relatives pet/home has fleas

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They are aware of this, they are elderly and trying their best to eradicate them but has mobility issues so relies a lot on relatives. I try and go over once a week to vaccum (I live further away than most of the family with a disabled child so not always that easy to nip in). The cat has been treated, even given a bath but I feel the house is more the problem than the actual cat, which ironically is an indoor cat so they’ve been brought in from elsewhere. Other relatives live really close and have tried sprays and stuff but the little bastard things won’t fully go. I feel that it needs to be vacuumed more often than it does and not just the carpet but literally the sofas, everything! Also, I would suggest a better vacuum as I don’t believe it’s overly powerful and doesn’t get right down in the pile. But I don’t want to offend. Personally I think they need a professional which they could afford as don’t struggle for money (I would help out too if needed) but they don’t want to spend the money…

it almost makes me not want to visit with my kids ad they end up with itchy bites, I don’t want to bring them home to my own dog - thankfully so far we’ve managed this with strict rules on vacuuming cars after getting home and showering, changing clothes when we get home as well as my own regular vacuuming every day and being vigilant for signs of them. Thankfully our dog has escaped them so far, I regularly treat her as precaution anyway. I’m all for precaution rather than cure.

what should I suggest? They almost get offended when I bring it up although they know it’s an issue. My child has gone to scroll with nasty bites all up their leg 🤦‍♀️

I want to help… don’t even know how the cat could get fleas whilst being an indoor cat, clearly it’s come in from another animal or human on clothes - other relatives have cats and dogs etc. I know it hasn’t come from us as I’ve never spotted a single flea on my 8 year old dog. We’ve been pretty lucky but cat fleas are insanely hard to get rid of it seems!

Oh my, this was my parents growing up. I had horrendous flea bites all over and even now still have scars on my lower legs from the itchy bites. I moved out as soon as I could all because of the damp fleas! I used to try everything when they were away/out to get rid of the fleas-changed carpets, but the fleas were in the skirting boards, used to manically hoover every day etc. The best thing I found was a flea bomb thing that you light and leave for a few hours to smoke the house out. That and moving out! Then as an adult when I visited with the kids we’d all wear deet insect repellant and trousers, keeping our shoes on with socks pulled up. You have my sympathies.

Have they tried Indorex and sprayed all carpets, under side of sofas etc? IME it is the one spray that actually works.

Frankly I wouldn’t go to their house, and I certainly wouldn’t take my child. It isn’t fair to inflict flea bites on a child just because you want to be polite to the relative.

Has the cat been treated by a vet, not just with over the counter medication?

I lost sympathy for the relative when you said they could afford professional decontamination of the house but won’t pay for it. If that’s their attitude they can’t expect people to visit.

Vacuuming won't do it - they respond to vibration and it wakes them up so to ideal. My son had them in his house when someone visited with infested dogs. He tried everything but In the end he got an exterminator in who bombed it. Then he washed everything again and no dogs allowed!

Go to the vet and get flea tablets. They're expensive but will work for 3 months. Repeat every 3 months

I had fleas in my house a few times from relatives houses. Tried sprays and everything. Only way to get rid was the professionals. They need to pay to get rid.

You need to get indorex spray. You used to only be able to get it from the vets but can buy it on amazon etc now. It's absolutely amazing. You need to get relative and cat out the house for an hour or so (can chuck the cat in a carry basket and relative can just sit in the garden with cat) and then go to town with the spray. One can should do the whole house, but get two to be on the safe side. Spray everything... Hard floors, carpets, sofas (get in the creases and seams, skirting boards, stairs, under beds, literally everything. And the fleas will be no more, I promise. It kills the larvae, eggs and fleas, unlike most products that don't kill the eggs so you can't escape the life cycle.

I can relate tbh. I didn’t mention in my op, I grew up with cats, my mum would treat them but fleas would linger. I’d end up with nasty bites and ended up with scars like you, my skin seemed prone to bites compared to relatives. Like you I moved out, we got a dog but thankfully she’s never had any issue with my dog but I think cats and fleas are more common. Thank you!

I think so yes. It’s a large house so I guess really hard to kill everyone and they breed… I may buy them some and do it myself.

Thank you, I will suggest this. Cat is elderly so relative is worried about taking her to the vets. She’s always been a pretty healthy cat but damn fleas 🤦‍♀️ surprisingly, her fur is in great condition for the amount of fleas she must have!

Thanks all!