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Original poster

Fleas for Christmas?? WWUD

43 replies

Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:38

Me, DH, our toddler DD and cat have arrived at my in-laws and are staying over Christmas and NY. My BIL and wife have recently gotten kittens and are due to also come down for Christmas, they'll probably stay a week (everyone lives far apart and we have always had long christmases together). BIL texted the family WhatsApp group on Fri saying the kittens have fleas. They have delayed their journey to try and get rid of the fleas as much as poss but are still coming down. I've read flea infestations take at least 2 weeks to get rid of, and concerned that my toddler (who crawls on the floor / licks things constantly) will get bitten, and that we will end up taking the fleas back to our home too but I've never dealt with fleas before. Should I be worried? What would you do?

OP posts:
snowyglobe · 22/12/2024 09:57

Your poor cat - you’re taking him to a strange place with other strange cats in? He’s going to be really stressed, never mind the fleas.

DogInATent · 22/12/2024 09:57

Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:52

Thanks this is helpful - did you have to hoover / spray daily?

Show quote history

Flea bombing the house is the quickest and easiest way to get rid of fleas. It takes a couple of hours, and you'll need to be out of the house whilst it does its thing. Usually one treatment does it, but I did once have to do it twice.

Dealing with fleas is part and parcel of having cats.

Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:53

purpleme12 · 22/12/2024 09:47

Are they bringing the kittens with them?

Yep! So we will be 6 adults 1 toddler and 3 cats (and ??? Fleas) for Christmas 🤭

OP posts:
Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:52

rockstarshoes · 22/12/2024 09:49

We have just dealt with a flea ridden cat!

If the kittens are treated with a flea treatment they should be good within 24 hours!

We've had a week of hoovering, washing & spraying Indorex Defence Spray on all surfaces so you might want to take a can of that if you are worried but other than on the actual cat we haven't seen a flea or been bitten ourselves!

Thanks this is helpful - did you have to hoover / spray daily?

OP posts:
Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:51

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 22/12/2024 09:47

Containment might be a good idea at the in-laws house. They stay in their crate/ one room, preferably without soft furnishings, and you minimise contact? You should minimise your own cat's contact with kittens anyway, and older cat is not usually pleased to meet kittens that aren't theirs!

I wanted to suggest this but it feels cruel for everyone as we were/are all excited about meeting the kittens. Deffo not worried about our cat as he's probs going to keep to his own as cats do!

OP posts:
Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:49

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:44

Well it does say that spot on treatment takes 24 hours to kill them like frontline or advantage if they can get pretty much everything off them with that plus using flea comb and bathing them then it should be fine if your cat already had treatment on then your cats not going to be bothered because they will die on your cat

Show quote history

Okay thanks - that's really helpful reassurance, think I was imagining the Fleas coming here then spreading back to our family home and wanted to find a proportionate response

OP posts:
rockstarshoes · 22/12/2024 09:49

We have just dealt with a flea ridden cat!

If the kittens are treated with a flea treatment they should be good within 24 hours!

We've had a week of hoovering, washing & spraying Indorex Defence Spray on all surfaces so you might want to take a can of that if you are worried but other than on the actual cat we haven't seen a flea or been bitten ourselves!

TooManyCupsAndMugs · 22/12/2024 09:47

Containment might be a good idea at the in-laws house. They stay in their crate/ one room, preferably without soft furnishings, and you minimise contact? You should minimise your own cat's contact with kittens anyway, and older cat is not usually pleased to meet kittens that aren't theirs!

purpleme12 · 22/12/2024 09:47

Are they bringing the kittens with them?

Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:46

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:39

Has your brother-in-law put some spot on for kittens on the back of their neck? If so that should take about 24 hours to kill them. They need to get a flea comb and I’ve heard if you put a little bit of fairy washing up liquid in a tiny bit of water you can bathe the kittens too what you’re talking about is when it’s on carpets if they’re coming to your mother-in-law‘s house if they’ve had the treatment, they shouldn’t really have many fleas plus You should’ve already put treatment on your cat anyway if you haven’t get some

Edited

All the cats are treated, and the two kittens who had the fleas have been washed. But yeah in-laws have a lot of soft furnishings / carpets and worried the fleas will love it here

OP posts:
Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:45

Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:44

Thanks - all 3 cats involved have been treated by vet-prescribed stuff, but think it just makes the fleas infertile or means the eggs don't hatch I think?

Show quote history

It kills them when they come on and bite the cat now what I would do is buy something you can buy online to spray on the carpet because then it protects the carpets from getting stuff as well if the kittens do come to your mum’s house

Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:44

Cherrysoup · 22/12/2024 09:42

I’d tell them to get proper stuff from the vet, the drops that go on the neck or Bravecto, also prescription. Your in-law’s house may well end up infested. I’d be really unhappy with this, although Bravecto works very quickly, however the kittens might be too young and it does have a somewhat interesting reputation. I use it on my dogs, but some reviews are worrying. Vet is the right thing, imo, asap.

Thanks - all 3 cats involved have been treated by vet-prescribed stuff, but think it just makes the fleas infertile or means the eggs don't hatch I think?

OP posts:
Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:44

Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:43

We've got an indoor cat who has never had fleas, we've got him on treatment so he should be fine. I'm trying to work out what the likelihood is of fleas surviving my BIL's cleaning / treatment and coming for Christmas!

Show quote history

Well it does say that spot on treatment takes 24 hours to kill them like frontline or advantage if they can get pretty much everything off them with that plus using flea comb and bathing them then it should be fine if your cat already had treatment on then your cats not going to be bothered because they will die on your cat

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:43

Cherrysoup · 22/12/2024 09:42

I’d tell them to get proper stuff from the vet, the drops that go on the neck or Bravecto, also prescription. Your in-law’s house may well end up infested. I’d be really unhappy with this, although Bravecto works very quickly, however the kittens might be too young and it does have a somewhat interesting reputation. I use it on my dogs, but some reviews are worrying. Vet is the right thing, imo, asap.

If she’s in Britain, you can buy frontline or advantage online and in shops you do not need a vet for that

Original poster
Albieinthesun · 22/12/2024 09:43

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:41

You say you haven’t dealt with fleas before so what are you doing with your own cat because I put treatment on my animals every month so surely that’s what you were doing

We've got an indoor cat who has never had fleas, we've got him on treatment so he should be fine. I'm trying to work out what the likelihood is of fleas surviving my BIL's cleaning / treatment and coming for Christmas!

OP posts:
Cherrysoup · 22/12/2024 09:42

I’d tell them to get proper stuff from the vet, the drops that go on the neck or Bravecto, also prescription. Your in-law’s house may well end up infested. I’d be really unhappy with this, although Bravecto works very quickly, however the kittens might be too young and it does have a somewhat interesting reputation. I use it on my dogs, but some reviews are worrying. Vet is the right thing, imo, asap.

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:41

You say you haven’t dealt with fleas before so what are you doing with your own cat because I put treatment on my animals every month so surely that’s what you were doing

Workingclasslass · 22/12/2024 09:39

Has your brother-in-law put some spot on for kittens on the back of their neck? If so that should take about 24 hours to kill them. They need to get a flea comb and I’ve heard if you put a little bit of fairy washing up liquid in a tiny bit of water you can bathe the kittens too what you’re talking about is when it’s on carpets if they’re coming to your mother-in-law‘s house if they’ve had the treatment, they shouldn’t really have many fleas plus You should’ve already put treatment on your cat anyway if you haven’t get some

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