Disregard. I found this on the Frontline web site:

Q. I washed my pet the day after I applied, do I now have to reapply?

A. No worries! FRONTLINE Gold remains effective for 30 days, even if your pet swims or is bathed. After application, just keep your pet from getting wet for 24 hours. If FRONTLINE Gold is to be applied after a bath, make sure your pet is completely dry before application.

The surfactants in Dawn will strip whatever protection was left. You should call your vet before proceeding with reapplication.

Hi, mama. I did talk to the vet and they told me to call Frontline; I found the above on their website so didn't call. I'm not going to reapply until it's due next months.

Thanks for the info in the link, SaltiDawg. The good news is that I don't bathe my cats; this is the first time and it's because of the fleas. And I use a good quality dog shampoo for my dogs.

I have a dog and have tried different flea treatments--finally resorted to strong oral medication. Yet, I still found fleas on him. The vet told me that it is not uncommon to find live fleas after treatment--it means that the whole house and yard may be infested and need to be treated,

Nannygoat posted what I was going to post. Frontline kills the fleas that get on your pet. It does not repel fleas. You need to treat the yard. Frontline is absorbed into the coat and circulated in the bloodstream. The fleas bites the cat and gets a dose of flea poison. You cannot wash it off after it has soaked in. It will keep killing any fleas for 30 days. If you take the cat outside, you will see more fleas on the cat where new ones from the yard jump on the cat. I would treat the yard and keep the cat inside for a week or so. Fleas are carried to your yard by squirrels, possums, raccoons, ect.

You can get a flea comb at the pet store and use that to pull fleas out of the coat. My cat doesn't have fleas, but he LOVES the comb.

I understand all that's been posted; thank you. I have a couple of flea combs and I understand (now) about Frontline being absorbed. I understand that it doesn't repel fleas but kills them. I have woods all around my house so I know that there are fleas there. This is the first time ever that I've found any in the house.

As far as my using Dawn (this one time), I read on a vet page on the internet to do that (and I KNOW that just because it's on the internet doesn't mean it's true ... often just the opposite). I also know that Dawn is commonly used by animal welfare groups to bathe grease/oil covered animals.

I am also now treating the house. Things are under control, but I know that fleas and/or larvae can survive for long periods so will continue with appropriate flea treatments.

Thanks again, all. I really appreciate your taking the time to respond.

Dawn is used on animals that were involved in an oil spill its the last resort to save the animial. Highly unlikely a one time bath in it will cause lasting problems but with the surfactant system in Dawn it will also strip all natural body oils which could cause skin issues if its used as a normal routine bath. The reason Dawn will kill fleas and a normal non flea shampoo won't is do to Dawns surfactants removing the protective water proof covering over the flea allowing water to than enter the fleas lungs.

If your using a good flea treatment yet doggie still has fleas do as mentioned above treat the home....it can greatly help if you must use Dawn do it the day before flea treatment ...and only if dog is loaded in fleas and scratching so much its causing skin breakdown which can lead to infection.

Excuse me! I said bloodstream, I should of said oil glands. It IS absorbed and cannot be washed off. That is why it is such a problem when you use dog frontline on a cat.

Q.How does FRONTLINE Gold kill fleas and ticks?

A.FRONTLINE Gold has 3 secret weapons: fipronil, to take out adult fleas and ticks AND (S)-methoprene and pyriproxyfen to kill the next generation of flea eggs and larvae before they can develop into adult fleas. Once FRONTLINE Gold is applied, fipronil stores itself in the oil glands in your pet's skin. It then works continuously for 1 month as it is released from the hair follicles onto the skin and coat.

Sigh. I regret that my post caused such strife. In the meantime, my pets are now all flea free. I'm treating the house and checking the wee ones daily and will continue the process.