Flea infestation!

Bubs99

Hi,
I was visiting my friend tonight and she has a gorgeous long haired cat. Anyway, we were relaxing and I was lying on a white duvet and next I noticed something tiny and hopping, I was almost sure it was a flea and I was right. We both litterally had to chase it to kill it on the duvet and suceeded, but I knew well that there was possibly many more.

I could'nt be rude and get up and leave so I made myself relax again (although I know that where theres one, theres many more etc.).
Anyway, in comes the cat and straight over on to my lap then leapt down over my mug of tea, when then I saw two more fleas IN my tea struggling to get out and one did just that.

Then I panicked because I have a dog myself (my dads really but Im co-owner and im currently staying there where the dog sleeps with me). My dog has just been washed with malaseb and treated with his monthly stronghold also so I really freaked and pretended I had to leave.

I could'nt help but scratch and feel itchy and yuk (and Id just showered with clean clothes etc).
My friend thinks that treating her cat once and giving the curtains and cushions a spray will do the trick but I know more needs doing. She wont listen though, you know the type who think they're always right!!!
She never EVER hoovers either etc.

What should I do? She's my best friend and I cant avoid her flat forever. Do I have a high chance of being infested now after a few seconds of the cat on my lap? HELP! :eek:

falabo

Bubs99 wrote: »

She never EVER hoovers either etc.

:eek: :eek: :eek:

carwash_2006

You should be fairly ok, they don't tend to be as fond as human as cat or dog and since the dog has been treated they will die.

Your friend has a serious problem though. What does she treat the cat with and does she not see the fleas on the cat? The cat needs to be treated with a proper spot on from the vet. She needs to get a household spray that says on it lasts up to 6 months, the ones that don't say this are of no use. She needs to wash everything that can go in the washing machine and put them in a warm airing cupboard for a few days, washing alone is insufficient as fleas are quite partial to damp, the airing cupboard works as it is too dry in there for them.

She needs to get out that hoover, one tip is to get a flea collar and put it in the hoover bag, then she would want to go over everything thoroughly and afterwards spray the place with her household spray.

Of course if she doesn't admit there is a problem then I don't know what you can do, you will have to meet up outdoors as I know I couldn't sit in a house knowing it was full of fleas like that, I would be itching like crazy and I wouldn't want to have her over in case she brought some uninvited guests.

mymo

The best thing your friend could do is buy a good flea powder, sprinkle it everywhere, especially corners and carpets (rub it into the carpet with a stiff brush), leave it a day or two and hoover like mad, over and over.
While the flea powder is down wash any bedding etc, use the hoover on the mattress, sofa, etc(steam cleaner is best but hoover should be ok), also treat the cat with a treatment like frontline.

My dad had a stray cat coming in his house one summer, it was a couple of weeks before he found out as he had his own cat. It took weeks to get the place clean from fleas, and when the heating came on in the autumn more fleas appeared, they lay eggs in carpets etc, and when the temperature rises they hatch. They can't live long like this, they need a cat to live on, but it is awful to live with. Dad now shuts all the windows and doors when out.

Bubs99

...because she doesn't have a hoover (and she was given a massive living room rug a few months ago that desperately needs a clean) and doesn't know the definition of sterilise. Within the 5 years my friend has lived in her small apartment, I have done 3 massive spring cleans for her because I could'nt bare seeing it in the filthy state it was/is in (Im a cleaning freak, shes not).

She leaves pots and pans there for days on end and sacks of rubbish with flies everywhere. And the cats milk go solid sour and even a slice of luncheon shrink to the size of a pepporoni which she insisted both had done so within a day due to the heat...I'm not stupid. I often have to clean the cats bowl myself. Her place always stinks, my boyfriend hates going there which is understandable but she's my best friend.

I vow not to clean her flat anymore though because she never makes an effort to keep it the way I leave it...clean, fresh, sterilised etc.

About the cat, he's gorgeous and black and white with long hair so it's difficult to see the fleas unless he's on his back and I have seen them hide in his white tummy hair while he wants to be rubbed. He's the most effectionate cat Ive ever seen. She does treat him but as you and I know, a little tube of treatment doesnt kill whats in the home etc.

I think I'm ok and didnt bring any home last night. Thankfully, but I cant return there for a bit. I was going to send her a link on how to deal with them properly but I think she'll get annoyed. She said last night shes not embarrassed about the fleas. If a guest found fleas in my home, I'd be mortified!

My friend is an "I'm right, you're wrong" type of woman so it seems like a no win situation. How can I ever visit again, knowing the fleas will never be thoroughly dealt with?!!! She's my best friend!

I nag her enough as it is with the cleaning and organising that I dont think I can go any further.

Dublin141

I seriously wouldn't step foot in her flat until she sorted it out.

My mother (who is a clean freak) kept feeding a stray who brought fleas into the house. She bought treatments for the stray and her own dog and thought that would do the trick. She ended up with a MAJOR infestation that took months and months to clear up properly. The eggs are a nightmare. She spent so much money in the end, it was unreal. Invasion of the Fleas.

