Anxiety is through the roof - help!

[missladybird]

Got a poorly 3 year old dd (bad cough and cold, nothing sinister) and a kitten with fleas. Cat will be treated tomorrow at the vets but in the meantime I have the house to contend with. I have OCD that is triggered massively by the use of chemicals - I'm a white vinegar and bicarb kinda woman. I can't go out with dd because she's unwell but I need to spray don't I?

There is a hole in the fabric under the sofa and the kitten has been going in there. Am I right in thinking there will be fleas under there? Not seen evidence and only 1 or 2 fleas found on the kitten but I am totally freaking out.

I'm regretting getting the kitten as much as I love her, we've only had her for 2 weeks. I had no idea this would happen.. and to top me off she's just had a wee on a black bin bag full of clothes that I've put away in case they get infested.

I'm losing the will to live.

Cats and chemicals dont mix too well, so its best to let the vet treat her for fleas. She'll also need worming regularly by the vet; they are all born with roundworm, and fleas are a vector for tapeworm.

You can vacuum every day. You can also use diatomaceous earth on the carpets, soft furnishings and the cat. And you can also use flea traps. Have a look on amazon, they stock both products.
You should also comb out as many fleas as you can, drop them into a pot of water that has a good dollop of washing up liquid in it, or a pot of surgical spirits or vodka.

You've posted numerous times about this..
Yes you need to spray, which is what the general consensus is on every other post.

Easier said than done Colin. I haven't made the ocd thing up.

Take her outside and spray her out there? If your OCD is stopping you from taking proper card if your pet then you really should think about rehoming, sorry if that sounds harsh but you cannot leave a cat with fleas untreated.

Proper care

If the kitten is being treated tomorrow then just relax. Where did you get her from? Because normally rescue kittens come chipped defleaed and snipped in my experience.

Dont wanna get on my soap box but: for anyone reading this is a good example of why your best bet is getting an adult cat from a reputable shelter. The personality is fixed, they will already be litter trained, and should arrive in good health.
Over and out!

Was she not defleaed when you got her? I'd try and relax if she's being treated tomorrow. Perhaps get someone else to take her to the vet and you can sort out the fleas at home whilst she's away?

I don't mean spraying the kitten I mean spraying the house.

No, you dont have to spray the house, you can choose to, or not. I don't, just use that flea stuff on the cat consistently and any eggs will hatch then die on the cat, no big deal

So if I treat the cat then the house will sort itself when any remaining fleas jump on to her?

Ellapaella Op said kitten is seeing the vet tomorrow for treatment.

Yes but the house needs doing because the cat had fleas! I’m perfectly capable of reading the op myself thanks. This may well happen again! Fleas are part and parcel of having a pet so you need to be prepared to deal with spraying pets and spraying furniture if necessary. Even giving regular flea treatment doesn’t always prevent fleas as the op has discovered. Just saying...

Yes, the fleas will just die when they jump on her, you dont have to spray the house. It will take longer and so you need to keep up the monthly flea treatment (make sure its a vet prescribed one, ideally that affects environment as well)
You've only had her a few weeks, none of this is serious, its really easily resolved, dont sweat it
You can of course use sprays as well if you want to. I dont bother.

I have two cats and they regularly get fleas- they are big hunters, so unavoidable.

I use spot treatments every three months or so, I don't bother cleaning the house.
No big deal.

So I managed to get an earlier appt and they prescribed stronghold.

Your house needs treating. I'd also consider rehoming if this small thing is getting on top of you.

I'm not rehoming. Am I the first person with anxiety to own a cat?

Vet actually said it wasn't necessary to treat the house.

I have anxiety too and have a cat. So that informed by answer. If you get any bites, you'll need to treat the house.

There you go, house doesn't need treating, kitten all sorted, glad you can relax on this one, op, and enjoy your new kitten

I've been confining her to downstairs where there are no carpets since she's had fleas. When would you say it's safe to let her upstairs? She's desperate to explore

I've three cats (since kittens) they have all had intermittent flea "moments". The house is not especially tidy or clean. We have no flea issues. Whenever cats are treated with spot treatments (we use Advocate or something that sounds similar) from the Vet, any existing fleas die! I do hoover quite a lot.

The peeing on items is one of the hazards of pet owning, the great thing is to let the kitten know exactly where the litter tray is at all times, possibly get two if she is going upstairs for long periods. Once they have peed anywhere do not use bleach to clean it (you probably don't if you are a vinegar person) because the ammonia smell is reminiscent of the pee smell for cats, and they will return!

Please don't worry - she'll be climbing up your curtains and scratching your furniture next, I'm afraid that is kittens for you, and IT DOES NOT MATTER, they are delightful creatures, possibly one of the few things in life that relieve anxiety rather than create it.