Huge Dilemma... Need Advice

[orange&white]

Precor 2000 Plus, or Pivot Ultra. Either product works on both live adult fleas and keeps new eggs from hatching for about 6 months...although you may have to initially spray more than one time to get all the little blood suckers.

I have sprayed the bedroom and kept the cats out for 24 hours, then put the cats in the bedroom for 24 hours and sprayed the rest of the house. Probably more effective to spray everything at one time if you have friends you can "loan your cats to" for a day or two.

 

[DaniJer]

I don't understand why they don't die, frankly. I was quite surprised when emptying over a gallon of salt on my floors and furniture didn't work.

 

[DaniJer]

Yes, I had seen that recommended earlier. I may just give that product a try.

 

[maggiedemi]

Was your cat allergic to Frontline? or did it just not work?

 

[denice]

I have been doing a little research and I keep seeing recommendations for the Precor so I think it is worth a shot. I have also read that foggers aren't the best way to go because they don't get under things like beds. I have also read that steam cleaning helps because heat will also kill them. The fleas that are in the cocoons usually can't be killed with insecticide. Frequent vacuuming not only picks some of them up but also disturbs the cocoons so they will come out and can be killed. This can take more than a one shot thing because of the life cycle of the flea.

 

[orange&white]

Fleas are developing a resistance to certain things....not surprising that just plain table salt isn't working. They crawl up into curtains, fabrics, tiny crevices...everywhere.

I had flea infestation when I brought a feral kitten inside in 1994 with my two other cats, not thinking that an outdoor feral would have fleas. After trying lots of "home remedies" like you're doing, I paid an exterminator a few hundred dollars. They had a "guarantee" and came out about 3 times when new eggs hatched before all the fleas were dead and gone. The last trip, the guy left me a can of Precor 2000 and said "This is the chemical we use." (Of course they use the jugs of concentrate that you dilute with water, not the aerosol cans.)

In 2012, my dog brought in some fleas and the house was starting to get infested again (not as badly at 1994...because I didn't bother with DE or salt or whatever else for weeks). I looked for the Precor ingredients and found Pivot Ultra was the same product that I was able to buy locally from an exterminator who offers full service, but also has a storefront to sell "exterminator-strength" products to do-it-yourselfers. When I asked for Precor or Pivot Ultra, he said, "That's what we use."

Recommended by 2 separate exterminators, and I've successfully used it twice.

 

[DaniJer]

They were allergic to it.

Thanks for the recommendations. I will definitely try the Precor and update you guys once I can make that happen.

 

[kittens mom]

I would go with the exterminator even if it broke the budget. The reality here is you're probably going to spend as much as you would for professional help with less than good results. Spending wisely is the best way to budget

 

[DaniJer]

That's the problem. I'm not afraid of breaking the budget and going off ramen for a month or whatever. The problem is that I don't have the budget to even break. Like I said, we both lost our jobs at the same time and are fighting unemployment while she looks for a new job.

 

[Sarthur2]

Buy a can of house spray and start with that. It will help.

Do what you can for now. Cooler weather in the fall will help.

Best of luck with your respective job searches! You've been dealt a tough hand right now, but perseverance always wins out!

 

[nansiludie]

Are your other kitties allergic to Advantage? I buy Advantage for my cats in bulk, and divide it up per cat. I also have a kitty who is allergic to any flea topical as well, his name is Flint, so when its time to give the rest their flea drops, he stays off by himself, locked in a spare room for a day while the other kitties' flea treatment dries. I've used Adams flea and tick spray well on the beds, carpets and carriers. Fleas have been horrible this year, I suppose it could be due to the mild winter. As for the advantage I get 16 large cat doses for $20 off this site. 2 XL tubes of Advantage 2 for dogs over 55lbs

The Adams spray for $12 at walmart.

 

[kittens mom]

That's the problem. I'm not afraid of breaking the budget and going off ramen for a month or whatever. The problem is that I don't have the budget to even break. Like I said, we both lost our jobs at the same time and are fighting unemployment while she looks for a new job.

I'm not unsympathetic and I've been in your shoes. It was really hard to look back and see how much money I'd wasted that I didn't have to spend on worthless whatever when getting it done right would have been cheaper. If you can't hire I suggest you use some of the products suggested. It would probably be easier to temporarily rehome the hyper sensitive cat than the whole cat family. You might reach out to some rescues in your area. If you vacuum empty the bagless cup into soapy water. If you use bags tape the hole shut once you remove it. If you look online you will find easy to make electric flea traps. Use them safely.

 

[kittens mom]

Make a Natural Flea Trap in Under 60 Seconds - TheBugSquad

 

[foxxycat]

It's a good idea about that Advantage=but some people don't know to check with vet before using dog items on their cat=so I caution on that=it's not the first time I have seen this but Advantage 2 is better tolerated by kittens and nursing momcats if that pertains to you. Yes Kitten's mom is right- but sometimes we just have to do the best we can.
Put DE inside the vacuum bag. That will help kill them when they get sucked up from the hose/power head.

 

[danteshuman]

(buy extra just in case) ..... I would fog the house ... wash every bedding. My non flea shampoo method is to soap them from the head/neck with head & shoulders then hold them that way for 5 minutes to suffocate the fleas. Then rinse. (I have heard any soap will do to suffocate the evil little bastards. I give it 5 minutes to REALLY make sure.)
I agree you need to remove the cats (in a crate if need be) treat your home, give them a bath (keeping them inside) and spray your lawn. Then flea upkeep, vacuum daily, wash all bedding once a week & give them a bath a couple of weeks later (or flea comb daily.)
We had a flea outbreak where are lawn got infested with fleas from one of our neighbors backyards that had dogs. Worse our fleas were advantage resistant. We had to fog the house, treat the lawn, bathe them then Cheristin them. I HATE fleas. A year later I still wash their bedding every couple of weeks and treat them with flea medication 9 months a year.

 

[danteshuman]

Adams Plus Flea & Tick Yard Spray

 

[danteshuman]

Oh I fogged and then used borax on the carpet and would vacuum it up after a few minutes. I would ask your vet which flea medication they would recommend since your cat is allergic to one brand (and fleas can become resistant to one brand or another in an area. The vet will know this.)

 

[rubysmama]

Unfortunately I don't have any suggestions for the flea infestation, except an exterminator, which you can't afford.

I was going to suggest, as I see someone else already has, that if you can't temporarily rehome all 6 cats, could you rehome just the one allergic to the flea treatments? Then you could treat the other cats and relieve some of their itching.

What about you and your wife? Are you getting bit? I get horrible welts from flea bites, so I can't imagine living in your home right now.

 

[DaniJer]

The bites are ridiculous. My ankles look like I have poison ivy or something. I've tried every recommendation here (other than the foggers and an exterminator, for reasons previously discussed) and they're still here. I even went so far as to spray a concentrated yard flea killer meant for yards and lawns that actually attaches right to the hose. I sprayed my basement with that at around 8 last night. Come 4 this morning, thousands of them again.

Ugh I can't stand to see my cats like this. It hurts me that they're going through this and my options are so damn limited. I don't have any family around here and, since I joined the Marines right after high school and wasn't in this area for almost a decade, I don't have much in the way of friends either.

 

[Sarthur2]

Have you put down a layer of house spray all around the inside of your home?

Enforcer flea spray is very effective. Raid also makes a flea spray that is very strong.

I've used both around baseboards and on carpets and upholstery, and the fleas die right away. I open windows for air, and make sure the cats are not in the room currently being sprayed.

Simultaneously, wash all bedding in the room in hot water.

Spray your ankles before going in the basement. Use the Raid spray in the basement. It's powerful.