The nuisance of fleas..

[smichelle88]

Hello!
I am posting this to vent and for some advice. I moved out of my dads place in July. I left him my two cats because let’s face it they love him more than me and I didn’t want him to be alone. I am a RN so I only work 3 days out of the week but my boyfriend has a regular 9-5 job M-F. so I do feel lonely now and then being at home. Fast forward to Sept 25 we ended up getting two kittens from my hair stylist cause her cat gave birth to a litter. They were roughly 12 wks when i got them. One is black with white and the other is a calico. Took them to the vet with no issues. On October 11 I noticed something on the calico.. it was moving. A flea. I wasn’t able to get them to the vet until 5 days later. They were placed on front line gold. Our place is carpeted so we vacuumed like crazy. I ended up getting a new vacuum for better suction as well. I changed their litter after their treatment was placed. We did find 5 dead fleas on one of them and just one on the other. We comb them every night and vacuum every other day. If i work 2 days and then I’m off then I vacuum when I’m off. I washed their bedding (I had found a larvae in it ew) with hot water and placed it in the dryer on high heat. Anything that i could wash I did. About two days ago we were combing them and we found a live flea but no flea dirt. I freaked out. (I hate small insects, had a rough experience with bed bugs) so I ended up ordering some DE powder because i don’t think just vacuuming is working. This morning I kept seeing them groom themselves and bite areas so I combed them. I didn’t find anything on the black cat but again on the calico i found a flea with some flea dirt on her. I was disappointed. I’m not sure if the front line is not working anymore if it’s taking longer to kill the fleas than the first couple of days.

Is there anything else I need to do? I’m aware that the infestation could be way worse seeing as to how we just a few now and then but I just keep thinking about how many eggs were laid when we we didn’t know they had fleas and it makes my stomach turn.

 

[daftcat75]

Two sites. Two different approaches.

Fleascience.com will give a detailed strategy using pesticides and poisons. Most of these are very safe when used as directed in the instructions. There’s still some questions about the newest class of topicals. But Frontline Gold is safe when used as directed. The next step would be to get a premise spray that contains both an adulticide (kills adult fleas) and an IGR (insect growth regulator) which prevents juveniles and adults from reaching sexual maturity. Follow the directions and the application schedule for the product you get. Adams, Zodiac, Siphotrol, Precor are examples of premise sprays that contain IGR (pyriproxyfen or methoprene) and an adulticide, typically permethrin. That site above discusses all of these. This approach requires educating yourself and choosing the correct products for the job. It is successful if you’re diligent.

Second approach:

Fleabusters.com

This is a powder similar to DE. Actually it’s more similar to boric acid. You have to brush it into your carpet and baseboards. But it is also supposed to be effective when used as directed. I just got mine and cannot comment on its effectiveness yet. I left town for a few days before I could apply it. These people also have a professional service you can contract to come in and apply the powder for you and back it with a guarantee.

 

[FeebysOwner]

Hi. I also recommend the FleaScience.com site as a great resource. I just had a flea infestation in my house for the first time in decades. In addition to what you are doing, I also used Adams Flea & Tick Spray to spray the carpeting and rugs. It contains IGR which prohibits eggs and larvae from developing into adult fleas. I just re-applied Adams again after 2 months as I noticed some nearly dead fleas on Feeby. I have this funny feeling that I will be re-applying Adams quarterly, if not every 2 months, in order to try to keep ahead of the fleas.

The only thing I make sure of is that Feeby is not in the room that I am spraying, just because Adams at first smells pretty bad (there is alcohol in it, I believe). However, once it is dry, you can't smell anything. Feeby has not had any ill effects from it. In fact the product claims you can spray it directly on a cat - but, that is going a bit farther than I ever plan on doing.

I started to wonder if Advantage II that I use on Feeby may not be as effective - or wanes in potency before the next month's treatment is due. But, I also think that our yard is infested with fleas that are repeatedly being brought into the house and causing issues, and maybe it isn't so much the effectiveness of Adv II. I am going to treat the yard to see it that helps any.

My point is, in your case, being in an apartment, I think you should use something like Adams now, and I also think you will find that you will need to re-treat your home routinely since there is no way to control the fleas outside your front door.

 

[daftcat75]

IGR doesn’t prevent immature forms from reaching adulthood. It prevents adults from reaching sexual maturity. With IGR, all the immature forms can still become adults. They just can’t mate. You still need to be diligent about removing adult fleas either through cleaning including flea combing your cats and whatever adulticide products you use on the cat or the premise.

 

[smichelle88]

Two sites. Two different approaches.

Fleascience.com will give a detailed strategy using pesticides and poisons. Most of these are very safe when used as directed in the instructions. There’s still some questions about the newest class of topicals. But Frontline Gold is safe when used as directed. The next step would be to get a premise spray that contains both an adulticide (kills adult fleas) and an IGR (insect growth regulator) which prevents juveniles and adults from reaching sexual maturity. Follow the directions and the application schedule for the product you get. Adams, Zodiac, Siphotrol, Precor are examples of premise sprays that contain IGR (pyriproxyfen or methoprene) and an adulticide, typically permethrin. That site above discusses all of these. This approach requires educating yourself and choosing the correct products for the job. It is successful if you’re diligent.

