FLEAS......nooooooo!!!

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Uuuugh...I discovered yesterday that Suri has FLEAS. I have no clue where or how she even GOT the little buggers. Ive bathed her TWICE with Dawn which killed whatever bugs I could see. I applied a natural flea killer/repellant for kittens, and have steam cleaned all the carpets, washed all household bedding (including hers) and sprayed the entire house with a natural flea killer/ repellant. Anything else I can do to kill/keep these nasty things away?! Ive never before delt with fleas!!! So, so gross......

spitspot · **Joined:** Mon Jan 12, 2015 2:26 pm **Posts:** 734

We had a flea incident with one of our cats a few years ago. He was a prolific hunter and also loved playing with hedgehogs! We did the same as you re cleaning and spraying house but also got a couple of flea lamps. They are little lamps that you leave on your floor. They mimic the body heat of an animal to attract the fleas and they will hop onto the sticky pad under the lamp. We only caught a couple but it puts your mind at rest that each room is clear of fleas!!

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

How does an indoor cat get fleas? Well ... fleas are everywhere outside and humans can bring them inside the house! Yes, those little critters attach themselves to your clothes, your skin and then just hop off the second you're in the house to find a different host -- your kitty! Even indoor cats should get treated for fleas. You can spray around the outside of your home which could help. Suri is just a tiny kitten, so you need to be careful as to what you use on her. But, yes, a new indoor kitty can get fleas. And all it takes is one male and one female to make a million little fleas -- so you have to get them ALL.

Kyenta1 · **Posted:** Wed Oct 07, 2015 4:57 pm

If you do not kill eggs in your carpets & upholstery, you will have a reinfestation within 2 weeks. You need to kill live fleas as well as the eggs. I do not believe there is a natural way to do this.

I used to live in a region where fleas were abundant (southern Ontario, Canada).

Fortunately I now live in Utah where fleas are virtually non-existent. They really are a nuisance.

Good luck!

Donna741 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:03 pm **Posts:** 1048

We use Frontline Plus on the "kids".

I had a horrible time when I first moved to TX. None of my animals had ever had fleas and the house I moved into was infested (unbeknownst to me). The cats ended up with not only fleas but worms too from ingesting flea eggs (probably when grooming). Everyone got wormed and I started using Frontline Plus. There were no more living fleas on them within 24 hours, I kept treating them for 6 months to make sure any new fleas died as well. Didn't find any more fleas after that until Diesel came back from an overnight stay at the vet earlier this year, started Frontline Plus again on everyone and in 3 months we didn't find any more fleas.

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Ugh...I cant believe Im dealing with fleas. Really. I have a feeling my son's friend brought them into the house. They have dogs, soooooo....thats my guess.

Im using Sentry PurrScriptions Indoor kitten flea killer on Suri. I call it "natural" because its made with peppermint oil, clove oil, lemongrass oil, and citric acid. The Vets Best home spray I am using has the same ingredients. Just seems a tad safer than chemically fogging the house.

Im really hoping between shampooing carpets, washing bedding, treating the house/furniture and treating Suri gets this taken care of.

Donna741 · **Joined:** Wed Feb 05, 2014 9:03 pm **Posts:** 1048

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I'm guessing the dogs were let into the house! Now you know better! LOL. You will have to continue to treat the carpet, etc. for fleas since it takes a while for the new eggs to hatch. This will be an ongoing situation with Suri as well, especially if you ever decide to walk her on a harness and leash. I have no idea the purpose fleas have in this world! Or ticks!

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Nope, there have been no other pets in our home. I imagine they came in WITH the kids. Ugh.

Yeah Im not looking forward to the battle, but I WILL be the winner here. I ordered Suri some Frontline Plus for cats in hopes maybe a more potent treatment will also help. In the meantime.....lots of cleaning, lots of kitty baths with Dawn, and hopefully this will be eradicated.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

Is Suri big enough for the Frontline Plus? Don't they have to weigh at least 5 pounds? I use it on Raiden and it works great. Well, the fleas came in with someone. You'll win this battle. Do be careful with the baths, though. You don't want to dry out Suri's skin.

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Frontline Kitten is for kittens 8 weeks and older. She definitely meets that reauirement.

Uuuugh.....I caught one of the nasty things biting my 2 yr old son's neck yesterday. Not. Happy.

Sherry · **Joined:** Thu May 23, 2013 2:21 pm **Posts:** 9217

I didn't realize there was Frontline for kittens!!! I hate to see kitties with fleas. They are just horrible. And flea bites on humans is not fun either. You're still battling them, I see. It may take an entire month until you are free from them and you just continually have to treat for them until they are all DEAD!

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Yep, saw another one on Suri this morning. Grrrrrrrrrrrr!!! I just cant get rid of these nasty things!! I vaccuumed for the billionth time this morning and sucked a bunch of the gross little buggers up. I hate this. We are VERY VERY clean people, with a brand new, immaculately clean home and literally a household full of brand new furniture. This is getting frustrating to say the least.

I am now doing the following:

Dawn baths for Suri
Flea comb to pick anything from her
Sentry natural oil flea treatment
Frontline Plus flea treatment
Capstar oral flea treatment
Plug in flea traps
Sentry natural household flea repellant
Zodiac Fleatrol household flea killer for carpets, upholstry, etc. (all stages insecticide)
Vaccuuming multiple times per day
Washing EVERYTHING over and over

Suri has a vet appointment on Monday, so Ill discuss this issue with her vet as well. These things MUST DIE!!!

CMYKjill · **Joined:** Tue Sep 23, 2014 6:38 pm **Posts:** 1838

That's a lot of different chemicals flying around. Cats can have adverse reactions to flea treatments, even the all natural ones. Mine itch constantly when I use Revolution topical medication. They are taking Comfortis oral flea medication which bothers them less. They don't have fleas, but one of them in particular itches quite a bit, especially when I try feeding her something other than venison. Her itching may be diet related.

DeputyMP24 · **Joined:** Fri Sep 18, 2015 1:31 pm **Posts:** 212

Yikes, I JUST put a dose of Revolution (from the vet...had a scary emergency visit yesterday) on Suri like 10 mins ago. I was advised Frontline is ineffective here, as fleas have become resistant to it. Yay. I guess Advantage and Revolution are what work here. Hopefully Suri doesnt have an adverse reaction to the Revolution.

Suri doesnt scratch a whole lot...but Im well aware of her flea prolem as Ive visually seen the little buggers. I havent seen any bugs on her today....yet. I saw two yesterday and bathed her. Both died. On the upside, her vet said she smelled fantastic. Lol...

FLEAS......nooooooo!!!

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