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You are here: Home / Kitty Wisdom / Help Special Needs Kitty Tiny Timmy Beat Fleas, Naturally! Support His Indiegogo Campaign

Help Special Needs Kitty Tiny Timmy Beat Fleas, Naturally! Support His Indiegogo Campaign

May 6, 2014 By: Sparkle Cat46 Comments

This is my look when I am addressing a serious issue!

Today I am going to tell you about something I have been very passionate about for a very, very long time, but have not spoken about until today. Do you know that sitting on the shelves at your local drugstores, Walmarts and other low-budget retail stores, there are cheap flea products that have harmed and even killed cats and dogs? Why these poisonous products are still being sold is anyone’s guess because for many years, there has been a grass roots effort to get them banned. People have even traveled to the Environmental Protection Agency’s offices to complain about these products, but so far, they are still available.

Why haven’t I written about this battle? Because in spite of all the efforts to get rid of these dangerous, pesticide-laden flea products, there hasn’t been a dedicated movement working hard to come up with an alternative — something that didn’t use toxic ingredients, including natural ones, or essential oils that aren’t good for us cats (we are especially sensitive to these). I didn’t want to just post photos of cats suffering the ill effects of these products when I had no answer. But finally someone — who has been directly impacted by dangerous over-the-counter flea products — is doing something great to come up with alternatives.

Meet Tiny Timmy… and his human.

Tiny Timmy was rescued from people that dosed him with one of these awful flea medications. He almost did not survive, but with a lot of care and a lot of love, he lived. Not unscathed, however. Timmy is permanently neurologically damaged from his encounter with the flea medicine. This does not stop him from enjoying life and being a happy kitty, but imagine what his life might have been like if this had not happened to him in the first place. You can read all of Timmy’s story here.

Timmy’s human decided it was time to take matters into her own hands and come up with an anti-flea product that would kill fleas, but not harm cats, dogs, or the children who might want to cuddle or play with them. Her first product is called Dirty Flea Soap, and in addition to getting rid of fleas naturally, it’s also good for the skin problems that come with flea infestation: dry, itchy skin, hot spots and the like. This rich soap is gluten-free, sustainable and has no GMOs. It is a wonderful product… but it is just the beginning!

Tiny Timmy’s human currently has an Indiegogo campaign to broaden her vision. At first, all she wanted was to sell enough bars of this soap to be able to donate some to rescues. Well, it was very successful — over 1,000 bars got donated! But now it’s time to turn this effort into a real business, with all the paperwork that requires. Plus, she wants to improve the base soap recipe to make it even more environmentally friendly. She also wants to create new products, such as a spray and liquid soap. All this requires money, hence the Indiegogo campaign. Here is the video for the campaign:

If you can’t see the above video, you can see it on their Indiegogo page.

The good news is that so far Tiny Timmy and his human have raised over $3,000! The bad news is that their goal is $8,900 — and there are only 6 days before the end of their campaign. With Indiegogo, they will get the money, even if they don’t reach their goal… but Indiegogo takes a significantly bigger percentage of the money if the campaign falls short! So can you please spread the word about this very worthy effort everywhere you can? And if you can afford to, chip in some money — there are many different levels and some really great perks! I want to see Timmy hit and maybe even surpass his goal!

Visit Timmy’s Indiegogo campaign here to find out all the details — and contribute!

Just to let you know, neither Timmy nor his human asked me to post about their Indiegogo campaign. In fact, I don’t even know them and they didn’t know I was posting about it. I just want to help them because I really believe in what they are doing.

* * *
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Comments

  1. Timmy Tomcat says

    May 10, 2014 at 8:17 am

    Thanks Sparkle. We have been supporting Tiny Timmy and his campaign!

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 10, 2014 at 5:04 pm

      Thanks Timmy! I think everyone should be named Timmy, at least for one day a year. What do you think??

      Reply
  2. deb says

    May 10, 2014 at 6:11 am

    Thank you so much, Sparkle, for helping to get the word out about Timmy’s Dirty Flea Soap and the IndieGoGo campaign! 😉

    Reply
  3. The Florida Furkids says

    May 7, 2014 at 8:18 pm

    We just read Timmy’s whole story on FB. We knew what had caused his problems but not the whole, heartbreaking story. We’re purring that they reach their goal.

    The Florida Furkids

    Reply
  4. leslie palleria says

    May 7, 2014 at 1:08 pm

    Thank you so much for sharing this video and very important cause

    Reply
  5. Mandy says

    May 7, 2014 at 1:06 pm

    Way to go, Sparkle, for talking about such an important issue!! <3 to Tiny Timmy!

    Reply
  6. speedyrabbit says

    May 7, 2014 at 9:29 am

    Have shared Sparkle,xx Speedy

    Reply
  7. Kathy Romaine says

    May 7, 2014 at 7:04 am

    Thank you so much for helping this worthy campaign. I’ve followed Timmy for a while now and have spoken several times to his mom, Claudia. He is such a trooper. And Claudia has done a huge job spreading the word. They’re trying to help all the pets. Let’s help them.

