm issues and dont really want dead things in the kitchen each morning either.
how do i prevent the above? are flees going to be a likely problem with it being such "wild"living cat?
cheers!

Has the house got a wheelie bin…?

Worms – You buy some worming tablets or drops and treat the cat as directed on the packet. Drops are easier to administer (on the skin on the back of the neck). You should do this whether you see any symptoms or not.

Fleas – You don't need to do anything unless there is a problem. If there is a problem, there will be an easy treatment. Look into it as and when you need it.

Dead things in the kitchen – Live with it. Turn a polythene bag inside out and scoop it up and put it in the bin.

You can't live with a cat on your terms. You are not the boss in this house.

Fleas easily dealt with! Get some spot on stuff from the vets (much better than Bob Martins etc in supermarket)

If it eats the prey it will need worming and aagin you can get some spot on stuff from the vets that will do tapeworm as well as roundworm or get some tablets and risk losing a finger or two trying to get them down it.

Not bringing stuf in I'm afraid other than keeping the door shut and checking the cat isn't carrying anything there ain't much you can do.

You could try a flee collar with a bell on it.

I don't really think that collars on cats are a good idea as they may get caught up on something.

Flea drops are an option.

If it has been de-fleaed recently it's very likely you won't have any flea problems. As the temperature cools the natural flea population will die back, and if "out in the sticks" means there are no other cats near by, then your friends' cat won't get reinfected…. cats fleas are cat specific and the cat can't catch them from other mammals, nor can cat fleas live on humans.

If the cat is eating wild mammals then it can catch worms, but that won't affect you. As far as "dead things in the kitchen each morning" is concerned, just pick them up with some kitchen roll, bin them, and wipe the floor clean.

There are two ways of dealing with fleas; Frontline, and everything else. Difference being, Frontline works.

The cat is bringing you treats to get on your good side. Praise the cat, then get the marigolds on and bin your 'present'. It should stop over time.

Whatever you do, don't go mental. The cat will just hide the bodies behind settees, round the back of kitchen cupboards, etc., and the house will begin to smell of death and decay in a very short space of time.

As for fleas. You'll need to treat the house as well as the cat. Eggs drop off when it walks about. You can get some kind of 'Shake & Vac' stuff for the carpets that does this. Bob Martin 🙁 or Frontline 😀 to treat the cat.

Cougar +1

For worms its either drops or tablets. If giving tablets you might ( depending on the cat ) need to buy a pair of gardening gloves as well. 🙂

Or a big box of plasters.

I am surprised the owners did not cover the above issues, its a bit poor they didn't.

They should also have left you the contact name and address of the local vet they use. If they have not, I suggest you track one down and keep a note of the vets day and night time numbers just in case something unexpected/major happens to the cat. Nothing worse than having to tell someone thier pet died as you could not get it to a vet in time…

>happy to live with this feline as long as its on my terms

Hahahahaha, nae chance!

+ what all the others said – frontline for fleas, but if it doesn't have loads of cat mates with fleas you'll probably be ok – worming tablets are a pita to get them to eat, get the vet to give them the tablet and you have a good excuse to go to the vet to introduce yourself

ox was spot on about the dealing with the presents, some cats (males in particular) hunt to eat cos they can (our cat kills pigeons and squirrels)
you can't just feed it loads to try and fill it's belly to dissuade it – and if/when it does kill, keep an eye out for cat spew if it eats the presents

he/she sounds like a legend 🙂

ok thanks for that.i think it could be interesting moving into "her" house, and then trying to lay down the rules…

For worms its either drops or tablets. If giving tablets you might ( depending on the cat ) need to buy a pair of gardening gloves as well.

Or a big box of plasters.

Reminds me of this:

How to give a cat a pill

Pick up cat and cradle it in the crook of your left arm as if holding a baby. Position right forefinger and thumb on either side of cat’s mouth and apply gentle pressure to cheeks while holding pill in right hand. As the cat opens its mouth, pop the pill into the mouth. Allow cat to close mouth and swallow.

Retrieve pill from floor and cat from behind sofa. Cradle cat in left arm and repeat process.

Retrieve cat from bedroom and throw soggy pill away.

Take new pill from foil wrap, cradle cat in left arm holding rear paws tightly with left hand. Force jaws open and push pill to back of mouth with right forefinger. Hold mouth shut for a count of 10.

Retrieve pill from goldfish bowl and cat from top of wardrobe. Call spouse from garden.

Kneel on floor with cat wedged firmly between knees, hold front and rear paws. Ignore low growls emitted by cat. Get spouse to hold head firmly with one hand while forcing wooden ruler into mouth. Drop pill down ruler and rub cat’s throat vigorously.

Retrieve cat from curtain rail; get another pill from foil wrap. Make note to buy new ruler and repair curtains. Carefully sweep shattered figurines and vases from hearth and set to one side for gluing later.

Wrap cat in large towel and get spouse to lie on cat with head just visible from below armpit. Put pill in end of drinking straw, force mouth open with pencil and blow down drinking straw.

Check label to make sure pill not harmful to humans, drink glass of water to take taste away. Apply Band Aid to spouse’s forearm and remove blood from carpet with cold water and soap.

Retrieve cat from neighbour’s shed. Get another pill. Place cat in cupboard and close door onto neck to leave head showing. Force mouth open with dessert spoon. Flick pill down throat with elastic band.

Fetch screwdriver from garage and put cupboard door back on hinges. Apply cold compress to cheek and check records for date of last tetanus jab. Throw away T-shirt and fetch new one from bedroom.

Ring Fire Brigade to retrieve cat from tree across road. Apologise to neighbour who crashed into fence while swerving to miss cat. Take last pill from foil wrap.

Tie cat’s front paws to rear paws with garden twine and bind tightly to leg of dining table. Find heavy duty pruning gloves from shed. Push pill into mouth followed by large piece of fillet steak. Hold head vertically and pour 2 pints of water down throat to wash pill down.

Get spouse to drive you to Casualty, sit quietly while doctor stitches finger and forearm and removes remnants of pill from right eye. Call furniture shop on way home to order new table.

Call RSPCA to collect cat and ring pet shop to see if they have any puppies.

😆

😆 @ organic355

Frontline doesn't work for our cats, we have to use Advocate which is prescription only.
Definitely get the vet to worm it too.

worming isnt really that difficult, I just split the tablet in 2 and disguise it in a squished up ball of tinned tuna fish, gets wolfed down in seconds!!