Second approach:

Fleabusters.com

This is a powder similar to DE. Actually it’s more similar to boric acid. You have to brush it into your carpet and baseboards. But it is also supposed to be effective when used as directed. I just got mine and cannot comment on its effectiveness yet. I left town for a few days before I could apply it. These people also have a professional service you can contract to come in and apply the powder for you and back it with a guarantee.

I did visit the flea science site! Thank you. My only concern would be that some of the flea sprays have the active ingredient that can be fatal to cats so I need to search to see which is safe to use. I also read about boric acid and in some cases they say it can be actually harmful to use but i don’t know how true that is. I think I’ll vacuum, spray and wait for that to dry and then spread the powder. Thank you so much!!

 

[smichelle88]

IGR doesn’t prevent immature forms from reaching adulthood. It prevents adults from reaching sexual maturity. With IGR, all the immature forms can still become adults. They just can’t mate. You still need to be diligent about removing adult fleas either through cleaning including flea combing your cats and whatever adulticide products you use on the cat or the premise.

But that does stop them from reproducing right? So it’s a matter of killing them as soon as possible anyway.

 

[jen]

Our place is carpeted so we vacuumed like crazy.

I would place a flea collar in the vacuum bag otherwise when you suck up the fleas they will just lay more eggs and hatch and come right back out of the vacuum bag or canister.

 

[smichelle88]

Hi. I also recommend the FleaScience.com site as a great resource. I just had a flea infestation in my house for the first time in decades. In addition to what you are doing, I also used Adams Flea & Tick Spray to spray the carpeting and rugs. It contains IGR which prohibits eggs and larvae from developing into adult fleas. I just re-applied Adams again after 2 months as I noticed some nearly dead fleas on Feeby. I have this funny feeling that I will be re-applying Adams quarterly, if not every 2 months, in order to try to keep ahead of the fleas.

The only thing I make sure of is that Feeby is not in the room that I am spraying, just because Adams at first smells pretty bad (there is alcohol in it, I believe). However, once it is dry, you can't smell anything. Feeby has not had any ill effects from it. In fact the product claims you can spray it directly on a cat - but, that is going a bit farther than I ever plan on doing.

I started to wonder if Advantage II that I use on Feeby may not be as effective - or wanes in potency before the next month's treatment is due. But, I also think that our yard is infested with fleas that are repeatedly being brought into the house and causing issues, and maybe it isn't so much the effectiveness of Adv II. I am going to treat the yard to see it that helps any.

My point is, in your case, being in an apartment, I think you should use something like Adams now, and I also think you will find that you will need to re-treat your home routinely since there is no way to control the fleas outside your front door.

I’m more upset our place is nothing but carpet everywhere except the bathrooms and kitchen. I honestly think the kittens got the fleas from their mother because my hairstylist lets her go out as well as her other cat who is more outdoorsy than the mom cat. But I do plan constantly treating here until I move out (we only did a 1 year lease) my main concern is my other cats back with my dad. He has visiting my place and I have been at his place so I placed those cats on frontline gold as well just in case we had any hitchhikers

 

[smichelle88]

I would place a flea collar in the vacuum bag otherwise when you suck up the fleas they will just lay more eggs and hatch and come right back out of the vacuum bag or canister.

We have been emptying our canister outside when we finish. I read an article that fleas and larvae automatically die once sucked up by a vacuum (they couldn’t verify with eggs because they didn’t experiment with eggs) but yes I was thinking about getting a flea collar and just placing it inside to be on the safe side. Does any flea collar work?

 

[jen]

Any one should work! Emptying it also works I like the extra assurance.

 

[FeebysOwner]

But that does stop them from reproducing right? So it’s a matter of killing them as soon as possible anyway.

According to FleaScience:
"Insect growth regulators (IGR) are compounds which mimic natural insect hormones. While present, IGRs prevent genetic switches from being activated, so insects can’t transform into the next life stage. Flea eggs exposed to an IGR won’t hatch, or the larvae die upon hatching. Exposed larvae can’t pupate. Exposed pupae emerge and die prematurely. And exposed adult females become sterilized." So, yes IGR does prevent immature forms from reaching adulthood.

We have been emptying our canister outside when we finish. I read an article that fleas and larvae automatically die once sucked up by a vacuum (they couldn’t verify with eggs because they didn’t experiment with eggs) but yes I was thinking about getting a flea collar and just placing it inside to be on the safe side. Does any flea collar work?

