Our cat Athena is a fluffy girl and we just found a flea on her, we removed it and crushed it but now my girlfriend is freaking out and her skin is squirming thinking the whole house could be infested. I’m of the opinion that we’ve caught it early and we should just check her usual sleeping spots as well as get a flea comb but my girl is damn near ready to buy a steam cleaner for the rug.
Idk, what do you guys think? How should we handle this?
Unless that was the specimen 0 (and even then it could have already laid eggs), go full nuclear.
Anti flea necklaces, insectice (make sure it says it kills fleas) all over any textile in the house (since i asume ur cat is the same as mine and goes everywhere) remember they can jump up to 3 meters, so even if kitty kiter didn’t sleept over them, they could be there, if necessary burn his bed and buy a new one (if u see lots of little white “dusty” stuff, its to late, u wont get rid of those eggs, burn it), etc, etc, etc.
Conclusion? the level of treath u feelt, react two levels above that.
- never let your cat outside. Even when you’re not in Ottawa where the urban coyote population works to control the ‘outside cat’ infestation, it’s no longer cool to let your cat out. If you hate mosquitoes, for instance, keep all cats indoors all the time.
- use a vet-approved pill treatment - even when no visible signs
- wash everything … at the least to combat anxiety.
Point 1 has to be chosen when the cat is young. Forcing an outside cat to suddenly only be inside often doesn’t work.
I adopted a 7-year-old cat from the shelter, and after a week of having to be inside all the time, he got more and more frustrated. After a week and a half, he escaped during the night. In the morning, while I was panicking, he came strolling in as if nothing was wrong.
Since he apparently comes back, I allowed him outside from then on. Since that moment, his behaviour inside has improved a lot. No more random play attacks on my ankles and hands, and generally much calmer.
He has also come back home with mice several times. He always eats them. So I think he is very used to living outside. Maybe been a stray, or a farm cat.
Forcing him to be inside would feel cruel.
I used to work pest control and in addition to treating your cat for fleas you can treat your home with this. Follow the directions on the label and vacuum at least once a day while you are still seeing fleas. I’ve used this in my own home before and keep some around just in case.
Please, don’t nuke your cat.
I’m sure it was just one flea.
