ARGH, bloody fleas!

[EauRouge]

We are struggling with a flea infestation. We've had our cats for 10 years but they've never really had fleas before. I don't know why all of a sudden we're infested with the fucking things. We've tried 3 different flea treatments on the cats- Bob Martin didn't work (sounds like we had a lucky escape from the reviews I've read), Frontline didn't work, Advantage may have worked a bit. I couldn't find any fleas on the cats but they are still all over the house.

We set off some flea bombs yesterday- should they work instantly? We are still finding fleas. I have spent more time hoovering than anything else lately. Shall I give it more time for the chemicals to work or just get someone in to fumigate?

Thanks for any flea killing tips, I am on the verge of burning the house down with all our stuff in it just to get rid of the nasty little fuckers.

[Mogz]

Lots of sympathy from me, had an awful infestation one summer when our cats discovered the joys of bringing birds in. You might still be noticing the fleas as you killed the adults but not the eggs.
Try Advocate on the cats (precription from vet) then wait 3 days and put a new flea collar on them. Advocate is now the only treatment that works for us.
Pick up everything off the carpets in your house, everything, sofas, ottoman, TV stand and hoover, put curtains, cushion covers, bedding, towels through a 90C wash, then set off bombs or get the council round, hoover again when safe to re-enter house. After a week spray on and under everything with flea spray.
Make sure cats, kids, other small creatures are out of the house whilst this is going on and cover the fish tank really securely!

[EauRouge]

Thanks, Mogz. I am bloody heartbroken; after draining both my tanks, moving them into the bathroom, wrapping them up and sealing the door with tape, my entire shrimp breeding tank was wiped out :( I've got some more shrimps in with my cherry barbs, they are all fine thankfully (as are the stick insects) but I had 60 odd shrimps in the other tank. Gutted.

Hunts DC do a flea murdering service for £56 so might give them a ring in the morning.

[Mogz]

Oh I'm sorry that pesticide stuff gets everywhere, which I guess is its job, RIP little shrimpies.

[pettyprudence]

what worming treatment are you using? we have had a couple of flea infestations recently. If i don't treat the cats with drontal tablets first the flea treatment is useless we have switched to advantage as I found frontline stopped working. I also have indorex spray for the house - put the heating and vac on then spray everywhere. hot wash anything fabric and removable.
it's a bit of a losing battle for us at the moment as we have moved house and don't have a proper cat flap so every bastard cat is coming in the house and making themselves very at home

[EauRouge]

They have Drontal XL worming pills (they're big buggers). Really at a loss as to why we've had no fleas for 10 years and then suddenly mutant fleas from hell that just will not die.

The council have said they can come tomorrow and spray. We won't be able to hoover for 2 weeks! I might have to ban the DDs from eating bread or anything else that creates crumbs...

[pettyprudence]

we were clear of fleas for years and then last year we had a horrific outbreak that took nearly 6 months to clear up and led to us getting scabies so even more itching! We just had one outbreak shortly before christmas but touch wood that's cleared up quite quickly. Apparently it could be due to the increase in damp weather?