According to FleaScience:
"The process of being vacuumed up kills 100% of pre-adult fleas, and 95% of adults. Thus, in most cases, further efforts to sanitize the vacuum’s bag or canister are unnecessary." Although, there are many who debunk this. But, since I have heard many say that flea collars are pretty much ineffective for killing fleas - and mostly just harmful to the pet wearing them - I haven't tried this approach because I don't really want them in my house. I do, however, use salt in the vacuum bags as salt will dry out most all of the stages of fleas. But, yes, getting rid of the bag is probably the 'safest' thing to do.

 

[daftcat75]

I would place a flea collar in the vacuum bag otherwise when you suck up the fleas they will just lay more eggs and hatch and come right back out of the vacuum bag or canister.

Fleascience says eggs are actually rarely sucked up by the vacuum which makes infestations so stubborn. As for for larvae and adults, the mechanical action of the vacuum kills them.

 

[daftcat75]

I did visit the flea science site! Thank you. My only concern would be that some of the flea sprays have the active ingredient that can be fatal to cats so I need to search to see which is safe to use. I also read about boric acid and in some cases they say it can be actually harmful to use but i don’t know how true that is. I think I’ll vacuum, spray and wait for that to dry and then spread the powder. Thank you so much!!

That’s why I say when used as directed. Permethrin is toxic to cats if they are given a topical with it like giving your cat a dog flea product. In the concentration in premise sprays, it can be irritating if you don’t keep your cat out of the room while it is drying. But once dry, it poses no harm. Read fleascience again. It covers this. Read the labels of everything you use before you start using it.

 

[daftcat75]

FeebysOwner I can be wrong. Thanks for the correction.

 

[FeebysOwner]

FeebysOwner I can be wrong. Thanks for the correction.

I actually had to go back and re-read it myself to make sure I wasn't going crazy!! It's not like I haven't read it many times already!!

 

[smichelle88]

Fleascience says eggs are actually rarely sucked up by the vacuum which makes infestations so stubborn. As for for larvae and adults, the mechanical action of the vacuum kills them.

I read your comment and was like nooo! But fleascience said “Does vacuuming kill flea eggs?
Vacuuming can remove 32-90% of flea eggs from carpets. 100% of the removed eggs will be killed in the process.”
made me feel a bit better about my psycho vacuuming

 

[daftcat75]

Corrected twice in one thread. TIme for me to go back and reread fleascience. Thank you for the correction.

Im going to try out fleabusters, the powder, this weekend.

 

[smichelle88]

Corrected twice in one thread. TIme for me to go back and reread fleascience. Thank you for the correction.

Im going to try out fleabusters, the powder, this weekend.

If you can update me on how that goes! Not sure how long it takes for that to start kicking in treatment wise but I am willing to try almost anything or just have it for future reference. Fleas are a nuisance for me now and i hope to defeat the issue soon but knowing my love for furry animals it probably won’t be my last battle. (Although i truly hope it is)

 

[basscat]

You can walk into a vacant house that's full of fleas. Set off flea bombs, and leave.
Two weeks later, there will still be fleas....So...you repeat.
Two weeks later, still fleas.......repeat.
Two weeks later, still fleas......repeat.
Two weeks later, no fleas.
If you did that everyday instead of every two weeks, It would still take just as long to be rid of them.
It's not the last treatment. It's not any specific treatment or switching products that finally worked. It's all of them.
You can shorten this time frame by vacuuming, but, not by much.
Vacuuming mostly causes vibrations that speeds up the different life cycle stages. Eggs that are dormant will hatch instead of remaining dormant. If you are treating the environment, this is a good thing...helps speed up the treatment process and makes each treatment more effective. If you are not treating the environment, it's a bad thing because while you are sucking some up in the vacuum? Mostly what you're doing is waking up 10 times as many, faster.
I use something like Advantage II on the cats.
Precor and/or PT Ultracide on the carpets, furniture, everything. Let it dry 24hrs before letting cats on it. It's never hurt any of them and as for humans...I was nuts before...so no change.

 

[daftcat75]

You can walk into a vacant house that's full of fleas. Set off flea bombs, and leave.
Two weeks later, there will still be fleas....So...you repeat.
Two weeks later, still fleas.......repeat.
Two weeks later, still fleas......repeat.
Two weeks later, no fleas.
If you did that everyday instead of every two weeks, It would still take just as long to be rid of them.
It's not the last treatment. It's not any specific treatment or switching products that finally worked. It's all of them.
You can shorten this time frame by vacuuming, but, not by much.
Vacuuming mostly causes vibrations that speeds up the different life cycle stages. Eggs that are dormant will hatch instead of remaining dormant. If you are treating the environment, this is a good thing...helps speed up the treatment process and makes each treatment more effective. If you are not treating the environment, it's a bad thing because while you are sucking some up in the vacuum? Mostly what you're doing is waking up 10 times as many, faster.
I use something like Advantage II on the cats.
Precor and/or PT Ultracide on the carpets, furniture, everything. Let it dry 24hrs before letting cats on it. It's never hurt any of them and as for humans...I was nuts before...so no change.

How many Adv II does the bobcat require?