I rescued a cat that was starving and took it home. It stayed with us for 3 nights and 2 days, on the second day we discovered it had fleas and the next day took it to the SPCA. My wife is vacuuming and steam cleaning everything. Is it possible that my house is infested with fleas and should I be using insecticides to get rid of them?
I would just keep an eye out for them before spraying. Set up a night light and put a pan of water with a little dishsoap under it. If you have fleas they will be attracted to the light and drown in the water. You’ll be able to see them in the water the next morning. I’d do this for about a week to 10 days in case you have larvae in the house that may hatch.
If you see fleas in there, I recommend getting bombs and/or spray from your vet. (Knockout is an excellent brand a lot of vets carry) Hartz and Sargeants brands found at Superstores don’t work.
It isn’t infested but you do have some fleas around. Buy carpet flea killer and use that.
If you start seeing fleas then worry about fumigating. The carpet flea killer should do it.
If you pick up any more strays always check for fleas before bringing them into your home. or give a bath immediately.
faster than u can think
Don’t use insecticide. People should never resort to this unless it’s just unlivable. Wash your sheets in hot water, steam clean if neccessary, vaccum your carpet, and you should be fine.
One of the best ways to get rid of bugs is with orange oil. Yes. Orange oil. Bugs hate this stuff. It’s not toxic, smells great (if you like that citrus smell), and it will keep them out of your house. Buy some, mix it with water, and spray around your baseboards, door thresholds, attic, etc. I do and the bugs hate my place.
It really depends on how badly the animal is infested. The flees will get into the carpet anywhere the cat goes. You’re right on track with cleaning the carpets. Fleas can’t survive when they come into contact with any form of soap. They breathe through their skin, and the soap forms a film that suffocates them.
Once you’ve vacuumed all the carpets, you’ll have to wait for the flea medicine to do the rest. There are sprays you can use, but they’re dangerous to pets and people, if they’re ingested. It is important to use flea treatment all year. This will prevent a new infestation.
Some cats will allow you to bath them. If you can bath your cat, you will instantly get rid of the flea problem on the cat, but you will still need to use flea treatment.
I’ve had luck burning sage smudge sticks to get rid of fleas. Our kitties acquired fleas rather severely when someone was cat-sitting for them while we were away. Clary sage incense also helps us get rid fruit flies; it might help with fleas too.
Just keep vacuuming everyday. This will stimulate the eggs to hatch if there are any in the house and they will be sucked up into the vacuum.
Simple test. Walk around the house with white socks. This will determine how bad the problem is. Keep in mind the adult fleas are only 20% of the infestation.