Weird question regarding new behavior

[raksha]

Ok, so here's the backstory: Binx had taken to sleeping in the bed with me about a week after his adoption. It's been a month and a half since I first brought him home, and he's quit sleeping on the bed with me. Could this be an aversion due to a recent visit to a friend who has dogs (and I left my doggie-smelling clothes in his usual spot by accident), or is this a sign of something worse?

It's the beginning of mosquito season here, and I've been waking up itching to high hell. I've done some exams (and thrown everything in the dryer on "Hell" setting), but have not found anything flea or bedbug related in my house. Additionally, my bites don't look like flea or bedbug bites (I've experienced BOTH types during travels in SE Asia)- they look like the regular old, run -of -the-mill skeeter bites. What worries me is that Binx has started scratching and nipping at his ears, neck, and hindquarters... but I haven't seen anything on him to warrant burning the house down, nor anything that indicates he may have mites.

I've read that mosquitos do bite pets, but with his dense fur, it would seem like nothing short of a miracle would get that proboscis through to the skin.

I acknowledge that there is the possibility that he's sleeping there when I'm dead to the world (because Captain Squishypants likes to play late in the evening and early in the morning, as most cats are wont to do), but it used to be that I'd get ready for bed, and he'd be waiting in his spot. Now, once I'm in bed, I can't even coax him back with treats.

Help? Ideas? Suggestions?

Thanks in advance, all y'all!

~Raksha (Binx's miserably itchy mama)

[P.S. I've sprayed the hell out of the bedroom and bedding, with pet odor remover, so I'll see if that helps]

 

[stephenq]

 

Unless you're leaving your unscreened windows open then i think its fleas, especially since both you and the cat are scratching.  You can test for flea dirt by combing/brushing at the base of the tail on the top side over a wet paper towel, and if the dirt turns red then its fleas.  Or you can take him in for a topical treatment at a vet, or purchase the same from a vet.  By analogy, if your friend comes home from the leper colony and he has dry skin, think "leprosy" not "eczema".

As to his sleeping habits, this changes all the time with cats.

 

[raksha]

He's been examined thrice this month by a vet since I brought him home, each time leaving with a clean bill of health (no mites or fleas- something I always ask them to look for when I visit), but I'll take your comment under advisement... I did do a basic inspection around his ears, hindquarters, and tail this morning... but found nothing that suggests flea dirt or fleas themselves :/

 

[stephenq]

 
He's been examined thrice this month by a vet since I brought him home, each time leaving with a clean bill of health (no mites or fleas- something I always ask them to look for when I visit), but I'll take your comment under advisement... I did do a basic inspection around his ears, hindquarters, and tail this morning... but found nothing that suggests flea dirt or fleas themselves :/

Well do you have open unscreened windows?  If not, then i doubt its mosquitoes especially since you can hear them easily when they get close to you.  Also mosquito bites are quite distinct....
although once after taking in a stray on vacation i thought we were being bitten by mosquitoes too, when it was fleas.  If he's never had a spot on Tx like advantage or revolution then he should anyway, and if you do that and the itching stops then you know.

if its bed bugs......then that's a disaster.....

 

[raksha]

I have screened windows that I often open up to freshen the air a bit, but I have been in and out of the apartment a lot and have noticed mosquitos lurking in the stairwells. That said, I'm hoping the problem is that one or two followed me in... and I have to disagree- you can't always hear a mosquito coming up on you, especially if it's going after your ankles or calves. I also have hearing loss (thanks, mortar/rifle range/airfields), so I'm kind of deaf, too.

Still, I wonder... I'm not only being bit in bed, but the bite patterns, well, there are no discernible patterns, other than randomly located bites. I've been looking at photos of bite comparisons and typical locations, but nothing seems to fit the bill but mosquitos (little *******s, pardon my language), chiggers, or possibly a spider. Since I'm not dead, don't have a rash, and am not in anaphylactic shock, I'm guessing it's not chiggers or a poisonous spider (like those evil little brown recluses that live in this area).

As far as kitty scratching goes, Binx's scratching is very intermittent, whereas I'm scratching all the damn time. I checked the base of his tail again, and still found nothing other than a little dandruff :/ he's been treated for worms and had all his boosters, plus I gave him his flea/tick/heartworm medicine last week. I'm a little baffled.

I'm a mosquito magnet, so I'm hoping it's just that, and I'm only freaking out over a "manageable" pest. I've laid out some traps for mosquitos, and if those don't work... well, then flea-bombs away. Really hoping it doesn't come to that.

If it's bedbugs... well, I hope no one figures out who set fire to the apartment.

 

[2bcat]

Sorry about whatever is biting you. Not sure at all about that.

I will say that I've noticed the cats sleeping in bed less in the last couple weeks, and one reason is up here in PA we no longer need blankets. Another is that we now have a ceiling fan on at night in there. I'm not sure which it is but I think both make the bed a bit less attractive for longer kitty sleeps, although they do still end up there sometimes. They may also be seeing something outside at night or who knows what. Really any number of things could change the sleep habits so it's quite possible that has nothing to do with what's eating you.

 

[stephanietx]

Welcome from another Fort Worth resident! 

Most likely the change in sleep habits is from him becoming comfortable in his home and the warming up of the weather.  It has been warm between rain storms lately.  From late spring to early fall none of my kitties sleep with me, but come winter, they're all back in the bed with me. 

As for the scratching, have you changed his food recently?  Do you use any freshener on the carpets?  It could even be a food allergy, litter allergy, or even allergy to laundry detergent.

 

[raksha]

Hi y'all!

Thanks for the encouragement 2bcat! He seems more comfy, so I hope that's the case.

Stephanie, I haven't changed any food or litter, so I'm starting to really think it's a pest of some kind, most likely a mosquito, but if I wake up with more bites, I'm making a vet appointment to have him checked out, and have them look at my bites. I did start him on antiviral eye drops, but I don't think that would cause him to nibble at his own hindquarters?

Thanks for the input, everyone.
I just hope I don't have to pull a "Ripley" and take a flamethrower to my apartment. I'm not sure 'invasion' would work on management.

 

[stephenq]

 

Thanks for all that info.  Is your cat an indoor cat?

 

[raksha]

Yes, Stephen, he is indoor only. He was vetted, and hasn't set a paw outside since his adoption. Prior to that, he was an indoor-only foster kitty, but three trips to the vet with no signs... this is really mind boggling.

 

[raksha]

It's fleas. FML.

 

[stephenq]

It's fleas. FML.

I'm sorry to hear that, kind of what i thought but at least it isn't bed bugs.  Then it would really be FML assuming my googling of that term produced the correct definition.   A spot on treatment will take care of it quickly :-)

 

[raksha]

That's quite true, and I am VERY thankful it's not those awful creatures.

Regardless, they've gotten to the point of attacking me more than my kitty... so I'd say the infestation is starting to kick into high gear. I've got exterminators coming out Wednesday, with a follow up two weeks later. In between sessions, I'll be dusting every inch of my apartment with diatomaceous earth to (hopefully) dry the leftover bugs/larvae/pupae out. Gross.

They gave Binx a pill to kill everything on him in a few hours during his vet visit (found a couple of dead fleas on my bed a bit later *shudder*), and I've given him his Advantage medicine.

Ugh. What a mess.

Well, off to go get more vinegar, calamine lotion, and benadryl!

Thanks, everyone, for the supportive replies!