Question About Mosquito Trucks

I hate chemicals. They trigger my OCD like you wouldn’t believe! The first mosquito truck of the summer just went through the neighborhood to spray. Is this at all harmful to cats? I’ve never found a conclusive answer. My kitty is strictly indoors, but I’ve always turned the air conditioner off when they spray—anywhere from 15 minutes to 2 hours—so that nothing is pulled in from outdoors. I’m probably be dramatic—that’s nothing new. I don’t want anything getting in her lungs or food/water bowls. Yes, that’s obsessive. Hence, OCD (lol). Does anyone have any knowledge on the subject? Thanks!

Hi!
Not obsessive, I think smart.

When I was a child, when the spray trucks would come through our neighborhood, a couple of us would ride our bicycles in the fog behind the trucks. Now, over seventy, I suffer from extensive male pattern baldness. Don't know if that's caused by the spraying....

Haha, my mom used to run behind the DDT truck too! Of course jow they don't use DDT.

From what I can find, the most common mosquito fogger is Zenivex, which uses etofenprox. That's used in cat spot-ons, so it must be fairly safe for cats. Some other synthetic pyrethoids can also be used. The recommendation is to close the windows and doors and take up outdoor food and water dishes when the spray truck comes around, but once it's dry, it should be safe for humans and pets.

If you have a central ac unit, it's basically a closed system in so far as the outdoor unit does not pull outside air and send it inside. The inside unit pulls air from the return vent/vents that are inside the home, cools it and sends the cooled air back into the home through the duct work and room vents.

I come indoors if I happen to be outside when the spray truck is in the area. If I allowed my cat to roam outdoors, it would be par for the course that I would have to accept the fact that he would be exposed to risks, including the spray truck. I don't know how much of a long term health risk it really is but personally, I'd rather not breathe the stuff or have my pets exposed. If I was walking a pet, I'd get him and myself inside if I could before the truck came by. But I don't turn off the ac unit. There really is no reason to.

Spray is supposidly harmless, but why have unecessary exposure? The chemicals used are only harmful to insects, but our town does say to keep pets and everyone indoors to limit any harm for those with comprmised immune systems, asthma, COPD, etc.