Fleas!

[ValancyJane]

Have found out this morning that our lovely cat has fleas - OH was woken quite a bit by him jingling in the night (he has a bell) as he was scratching a lot, which made me think of fleas. Have noticed that where he lies down there are black specks and it is turning red with wet tissue paper, so am pretty certain he has fleas, poor baby. He's only started scratching in the last few days, and we've not seen any fleas yet, so I'm hoping we've caught it relatively early on.

I've put some flea drops on him (he was about a month overdue for his dose - I feel guilty as hell now, but I'm 12 and a half weeks pregnant and have been so ill and shattered that everything has just gone to pot in the last two months). I've already ordered some stuff to blitz the carpets and a comb for him - aside from washing the bedding and clothes that are on the floor and hoovering, is there anything useful I can do today??? I can't go out to get anything (I'm off work once again with morning sickness) - but if anyone has any good ideas of anything I could do today for him (aside from give him guilt tuna!) I would love to hear them!

Also he is snuggled up on the bed with me at the moment. As I'm going to wash the bedding in a bit I'm not too fussed right now, but later on should we discourage him from coming into the bedroom? I've read some websites that say the drops will kill the fleas, so you should let him go about as usual as he will kill the fleas in the spots he lies in - any truth in this or is it just nonsense?

[ValancyJane]

Definitely fleas - just after I posted this I saw one on his ear. Tried to get it, but he started scratching and god knows where it went. Ick, ick, ick! Was quite big too.

[thecatneuterer]

The first burning question is which flea drops did you use?

[Lonecatwithkitten]

As TCN says what drops did you use they are not all the same?

[ValancyJane]

Thanks for the replies! The drops were Frontline (having googled I know that some people think it doesn't work - it did for us until I forgot to do the drops).

I rang the vets and managed to drag myself down there - now have a flea comb, some advantage drops (for in three weeks time) and a big can of spray for the carpets. Have combed the cat and got seven of the buggers out, so at least he's more comfortable now. He quite liked the comb (and the many Whiskers Temptations he got during!)

I'm a bit worried about using the chemical-filled flea spray on the carpets in early pregnancy, am tempted to try chucking a load of salt down, does that actually work or is it a myth? I've emailed the company who make the flea spray to see if they have any recommendations, but not sure if I'm being a bit precious about it and worrying over nothing.

Have boil washed the bedding and when the nausea passes for a bit I'm going to start hoovering everything in sight.

[thecatneuterer]

Well I think you've covered everything I was going to say! I've no idea about chemicals and pregnancy I'm afraid.

Good luck.

[Lonecatwithkitten]

I would have someone else apply the household spray for you, but beyond that it does not carry risks in pregnancy.