Springtails On My Kitty. How Do I Get Rid Of Them??

[Penny's mommy]

Hello,
We have some springtails coming out of some of our drains in our house. Mainly just a few bathtubs, nothing serious or an infestation or anything. I know the difference between springtails (aka "snow fleas", "drain bugs") and fleas, and these are definitely springtails. My (indoor only) kitty is obsessed with hanging out in the bathtubs and even in the sinks, so I know this is where she is getting them, I just don't know how to get rid of them from her. I looked on the internet but everyone said they have no interest in pets or humans, and yet here we are. I've been combing her with a flea comb and a few come off here and there, nothing major, but flea medication does not work on these critters, because they are not fleas. They are not "dangerous" however I don't like the idea of drain bugs on my cat as she sleeps in my bed. I would like to mention that she seems sensitive to flea meds as she had a reaction to Sentry flea oil, so whatever I do, I have to be mindful of this. We are trying to treat the drains but in the meantime, I would like to get rid of them off of my cat.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi! Not sure about how to get rid of them off your kitty, but can you plug the drains so they aren't crawling out until you get rid of them? Then, remove the ones you find on your kitty after you've plugged the drains.

You might even put bleach down the drains too!

 

[danteshuman]

I googled springtails (which can be found in soil to) & you can wash the infected areas with vinegar to kill them. Also remove all mold/moisture you can from your bathroom. Increasing the amount of sunlight helps to. I would honestly call an exterminator and them treat my plumbing and yard outside but I hate creepy crawlies!

 

[Penny's mommy]

Hi! Not sure about how to get rid of them off your kitty, but can you plug the drains so they aren't crawling out until you get rid of them? Then, remove the ones you find on your kitty after you've plugged the drains.

You might even put bleach down the drains too!

We have been putting bleach down our drains many times now. We are working on fixing the bathrooms so the springtails don't want to hang out here, but in the meantime they are still on my cat lol. We are going to try draino next for the drains, hopefully that will do it.

 

[FeebysOwner]

But, is there a way to plug the drains so that they can't crawl out and then your cat can't play with them??

Once again, not helping to get the things off of your cat, but maybe you want to look into one or more of these products?

springtail treatment a danger to cats?

 

[Penny's mommy]

I googled springtails (which can be found in soil to) & you can wash the infected areas with vinegar to kill them. Also remove all mold/moisture you can from your bathroom. Increasing the amount of sunlight helps to. I would honestly call an exterminator and them treat my plumbing and yard outside but I hate creepy crawlies!

I understand your hate for creepy crawlies! We are in a tough spot with this one as I am trying to find a flea medication that she won't react to (that also fits my budget) to prevent fleas with upcoming summer season, and there are these things living on her that apparently, according to pest control, don't live on animals. Very frustrating and I can't find a way to kill them that is safe for on my cat. We are working to fix whatever is with the bathrooms right now, but I think a quicker fix for my cat will be to keep her out of the bathrooms until it's fixed... which will be hard.

 

[Willowy]

Be careful with Drano. It can eat through your pipes if not used properly (and sometimes even if it is). Something less toxic/corrosive like vinegar would be better.

A good flea medication would probably kill other bugs that get on the cats too. Advantage and Frontline are the best OTC brands, or whatever the vet sells.

 

[Penny's mommy]

But, is there a way to plug the drains so that they can't crawl out and then your cat can't play with them??

Once again, not helping to get the things off of your cat, but maybe you want to look into one or more of these products?

springtail treatment a danger to cats?

Hmm, the bathtubs may be plugged, but I don't know about the shower drains. I'll try that and see if it keeps them out

 

[Penny's mommy]

Be careful with Drano. It can eat through your pipes if not used properly (and sometimes even if it is). Something less toxic/corrosive like vinegar would be better.

A good flea medication would probably kill other bugs that get on the cats too. Advantage and Frontline are the best OTC brands, or whatever the vet sells.

Bleach isn't getting rid of them, so I don't think vinegar will work, but we could try.

 

[Kflowers]

Bleach and vinegar are different so where one didn't work the other might.

For the shower I suggest getting one of the large rubber stoppers for the kitchen sink. They are flat, like a pancake and heavy. They don't fit into the drain but on it. Once you put the stopper on the drain, place a gallon container filled with water on top. We use a plastic milk jug because the base is solid against the stopper. You could use the white vinegar bottle.

 

[LTS3]

Most tub drains / stoppers should work on shower drains too. Maybe post a picture of your shower drain if it's something unusual like square shaped instead of round.

 

[catsknowme]

Have you tried a combination of borax and baking soda in the drains? I have never even heard of "springtails" but live in the high desert of the Eastern Sierra Nevada and have found that our alkaline soil deters things like fleas and snails, etc.

 

[Jem]

springtail control and treatments for the home yard and garden

I found this site which takes you thru step by step on how to eliminate them. I don't know if all the products used are safe for cats or not, but it might help point you in the right direction.