    Reply
  8. Maria Appleby says

    May 7, 2014 at 4:17 am

    Awesome article! Thank you so much for helping Timmy! We believe in him, and his wonderful (and safe!) flea soap!

    Reply
  9. The Kitties of Purring Pines says

    May 7, 2014 at 2:22 am

    Wow! They’re doing good work!

    Reply
  10. Kjelle Bus aka Charlie Rascal says

    May 7, 2014 at 12:24 am

    Me and my mom-person hope they reach their goal too !
    Grreat that you help spread the word about TT and his Dirty Flea Soap campaign !!

    XOXO

    Reply
  11. Janice Holladay says

    May 6, 2014 at 11:20 pm

    😛 Timmy’s cause means the world to me. I had dogs have a bad reaction to the OTC products. I also lost my beloved rabbit, Blue, to these types of products many years ago. I’ve supported Timmy and his peep for years. Very passionate and committed. Thank you for covering this launch. This gives people a choice and does such good. I’m gonna love this product. And, how cool will it be to walk past the shelves and see the little soap that could competing with the big boys? Knowing I helped that happen is going to be awesome.

    Reply
  12. Cary Hillman says

    May 6, 2014 at 9:33 pm

    Thank you for sharing this story. It’s important to find an alternative method of flea control to keep our fur babies safe

    Reply
  13. M Rothenberg says

    May 6, 2014 at 9:08 pm

    Thanks so much for this nice post about Timmy and his Indigogo! You rock. :mrgreen:

    Reply
  14. DzyMsLizzy says

    May 6, 2014 at 8:34 pm

    😛
    Woo-Hoo! Way to go, Sparkle–helping TT with his Dirty Flea Soap campaign! Pawsitively Pawsome!

    Reply
  15. KatBoxJanitor says

    May 6, 2014 at 8:05 pm

    O thank you for lending your paw of support to Tiny Timmy’s lifelong effort to replace those nasty anti-flea products!
    I sure hope people will click on over to IndieGoGo!

    Reply
  16. Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

    May 6, 2014 at 6:59 pm

    Sparkle! Dash clued me into your post. Thank you so very much for helping spread the word. If everyone gave $1 and left a comment on our project at IndieGoGo, we would be over our goal, so writing a wonderful post like this really helps get us there.

    *headbonks*
    Claudia & Timmy

    Reply
  17. Sue Brandes says

    May 6, 2014 at 5:21 pm

    Shared. I hope they reach their goal. I had a kitty many years ago that starting foaming at the mouth when I gave a flea bath. Luckily everything turned out ok. Sure scared me and never used anything like that again.

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 10, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Sue so sorry for your experience, but glad in the end it turned out okay.

      Reply
  18. Sometimes, Cats Herd You says

    May 6, 2014 at 4:41 pm

    Paws up to Tiny Timmy! The head peep’s first childhood cat was lost to the toxins in flea dip, many years ago, and cats like Tiny Timmy have a special place in her heart. We’re going to share your post in hope that it helps raise awareness of this important topic.

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 6, 2014 at 6:58 pm

      So sorry about your kitty. I am always at a loss for words. There is nothing that can dull the pain of loving pet owners who lose their pets this way.

      Reply
  19. Kitty Cat Chronicles says

    May 6, 2014 at 4:01 pm

    Thank you for sharing this story, Sparkle! We read Timmy’s story and were in disbelief at the stupidity and cruelty of some people. But we are glad to hear that Timmy is doing much better and that he now has a wonderful home to care for him. Natural treatments are something we feel very strongly about, so we will definitely spread the word and do what we can to help Timmy with his campaign!

    Reply
  20. Angel AbbyGrace says

    May 6, 2014 at 3:13 pm

    We remember Tiny Timmy’s blog from years and years ago. We read about his Dirty Flea Soap a few weeks back and put it on our FB page. We say GO TIMMY GO!!!

    Reply
  21. BeadedTail says

    May 6, 2014 at 1:46 pm

    We certainly hope they reach their goal! When I was little I was itchy and the vet told mommy and daddy to put flea stuff on me and it made me so sick! Mommy felt horrible about it and will never, ever put that other stuff on me again!

    Purrs,
    Angel

    Reply
  22. Harvey Button says

    May 6, 2014 at 1:19 pm

    Sparkle – you are the power of the PAW and thanks a million for this!! Thank you for this – this is huge for Timmy and his Mum. We donated! We helped – NOW everyone else must too – DONATE guys!!

    Harvey, Miranda and Silver

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 6, 2014 at 6:56 pm

      Thank you so much Harvey, Miranda & Silver!!! You have created a ripple that will soon become a WAVE of change!

