To think the cat sitter's flea policy is too strict

As a dog walker and cat sitter I feel this is way OTT. Obviously it is less than ideal but when caring for pets this kind of thing does happen and it is not an emergency.

Automatic flea treatment is now being questioned by the government, vets and environmentalists as it is having a brutal effect on flora and fauna. Routine use of indorex type products is also brutal and unnecessary unless an in infestation has taken serious hold. As such we need to calm down and make sure that both preventative and reactionary measures are sensible and proportional.

When cat sitting I expect to deal with fleas occasionally, along with dead / alive rodents and birds, vomit, poorly cats and other issues.

Owners are kept informed but not expected to return or ask an emergency contact to take over unless a cat is so unwell that it needs constant care. Even then I will provide that until the owner can get home. I deal with everything as best I can whilst prioritising the cats welfare.

But that may have already happened.

Just because she first saw a flea at OPs, doesn't mean she didn't bring it with her from the previous client. It could have happened and she didn't realise.

“Dr Andrew Prentis, Veterinary Surgeon and Grantham Institute Fellow, says:
"The idea that you sign up to a subscription scheme and are automatically supplied with parasite treatments without testing or diagnosis is a bit like signing up to health insurance and then being supplied with year-round antibiotics just in case you get ill. You just wouldn't do it."
"Don't hesitate to ask your vet how often they are seeing cases of parasite infestation at this time of year in your region and about the environmental risks associated with using the treatments available."
“Dr Rose Perkins, Research Fellow and member of the PREPP group says:
“The report highlights that the risks posed by pet parasite medications have been seriously underestimated. Our research has shown that these chemicals are contaminating homes, washing down drains and entering waterways at concentrations known to harm aquatic life. The evidence is clear: routine, preventative treatment of pets regardless of actual need is not scientifically justified, and this model has to change.””
taken from https://www.imperial.ac.uk/news/articles/grantham/2026/parliament-committee-calls-for-risk-based-use-of-flea-and-tick-treatment-following-imperial-evidence/

Just to put the cat amongst the pigeons but there is a move away from advising regular flea treatments for very good reasons ! https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/cp9pd4d3m5ko

Surely the cat sitter will be dealing with multiple homes. She just doesn’t want to transport the fleas to the next home.

She is bat shit crazy!

She is being unreasonable. Unless a house is obviously infested, the odd flea is part of her job (and pet ownership). A reasonable reaction would be for her to let you know, and you to investigate upon your return. I think she’s in the wrong job.

I'm amazed they can still sell Frontline when it hasn't been effective in at least 15 years, at least in the U.K. Fleas are immune to it.

You've just been lucky not to have fleas.

OP, if she's been bitten in your hours she's every right to put new rules in place. If she inadvertently carried fleas to another client's house her business would be scuppered.

I’m amazed at all the people saying frontline doesn’t work. It’s the brand I use (as do my mum and 2 sisters), alongside 6monthly Indorex. None of us have had a flea problem.

I had this problem but I got a roomba vacuum and it worked really well.
It might be cheaper than other options.

You are writing about flea treatment like they are head lice. You cannot just comb/treat the cat to get rid of fleas. Any carpet or soft furnishings or mattresses the cat has been on can harbour an infestation of fleas. They don’t need to live on the cat to survive.

They don’t expect a customer to come home, only those who don’t give them an emergency contact or pre authorise them to call an exterminator.

The only part of the policy I find unreasonable is the exterminator while you are still away. Having an exterminator in the home when you have pets is tricky. I would not want that task left to my emergency contact, especially since the pet sitter is unwilling to help with additional supervision.

using an exterminator before your next service from the pet service is reasonable.

I think it’s fine to reduce the length of visits if they’re worried about getting bitten but expecting clients to get an exterminator in is too much.

Both our cats had fleas when they came to us and we got rid of them with prescribed flea treatments and a spray for the rooms they’d been in. They’d been living outdoors so hadn’t been treated for at least 3 months, I suspect much longer, so it wasn’t the odd one or two either!!

We treat them every 3 months with Felpreva now and have never had a problem since. I did find a dead flea once on their favourite windowsill but I guess that shows the treatment’s working.

I foster rescue cats and the rescue cannot afford vet issued meds for every cat, and over the counter equivalents and Indorex works when we get a little flea ridden being in. I also comb them (if not a total feral) . It maybe you need to treat more often but we have about 5-10 cats in our house as average and have never had a flea infestation that requires bringing in pest control! The only thing that I am allergic to is flea and insect bites, my skin goes on fire and I feel very unwell.

We use the Nextgard one from our vet too and def recommend it. Use to use front line and had to deal with a flea infestation. After a couple of months of Nextgard, they were gone and not seen any since.

I’m a veterinary nurse and went to the launch event for Frontline in 1995! It is a very old drug and no longer works effectively.

I got roped in to cat sitting for one of my college lecturers many years ago.
It. Was. Horrendous.
I had an estimated 300 bites after 3 weeks.
The scars were still visible a year later.
They had gone to Greece.
Long before mobile phones.
The only contact number was for an elderly and distant mother. So I didn't try.
I was paid the equivalent of 60 pounds.
For 3 weeks house sitting with cats.
I bought lots of products and tried to sleep in the bath tub.
I could go on.
The cat sitter is
not being unreasonable.
At all

Frontline is shit, get proper treatment.

Your cat sitter is insane and will likely be out of a job soon anyway, so just use someone sensible.

Get a flea trap see if you actually do have an infestation

Find a new cat sitter

I work with cats . I did just laugh at her exterminator comment . Way too over the top. I agree with the front line advice though . It’s just not effective anymore . But people are only now learning this and you seem like a good responsible cat owner so don’t worry. My vet uses Nexguard combo and it’s really effective .

Frontline doesn’t work unfortunately - I found out the hard way :(

Try Advantage or a vet prescribed one.

Use another cat sitter if you don't like her new terms but you are unreasonable to have not already switched to a vet strength flea treatment if you have previously dealt with fleas.