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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Oh shit fleas

56 replies

Ohnocats · 01/11/2024 21:48

Adopted two kittens last week but realised they have fleas and I've definitely seen one crawling one of the kittens. DC has what looks like a couple of bites on the ankle.

AIBU to be absolutely sickened by the thoughts of a flea infestation. It's triggering my anxiety so badly and my skin is crawling. Ordered flea spot on and household flea spray. What on earth do I do? 😧

OP posts:
Hufflemuff · 03/11/2024 16:25

Hufflemuff · 03/11/2024 16:23

This Zero In has never failed me. We have 3 cats and had 2 rounds of fleas. One because we just got a new kitten and didn't know, second was because I was in hospital for 3 weeks, then recovering at home slowly for another 6 - so we missed their flea treatments for 3 months in a row! Oops...

It felt disgusting to me! I felt like Cleatus on the Simpsons.

You need to make sure all their food, water and any glasses and mugs are out the room. Basically anything that you or they will drink or eat out of needs to go outside. Otherwise the spray will settle on it and it's poisonous to injest. The kittens need to be out of the building for at least 2 hours I'd say. Maybe put them in a cat carrier and have them in the car for a this time. Then spray car after BTW!

Close all windows and doors, spray around the room. Exit the room and leave it for 30 mins. Then come back in and open the windows as wide as possible. I have a small house so I did the upstairs, then the downstairs - so I could sit in one place at a time.

If you have a big wardrobe (I converted a large cupboard into one) then spray this too!

You also have to wash all the blankets and change your bedding! Don't worry though, that Zero In will absolutely decimate them! 💀

Sorry and just to add... Its best to repeat this whole thing 2-3 weeks later, so any eggs that hatched in-between the nuclear warfare from the first spray are mopped up too!

Oh and for treating kittens I would ask the vets advice as they're babies!

Newstartplease24 · 03/11/2024 16:28

The Pp who manually dealt with fleas saying she should have called the landlord - it would not have done any good. My landlord’s dog shed fleas and flea eggs all over our new flat and they savaged me. He insisted there was no proof and did nothing. He let me a flea ridden flat at great expense - I had no animals - all our stuff had to be washed in the launderette as there was no washing machine - cost a fortune - I was covered in bites head to toe - he just shrugged

in that case it was finite as I had no animals and fleas can’t breed on the wrong animal, ie humans, if they’re dog fleas. But I do wish people would take this seriously. Untreated pets WILL get fleas and they WILL cause other people problems and they need to be dealt with on a regular basis, for ever. If you don’t feel like facing this, do us all a favour and don’t get furry animals.

Original poster
Ohnocats · 03/11/2024 20:44

Update: pleased to say all 3 felines have been to the vet. Treated with the vet's drops for fleas, worms and ticks which will last for three months. The vet did a flea check (briefly only I had to ask her twice) and could only see flea dirt on one of the kittens. She said she didn't think it was a full flown infestation.

I'm too squeamish to look myself. Spraying will start tomorrow whilst DC at school and I've been hoovering like mad.

Flea collar in the hoover is giving me some reassurance that any fleas and eggs will meet their untimely end.

I'm trying my best to put my big ladies pants on and deal with it but heck it's exhausting.

OP posts:
BobbyBiscuits · 03/11/2024 20:47

Put frontline on the kittens, the green one. You might need a vet strength one but try that first. Indorex spray as well, order a couple of cans and spray the whole house. Then if they still have them take to vets. Fleas are almost inevitable sometimes, and you say you've only seen a couple. So don't panic. Wash bedding or anything that goes in the machine on a hot wash.

Original poster
Ohnocats · 03/11/2024 20:52

BobbyBiscuits · 03/11/2024 20:47

Put frontline on the kittens, the green one. You might need a vet strength one but try that first. Indorex spray as well, order a couple of cans and spray the whole house. Then if they still have them take to vets. Fleas are almost inevitable sometimes, and you say you've only seen a couple. So don't panic. Wash bedding or anything that goes in the machine on a hot wash.

The vet has given the kittens and the mother cat the spot on treatment. I'm hoping any fleas on them have now met their maker.

Yes two cans of Indorex have arrived today. I'll spray the house tomorrow whilst DC at school.

OP posts:
BobbyBiscuits · 03/11/2024 20:57

@Ohnocats awesome. You'll be fine. You can ask for a prescription for the decent spot on treatment, then you can order it online. My vet charges £25 for a 6 month prescription.
But yeah, it's so common for privately rehomed kittens to have fleas. One of mine had ringworm as well which was horrible for the poor little fella. So you're doing the right thing. The spray is fine, if you open the windows the smell disperses after a few hours.

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