Looking after cats with fleas? Advice please.

[redcherrie]

My cousin said she needed someone to home her cats while she goes away for ten days skiing. I said I would, as my children would love the experience and thought it would help her out also.

On Monday she announced they had ear mites and said she’d pop to the vets for drops.

Today I went over to meet the cats, and she casually said one has fleas but both have had tablets. Nothing about her home being de flea’d etc.

I haven’t had animals before with fleas so not sure what this meant. I thought as they’d had treatment they’d no longer have fleas. But my husband is now saying we are absolutely not having them in our home especially as they haven’t de flea’d their house; potentially re infesting the cats.

I really don’t want to stitch my cousin up as she leaves Friday at 4:30pm, but equally I do not want two cats in our home who potentially still have fleas.

What to do? AIBU to say we don’t want them now? Or will they be de flea’d and it’ll be fine?

If she's treated the cats then the fleas should die. However they won't all be dead before they come to your house and some will probably migrate off the cats and onto your carpets. They won't live long without an animal to feed on so you're unlikely to get an infestation but honestly I can't believe anyone would expect someone to take a flea affected cat into their home! What is she thinking!

This is what I have just read. I don’t really want any fleas in our home at all. She seems very casual about the whole thing. They have no hoover at their house currently as they have recently moved. (They have a robot one but obviously they aren’t great) so this makes me wonder if the cats will be re infested before they come to ours.

If she lives near by can you not just pop round and feed them. That’s what we do when we are away…ask a neighbour to keep an eye on them. As long as they are fed they are petty happy as they can use the cat flap to venture out.
I would agree with your husband to be honest it wouldn’t be ideal bringing them to yours.

She should have booked them into a cattery.

I wouldn’t have them in my house either and I wouldn’t feel bad about her needing to make other arrangements.

As the owner of two cats I would agree with your husband and absolutely not bring these cats to your home. They will bring fleas to your house. Your cousin doesn't sound like a responsible pet owner to be honest.

They need proper treatment from the vets for fleas. Cheap tablets won’t work. Absolutely no way would I entertain this.

Don’t take them into your house.

go round and feed them.

is she treating the cats? To get rid of fleas you need to wash most fabrics and do a lot and I mean a lot of hoovering,

Did she use a spot on from the vets or just give them a flea tablet you can buy from supermarkets?
The first will protect them for 4 weeks. The tablet just kills what was on them at the time you give it but doesn't protect from reinfestation, so technically they could pick them up again from her carpets, especially if she isn't vacuuming or treating her house.

They are unlikely to infest your house if you don't have cats, as they will die off.
You could either feed them at her house, or insist they get a proper vet prescribed treatment and pays for a can of indorex to protect your house

She lives around 25 mins away and she feeds them twice a day. I also have two children on Easter holidays and husband working so essentially two hours out the day to go feed them. Not the end of the world but quite a bit of hassle for ten days, especially dragging the kids with me when husband is working late etc.

I have a feeling she took them to the vets yesterday re the ear mites and they told her then about the fleas but she didn’t say much to me. I just don’t really want fleas in the house! Makes me feel horrid.

She needs to get a pet sitter to help her. I’m sure there will be someone local to her who will do it. Just make the decision so she has time to organise something

Yes. Have text her this evening to let her know mine and husbands concerns so waiting to hear what she says. If the cats have been treated for fleas in the last couple of days, is it still a no?

She needs to pay for a cat sitter, we do for ours. One of our cats has annoyingly got fleas as well,despite having monthly protection. Vets 4 pets recommended a spray for the whole house that has permethrin in. I’ve sprayed all upholstery, sofas carpets a few times with it.

I’ve treated the other cat and the dog hopefully is protected.

Cats are banned from the house for the time being until it appears that the fleas have died. (I noticed flea eggs - so have treated them at this stage so not sure if they will hatch etc and then die).
we’ve an outdoor cat house that they can stay in in the mean time and lots of shelter (they spend a fair amount of time outside so are used to it!)

Don’t let fleacats into your house, I certainly won’t let mine back into ours until they’ve all gone!!

Hold strong OP! It would be a firm NO from me.

Ear mites and fleas! 😱

Your cousin sounds like the type of person to drop them off and yell back 'Oh, did I mention that Bonnie has explosive diarrhoea and Felix has a chronic urine problem and will piss on your bed, rugs, carpets- actually, any soft furnishing!!!'

'Bye now, see when I'm back from my holiday. Enjoy your time with my manky lovely cats!' 😩

If the cats were given credelio then should be fine, it works in about 24-48h and fleas should drop off them. They won’t come back on to the cat even if they’re in the home as they release something through their skin to repel. We have a monthly maintenance dose of it to keep our cat flea and mite free.

Don't do it! I did and had an infestation which cost me lots of money on expensive home treatment and.. I had another outbreak a few months later, I assume from eggs that hatched when the heating cranked up! Bloody nightmare! Never again

Gosh. I don’t know what to do! The thought of them coming here with fleas gives me anxiety. Sounds stupid but do they bite humans too? I know they feed off animal blood, but I’m sure they bite humans?

I would have to ask her what she’s used on them to treat them I guess. I really don’t want to let her down the day before she is leaving. I’d feel awful.

Yes, they bite humans. They certainly wouldn’t be coming in my house with fleas.

YOU are not stitching up your cousin OP. SHE is a CF for even expecting you to mind cats with fleas and earmites!

She is also clearly doing this on the cheap, by not getting a sitter to keep the cats in their own, familiar environment! You shouldn't feel guilty for anything!

Can she get a automatic cat feeder so you only have to go over once a day? There’s no way I’d have them at mine. I’m also not sure a catery would take them with fleas.

Update: have told cousin how I feel and she’s yet to respond. I think she may be upset with me and I feel really guilty! I hate letting people down.

Honestly don’t worry about letting her down. It’s odd that she’s asked for them to come to you I think. Everyone I know just asks someone to pop in to feed their cats. It’s surely less stressful for the cats to be in their home environment.

she still hasn’t replied to me!

She is likely trying to wash herself in a flea treatment before she goes away😆

Once I had to take a cat in similar circumstances, well a bit more forgivable than a holiday but whatever. We were having the cat and couldn't have the fleas (we have a cat already) so when I collected him I gave him a really thorough combing at his place and when I got him in I gave him a bath and re-treated him. There was no transfer to our house.

Your cousin is cheeky

@OneTC Out of interest, how do you wash a cat without being scratched to bits?