Novice question about cats and fleas...

[Whatapickle78]

Hi,

Our kittens have fleas :( goodness knows how as they haven't even been out yet, and have been with us since September... but perhaps a stray mouse?

We have just put on the Advantage treatment on the back of their necks, and I have ordered some of Indorex spray for the carpets/sofas etc...

But what do we do about everything else? E.g. all the wool stuff they come into contact with (my lovely wool jumpers, the wool throws we have) we can't boil wash any of these!

Do we need to wash literally EVERYTHING or is there come kind of spray that also kills eggs?

And also, is it really necessary to boil wash or can you just use cold water? Will that kill the eggs or is it useless?

Thanks!

I've always just done the spot-on plus Indorex, never treated anything else. That's always been enough.

Thanks @KozmicBlue can I ask what you spray it on? Is it just for carpets or is it effective on throws/blankets (cardigans?!) too?

Apparently fleas tend to live mostly in the crevices of carpets/doorframes/sofas etc. So it's important to hoover around skirting boards, sofa cushions etc.

We're having issues with the buggers at the moment despite having been defleaing with a different product for 3 months. Not resorted to indorex yet as it gives me anxiety thinking about me and my kids breathing in all the chemicals in it!

I am slightly freaking out about how gross the fleas are... might be overdoing things I've no idea!!

fleas seem to be savage this year.

Carpets, mattresses, and I think I've sprayed duvets and pillows.

I've never sprayed clothing.

Fleas are annoying but they're not gross or destructive in the same way as carpet beetles or clothes moths.

Keeping your cat treated is the most important part.

Thanks @KozmicBlue and @CreatingHavoc YES! I’d heard that about the gaps in skirting boards etc :( this is going to be such a mission I can tell as we live in a really old house… luckily have a brand new super strong hoover though

Carpets, mattresses, and I think I've sprayed duvets and pillows

I'm pretty sure indorex says not to spray on mattresses.

Are you combing them with a flea comb too?

@Whatapickle78 I've only actually seen 1 flea a couple of months ago. Thought she was ok now but she slept on my daughters bed the other day (she doesn't normally) and so I removed all her hair from the quilt with a lint roller and though nothing more of it. Daughter woke up covered in bites and I feel awful! Cue manic bed sheet washing and hoovering... Bloody things!

Sorry to hijack the post! I was on the bed before and I THINK one crawled across the blanket.. I lost it to the carpet. I've stripped the bed, hoovered upstairs and taken the clothes from the end of the bed to be washed too... does it need to be a boil wash? I've only done them on 60° so now worrying I'll have to do them again! (If I have to do them again, what temp is a boil wash?!)

@GAH3 Yes I found the kids nit comb (it’s the same thing right?) and following advice on other threads have been combing them out (and what must be the eggs - YUCK) and wiping them on wet kitchen roll then washing them down lol… I’ve found about 15 adults between them. Feel so terrible we’ve only just spotted this!!

@CreatingHavoc I feel your pain as the kittens have been on the kids bed too 😫

Im changing the sheets right now. 60 degrees should be fine though right?

*loo

I'm pretty sure indorex says not to spray on mattresses.

I very rarely have a flea problem, but it's what I've always done with whatever spray I'm using (thinking back to that vile and now banned Nuvan Top!).

The cats are always on our beds so I think we are going to have to spray them unfortunately….

A steam cleaner is your best bet for upholstery and corners

Flea eggs can live years before hatching but indorex helps and the vet as well if it doesn’t clear up because fleas can kill young kittens.

Now the cats have been treated if you let them go through every room the fleas will bite them and die. They're your very own little walking anti flea treatments!

We had them in the summer and had to invest in a steam cleaner and flea bombs. Horrid things.

@Blocked is that true?! We’ve kept them locked downstairs poor things so they don’t spread them around.

last time I checked I could still see a couple of (alive) fleas on them so didn’t want them getting on furniture. But if that’s the case then maybe I should let them out?

@Itisbetter can I ask which steam cleaner you got? Did it work?

Yes it works, and steam cleaners are really useful. I’ve had two for about 20 years but they live in a dark corner and get hauled out for this kind of thing. One is red and the other blue and they’re about the size (and style) of a traditional Henry hoover. I’d buy one that is light and cheap, they’re really just a kettle. Brilliant for floors if you have ceramic tiles or karndean.

Thanks @Itisbetter i am now going to do some research…. Honestly I’ve gone slightly mad now after an entire day of hoovering literally everything - tonight I looked at the cats and thought “surely I could just hoover them?” Definitely time for wine and bed.

We used indorex when our cat had fleas it worked brilliantly before that they kept coming back so I assume had been in the carpet ? It got rid of the problem though

Vet nurse here. Spray the house with indorex. Can spray blankets etc if you test a bit first to check. Apply the advantage. Make sure you do it monthly for the next few months. Let the cats go every where they did before. It takes up to 3 months to completely be rid as not all stages of the life cycle get killed. Hence the cats going everywhere so any that hatch will be killed on landing on them. Don't be alarmed if you see an occasional flea for a while yet. If it doesn't seem to work you can get alternative decent flea treatments from the vet