I remember visiting with my eldest who was a newborn at the time, I had to leave because fleas kept hopping on him. Even thinking about it has me scratching. And we did bring fleas home with us on the changing bag. :eek:

ETA: It wasn't just the animals btw, they were all over the furniture. She really needs to deal with it.

carwash_2006

That's an awful situation Bubs, I don't envy you. Have to feel sorry for the poor cat, would there be any way that the cats welfare would push her to do anything? It's not going to be helping it's health any to be used as a blood bank by so many, they can cope with a fair few fleas but if they are breeding so prolifically where they live it can get hard on them. Because of the central heating they will never die back during the winter even, so in a way the poor cat will be worse off than a feral.

Best friend or not I think I would have a hard time not allowing something like this to impact on a friendship that I had with someone.

Zapperzy

Eww I wouldn't call myself a complete clean freak but I like to keep things clean and tidy, the thoughts of having fleas everywhere just makes me squirm and how somebody can live in that and not care is disgusting. They can bite humans, you get small round red marks usually around your ankles (from wakling on the floor), your bum, thighs and lower back (from sitting on the couch), and if there in your bed then all over. :eek:

She will also need to worm the cat as fleas can carry tapeworm. Heavy infestations over a long period of time can lead to anaemia, and are highly uncomfortable, so that poor cat is actually being neglected whether your friend likes to see it that way or not.

Could you maybe just drop a few comments to her (even if there not entirely truthful) hinting that humans can get worms from fleas biting them, not exactly true but she's not going to go investigating it and it might move her into doing something. Could you lend her a hoover (with a flea collar already in the bag)? And maybe her next birthday or christmas present could be a hoover!

Does she live on her own?

lorebringer

Bubs99 - sounds like a nightmare, you're a braver person than I am going into the house (minus a full body suit!). The one thing that you could do is treat the cat for fleas with a spot on treatment, at least the poor thing will get some relief and it's not too difficult to do. A wormer does would also be called for because fleas can carry worm eggs (as Zapperzy already pointed out). The fleas will still jump onto the cat but they won't hang around, like they are at the moment and eating the poor thing alive! Other than physically cleaning (and using a flea bomb/powder, and then cleaning again) yourself, there is very little you can do. The cat must feel like living in hell, being such fastidious animals I can't imagine it's having a good time of it in the flat. Some peoples standards are just so low that it is very disgusting and shocking that they can live in such an environment.

Bubs99

And the fact and I'm moving back to Waterford in a few weeks to my own new home helps alot because I wont have to visit her home much...but now that I just said that, does that mean she can bring them to my home when she visits?!!! :eek:

Oh no! Ok, I think I'm going to have to bite the bullet and just hint to her as much as i can about how bad the fleas are. Her cat is fabulous, seriously like a dog actually, no, she has no problem him rubbing all over her, hair, sleeping on her shoulders on the armchair and climbing in and out of the kitchen window over the sink etc. Infact he drinks out of the bathroom tap. He's so funny and cute, seems healthy enough, not too underweight. Just got castrated recently and the vet said he was healthy.

Thats a good idea about the hoover as a birthday gift, being its her birthday in 3 days time...great if I had the money!
I know her Mum has a steamer, would that help?

Like I said also, she gets nagged at ALOT from me about cleanliness.
Sometimes she cleans a bit just before Im coming over knowing I'll "inspect" it. I seem like a b***h, but I swear Im not. If you saw her place you'd understand.

That sounds awful about the fleas hopping on the newborn and in the changing bag. I would freak out. BIGTIME!

purplerain1

i feel sorry for the cat being stuck with somebody who oviously dosnt care for him or her surroundings if you can see fleas that easy on him he must be plauged with them (poor cat is probally scratching like mad and so uncomfortable)Forget your friend and take the cat with you.

carwash_2006

It is possible that she could bring fleas with her, especially if she is staying the night as there could be eggs in her clothes and they could hatch while she is over with you.

I don't think the steamer would be much use as it would actually make the place more humid for the fleas. Why don't you have a look on adverts for a cheap hoover?

http://www.adverts.ie/kitchen-appliances/as-new-hoover-vacuum-cleaner/726382

http://www.adverts.ie/kitchen-appliances/lervia-bagless-vacuum-hoover-red/742638

http://www.adverts.ie/kitchen-appliances/bagless-vacuum-cleaner-for-sale/670868

Bubs99

Thanks carwash,

She wont be staying over, that I know for sure as she'll be living in the same town but she will be visiting alot. (fleas)

I've always wanted a powerful Dyson vacuum cleaner (yes, I know, what a freak I am...I love cleaning).

Ill look out for them and also recommend for her too.

Thanks again.

kylith

The best thing to do might be to show her the fleas on the cat, then say that you're very sorry but you can't come visit any more as the last time you did fleas hitched a lift back and infected your dog (even if they didn't). Tell her what products would sort the problem and where to get them, then don't go back until she's sorted the fleas.

Alternatively rub the cat all over her bed so that she'll get no rest until she deals with them.

audreyp

This is a horrible situation! I am getting itchy just reading about it! Sorry to hijack your thread but just wondering myself now.. I flea my cats every month and worm my cats every 3 months (as my vet tells me) should I also treat the furniture? What do people use to do this?

Thanks!!