How long do flea bites itch for?

[gingeme]

This may seem like a silly question but I recently visited my parents who have a cat. Well its not actualy theres but they fed it when they first moved and its adopted them. Anyway it has fleas and my ankles,feet and wrists are covered in bites. My Mum bought it a collar and has told me she has sprayed all soft furnishings with powder. But I came home Wednesday and they are still itching like mad. Im using Eurax cream which helps for a while but.......

[kiskidee]

an eternity ime

[gingeme]

Oh bum. Realy?

[GlassSlipper]

DHs legs took a month for inflammation and itching to stop but I imagine he has some kind of sensitivity.

[kiskidee]

2 wks i vaguely remember

[gingeme]

Well thats what I thought because no one else was bitten. Maybe the fleas like my pg blood

[GlassSlipper]

Just read the post fully. Your mum will have to hoover every day for a few weeks. She needs a good spray (not a cheapo one from the chemist) and will have to spray all carpets, soft funrishings, gaps in skirting boards etc. Google fleas and learn about the life cycle then you'll see how resilient the little buggers are.

[gingeme]

She got the spray from her local pet shop. Yes the lady did tell her to hoover every day. I told her Im not going again till she can garuntee theyve all gone.

[GlassSlipper]

They may come back after 3 weeks but she mustnt panic as on contact with the sprayed floor the new ones will die.

[gingeme]

Do they live in leather too then? She has leather sofas and bare natural floor boards!! I never actualy knew they bit humans either....

[GlassSlipper]

probably not leather but the will have gotten into all the gaps in the floor boards.

[kiskidee]

fleas will bite humans if other host mammals like cats, dogs, mice etc are not around.

[gingeme]

Er yuk! So Im going to be itchy for a while yet then? Great

[gingeme]

Thankyou ladies. It seemed like a daft question but this itching is driving me MAD!!

[Haribosmum]

Yes flea bites are crazy aren't they. I got some on my leg last weekend (they've stopped itching now btw) but I'm not sure where I got them from. We have a dog and a cat but we use the most expensive flea stuff in them religiously. However my MIL has an elderly dog and I'm sure she doesn't de-flea her.

It's surprising how resiliant the little blighters are. Def need a spray from the vets, not a cheapo one. And spray EVERYWHERE. Even places you are sure they are not going to get.

[gingeme]

Same here. We have a cat too and hes an indoor cat but cause weve got little ones we check him all the time and touch wood hes never had them.