Cat fleas..

fake_smile

Didn't know where else to put this but the situation is driving my family mad!

Up until about a year and a half ago I had a cat sho's fleas appeared to be immune to Frontline, took me an age to get her de-flead. Cue the great flea infestation of 2012.

I had the whole flat fumigated by a professional TWICE before things started clearing up.

Unfortunately my cat got knocked over and sadly passed away in May 2012.

Now, I am very very allergic to flea bites and have noticed the last few months I have been getting that all too afmiliar feeling again.

I was sorting out junk in my old cupboard and must have disturbed some dormant fleas because I found one sitting proudly on my arm last night.

I am literally at my wits end, it seems to be never ending. I have bought some Acclaim which I hear is very good, any advice on how to use it?

Also, I have a lovely little hamster who is my baby and I do not want him being affected by the spraying.

Common sense tells me that he should NOT be in the room whilst spraying or for a few days later but what shoudl I do? Is he safe in another room? Is he safe to go back on sprayed carpets a few days later? Any advice would be most welcome.

Thanks guys

Danni-R

Probably best to post this on the pets section. I used the spray that the people recommended and it was really good. Cleared up an almighty infestation (2012 must have been an awful year!) and havent had anything since.

Fluff15

Fleas can stay dormant in their eggs for a while, and vibrations cause them to emerge, so it's very possible your shuffling about will have made them come out again.

Take your hamster to somebody else's house for half a day whilst you do the spraying, once you've finished the spray and you've ventilated the house well, after a couple of hours you can bring him back and mind not to let him out onto any surfaces that day (not necessary but as he's only little I'd do it as a precaution, maybe call your vet for better guidance but for my cats I let them back in after an hour and they lazed about in all areas - but they are bigger).

First you need to give all areas a good hoover to encourage them to come out. A hairdryer in the small gaps will help as the heat and vibrations will encourage them to emerge. Wash all bedsheets/clothes on a wash of 40c or above that you think may be affected. Hide any food if you have some in the areas you're planning to spray. Spray the Acclaim evenly, especially in the gaps around skirting boards and corners of the room - the eggs love to hide there. Vent the house, then return to normal.

It's then best to wait another couple of weeks and repeat the process as a fleas lifecycle is between 4 days and two weeks. Hopefully after this, you'll be flea free for the foreseeable future! Give the hamster cage a good clean too just in case, and speak to your vet, or a small animal specialist, to see if there's any treatments suitable for little hammy.

Poppops

My mum's cat suddenly developed a really bad allergy to frontline last year. When it was sprayed on her, these big lumps came up straight away.

The vet told my mum to do the following:

Use a dehumidifier in any affected rooms for two to three days as fleas can't survive without a lot of moisture in the air

Slice up a lemon really thinly, boil in water, leave to soak overnight and then, as long as it isn't going to be too strong to bleach anything, wipe liquid over affected area

Buy a lavender room spray. Apparently they hate it. Don't blame them as it smells like cat wee to me.

Anyway, one of those three works. Just not sure which as she tried them all at the same time :rotfl:

tyllwyd

Have you tried those flea catchers that are like very sticky pads? I've used them when next door's cat has brought fleas into the house - if you've only got one or two fleas in the house you might find it is enough - and at at least they are 100% safe for the hamster. (Although my DD was traumatised when she saw it had caught an enormous spider under her bed!)

Poppops

tyllwyd wrote: »

Have you tried those flea catchers that are like very sticky pads? I've used them when next door's cat has brought fleas into the house - if you've only got one or two fleas in the house you might find it is enough - and at at least they are 100% safe for the hamster. (Although my DD was traumatised when she saw it had caught an enormous spider under her bed!)

I'm with your DD. I'd take the fleas :shocked:

cavework

Once sprayed , leave the carpets for at least 48 hours before you vacume.
Your cat died in 2012 ?
Have you visited any friends with pets lately?
Just a thought

mentaljessie

Profender all the way it's the new frontline. It's left my cats flea free.

sweetilemon

Have you tried the flea bombs? Our cat had fleas when he 'arrived' and I understand how you are feeling. Its so upsetting I really struggled with the thought of fleas.

Anyway vaccuming, sprays and bombs cleared all sign of fleas. Goodluck.

Tiglath

2012 was a hideous year for cat fleas; we've got 9 cats so it was the infestation from hell and I looked like a leprosy victim on my legs (they left DH alone but zeroed in on me). The room bombs did nothing for us (did them 3 times), but we've swapped to Advantage drops and Indorex spray and there's a marked improvement - we buy them both from Amazon.