      Reply
  23. Savannah's Paw Tracks says

    May 6, 2014 at 11:15 am

    I have shared like crazy, even the video from You TUbe. I cannot share/report your blog post as there is no option for reblogging on Word Press. Sorry

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 10, 2014 at 5:00 pm

      Thanks so much Savannah!!! *headbonks*

      Reply
  24. Savannah's Paw Tracks says

    May 6, 2014 at 11:03 am

    We do not use flea products as we are both indoor cats and have never had a flea enter the house on the humans shoes so we have been safe. I am reposting this on both my blog (I do not post on Tuesdays so hope I get some readers) and will share on FB and Tweet. I just do not have green papers to donate as I reserve my allowance for rescuing cats and woofies on death row. paw hugs, Savvy

    Reply
  25. Deztinee High says

    May 6, 2014 at 10:44 am

    Dat’s Pawsum Sparkle!! Mommy hates da poisons as much as wees du. Wees can’t help wiff da munnys, but wees shawin’ fuw suwe. 😀

    Luv and Hugs and Kitty Kisses ♥♥♥

    Dezi

    Reply
  26. Cathy Keisha says

    May 6, 2014 at 10:23 am

    I hope they can reach their goal and help lots of pets. The cats before me used some of the those flea products. I’ve been following Tiny Timmy on FB and will be sharing his campaign.

    Reply
  27. Layla Morgan Wilde (Cat Wisdom 101) says

    May 6, 2014 at 10:20 am

    I really hope this works! I wish there was something 100% safe and effective with bathing. I do a combo of things on Merlin since he’s too old for topicals.

    Reply
  28. Famous SpokesGoat Pricilla says

    May 6, 2014 at 10:11 am

    Sparkle you are such a nice kitty to help spread the word

    Reply
  29. Oui Oui says

    May 6, 2014 at 9:16 am

    This is a real issue and I’m glad you talked about it. Last year we were gong to do a flea product giveaway but in researching it, we found out how horrible those products really are, so we turned it down.

    See your mom soon, Sparkle, and we wish her a Bon Voyage! Thanks for Julie’s purrs too, it means a lot to have support.

    Reply
  30. Everycat says

    May 6, 2014 at 8:51 am

    I will spread the word! It’s great that you are giving Tiny Timmy’s campaign some exposure, thank you!

    We have similar problems with dubious flea products in the UK grr!

    Luff
    Mungo

    Reply
    • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

      May 6, 2014 at 6:53 pm

      Mungo it’s a problem everywhere. I use the statistics for the US because I have them. It would take considerable more effort, time & research to come up with all the data for all the countries that have issues (most of them). You have Bob Martin products and many are named differently there although they are the same products as we have here.

      Reply
      • Everycat says

        May 7, 2014 at 3:57 am

        Timmy, I just mentioned the UK because I am here and not so many people are aware about the harmful products here. I think what you are doing is excellent, I’m not criticising you in any way. I also one measly mile away from the Bob Martin factory. I have visited them, written to them, spoken to workers there in the hope of at least creating a little bit of awareness that might filter upwards. But to no avail. Profit is all to them. Even staff in pet shops don’t always know about these products, and pet shop owners like profits. Vets I’ve spoken with about it often seem to be interested so that they can then flog the clients the prescription only spot on treatments, which in some cases have caused awful problems or been fatal 🙁

        Reply
        • Tiny Timmy (and peep) says

          May 10, 2014 at 4:59 pm

          One of my first friends from YouTube was in Scotland & had an issue with Bob Martin. Poor kitty had major seizures daily. It was heartbreaking. Totally not taking it as a criticism. Often people think because they don’t live in the US that it isn’t a problem in their country. *headbonks* and Keep it up!

          Reply
  31. Random Felines says

    May 6, 2014 at 7:58 am

    that sounds like a great project – and something that we certainly hope gets fully funded!!

    Reply
  32. Fur Everywhere says

    May 6, 2014 at 7:46 am

    Some of those over-the-counter flea products are terrible! I just thank God that someone warned me about them. I cannot believe they are still on the market. Good for Timmy’s human for providing an alternative. Unfortunately, I’m drowning in vet bills so I can’t contribute. 🙁 I hope they reach their goal, though.

    Reply
  33. madi and mom says

    May 6, 2014 at 7:18 am

    Tiny Tim and his peep are very passionate about their cause and we send them good wishes
    Hugs madi your bfff

    Reply
  34. Cats of Wildcat Woods says

    May 6, 2014 at 6:48 am

    Will share this and hope it helps them reach their goal!

    Reply
  35. Amelia Hughes says

    May 6, 2014 at 6:15 am

    I hope they reach their goal! What a great product. We see far too many little kittens with fleas at the shelter!

    Reply
  36. Brian Frum says

    May 6, 2014 at 5:46 am

    That is such a wonderful thing to do and sure is needed!

    Reply
  37. Marg says

    May 6, 2014 at 4:28 am

    Good for Tiny Tim to do this project. That is just terrific. We hope they reach their goal too. Take care.

    Reply
  38. The Island Cats says

    May 6, 2014 at 4:13 am

    Go Tiny Timmy! We hope he reaches his goal.

    Reply

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