Flealady here - please help me with a flea eradication plan!

[blithedance]

We have picked up a flea infestation over the summer, from the cats obviously. About three weeks ago, when we noticed them, we Frontlined the cats, sprayed and hoovered, washed all the bedding.

Thought they had gone but then last week a friend came to babysit and was bitten horribly

The problem is that none of us (the residents) seem to be allergic to fleas so we don't really know if they are around unless the place is really hopping.

I don't want to waste time washing, vacuuming etc if I'm missing something and they just come back.

What should the plan of action be?

Also how do you de-flea a sheepskin rug that's not meant to be washed?

what did you use to spray the house?

you have to get the flea napalm from the vet, only stuff that works, very £££

frontline is rubbish also, has to be prescription stuff

indorex is the spray, about £16 a can

I thought Frontline was the prescription stuff? DH went to the vet last time, but we have Frontline Combo and a huge tin of spray both from the vet.

Something called Stronghold has been suggested to me?

there is frontline combo, from the vets, and frontline that you don't need a prescription for

sounds like you,ve got the proper stuff though

my cat is still scratching, took her to the vet and he is adamant that there are no fleas on her

you also do have to hoover like mad, sorry

We've had an infestation this summer, nightmare to get under control. I read on the net that fleas have a pupa stage and while they're in this stage the sprays etc don't work so they can still hatch out but the spray remains effective for about 6 months and will kill the hatching fleas within 24/48hrs so if you see the odd one after having a blitz don't worry too much. Apparently the pupa can last a year! I'm planning on a spraying/hoovering campaign again in the spring to make sure they're gone.

Oh, and stick a flea collar in the hoover bag to kill any fleas you hoover up!

You need to vacuum and spray in every corner of your house I'm afraid, including all the soft furnishings. Anywahere your cats have access to. Wash what you can, vacuum everything else. The more often you vacuum the more quickly you will get rid of them.

Oh and when you have finished vacuuming stick cling film over the nozzle of the vacuum cleaner because the little blighters love to breed in there and then come hopping out

Vacuum is a dyson cylinder, will give the bucket a clean and put in a flea collar, good idea. (Was going to say, I'd hoover out the dustbucket but obviously not an option - quis custodet custodes?).

What about curtains, cushions, bedding, things stored in boxes/baskets under bed, (we are slightly cluttered )

Dang that Anthea Turner and her poncey baskets.

how high can they jump? What about clothes in drawers and wardrobes?

How hot do I wash bedding, clohtes etc - 60 degrees hot enough?

Is it true about freezer killing them off, that's all I can think of for the sheepskin? Friend has a really big cold chest freezer I might use.

Looks like springcleaning time....

I'll come to your house and check for you, cat fleas love me- I'm bitten to buggery at the moment.

Bedding yes and 60 degrees fine but I don't think you need to worry too much about the temperature(assuming cats have been in that room), curtains should be okay unless they hang on the floor. Clothes in drawers and wardrobes will be fine unless the cats have been sitting in them. I would do the stuff under the bed if it is not sealed or well covered.

The freezer does kill most things so I would thing you are okay with the sheepskin.

You have my sympathy, we have had this problem in the past and it is a nightmare. But they do go and then if you keep on top of the Frontline (from the vets) you won't have the problem again.

call the council.
Our council will spray all house inc. curtains and beds, for 50 quid and will come back and spray again for free if they didn't get them all first time.
It sounds drastic but it really really works!
And they arrive in an unmarked van!!!

Hoover hoover hoover

Johnsons 4fleas is the only thing that has worked for us.