Zodiac Pet Products I used the spot on flea control on my cat and it nearly killed him! Schaumburg Illinois

thank you for the additional information ... from someone who has obviously been there. We checked and double checked that the instructions were followed but there was nothing specified with respect to weight,etc ... just that a kitten must be at least 12 weeks old.

Best wishes. D.

It's a terrible thing when innocent pets are harmed, either in this manner or via neglect of any kind.

I went through something similar a couple of years back. the problem was, my spouse had bought the DOG version of the product (Hartz One_Spot Flea Control) and applied it. My poor cat was whacked right out for most of the day, but returned to normal in the evening... So, one of the previous posters has a point in that regard. Not saying that the OP mixed them up, but it's a good thing to make sure you're using the right med for the right animal.

During my time working in an animal hospital, even if you were using the right stuff, you had to be very, VERY careful with the application. Firstly, many of these types of products actually work by introducing poison through the derma (skin) to taint the animal's blood to the point where it'll kill the ticks/fleas, but not kill the animal.

Needless to say, it's a VERY fine balancing act; too little, it's ineffective, too much, and you get the side effects you experienced. Be sure that you weigh the animal correctly, as the dosages of this type of pesticide are often administered by weight... So don't just go putting a great, big gob of the stuff on your pet's neck willy-nilly. An effective method of weighing is to weigh yourself on a bathroom scale, then pick up your pet and weigh together, subtract the difference and you have a good window for application.

Application area is important too. Make SURE the pesticide (because that IS what it is), is high up on the back of the scruff of the neck to nullify the chance of your cat licking the medicated area directly or getting it on his/her paws when he/she does a head grooming. Don't let it drip down the neck to a point where it can be accessed by the cat grooming itself. Control of the substance is very important. Make sure to work the stuff in well to the application area, remove any excess liquid and whenever possible, wear rubber gloves and wash your hands well afterwards. Be sure and have a flea comb to remove dead and dying pests from your cat too. For the first while, as they die, they'll move like mad and make your cat want to scratch/bathe more often.

These simple steps may help others avoid this type of terror in the future. It's not iron clad, but sometimes it's the little details we overlook that make the difference.

Be warned - this product is dangerous! My daughter used it on her 3 cats... then went to work. When she came home 2 were in grand mal seizures, the 3rd was big enough that we think he'll be okay. There was nothing the vet could do. There is no doubt that she used the right product and followed the directions properly.

So far Zodiac appears to be reasonable in looking into the problem. They've taken a hair sample of the cat that survived and we have demanded restitution for the vet bill and the value of the cats but we'll see what happens. My daughter is devasted at the loss. It was a horrible thing to see - especially for the children.

I have also used Zodiac to great effect. I also read the directions and warnings on the bottle. Just because something is over the counter or non-prescription does NOT make it completely safe, ESPECIALLY when used incorrectly.

I have never owned a cat in recent memory but I DO have quite a few dogs and I have found ZODIAC works wonders in flea,tick and vermin control.

BUT I ALSO KNOW THAT YOU CAN ABSOLUTELY NOT USE PRODUCTS THAT ARE FORMULATED FOR DOGS ON CATS1 THIS IS TRUE OF FLEA COLLARS AND SOME MEDICATIONS AND EVEN SOME PET FOOD.

HOW CLOSE DID YOU READ THE LABEL ON THE SHAMPOO BEFORE YOU USED IT ON YOUR CAT?

THERE SHOULD BE SOMETHING ON THE LABEL INDICATING THAT IT IS FOR DOGS OR THAT PRODUCT USE IS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR CATS OR OTHER ANIMALS...SOME SORT OF INDICATION.

YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO CAREFUL WHEN IT COMES TO THE HEALTH OF OUR BELOVED PETS!