The fleas will not DIE !!!

[x02062014]

I swear I've tried just about everything, I've sprayed the house three times with the spray that Pest control uses and given her(my 10lb cat) a good flea bath at the same time. I've brought spray to spray on her and the furniture. Beside the three I just named, I've given her countless of flea baths. I've brought every product Harts has got to offer, I got the drips to put on her back and a flea collar, and everything has failed me. OH, I also tried CapStar which is a pill that is supposed to kill the fleas when they bite her. I don't know what to do, these fleas can survive and nuclear explosion. I really need a cure, I'm having a baby in two weeks.

[FurballsMom]

Opus brought this post to my attention.  There is one additional thing that people must do if they have a cat that spends any time outside.  You need to treat the OUTSIDE of the house, too.  I spent quite a bit of time researching this when I had the one flea episode right after moving to this apartment, so I learned something important about the flea life cycle.  As much as no one wants to think about that part of having pets, it's actually important to understand the flea life cycle and where they live when they're outside waiting for a host animal to happen by.

Fleas like to live in the same places where your dogs and cats like to lie down when they're outside relaxing and enjoying themselves when they're outside.  In other words, that nice shady place that Rover or Fluffy likes to hang around in during the warm part of the year is the same place that fleas like to hang out, too.  Fleas will be in grassy areas, but surprisingly not in the driest grassy areas.  They want to be in the cool moist areas of grass during the warm time of the year, which is where Rover and Fluffy like best usually, too.  I agree about what was said about cats being a warmer host than we humans.  Dogs are, too.  That's why the fleas bother our pets more than they will us, because the temperature of the blood the host animal has is also important to fleas.  As with mosquitos, the fleas that bite and draw blood are the females that want the blood to nourish her eggs so she can lay them.  And, to her, what better place to lay her eggs than directly on the host animal attached to the fur where the eggs won't fall off?

So, I learned that what is recommended is to buy nematodes from a nursery (or from Amazon) and to use a hose end sprayer to apply the nematodes where the fleas live in your yard.  Nematodes will eat the flea larvae, which will reduce or even eliminate the fleas.  The nematodes will themselves reproduce as long as they continue to have a food source (fleas).  If one treatment of nematodes isn't enough or fast enough, feel free to add more to the population.  I never had to worry about the outside, because the only outside that Akira sees is the concrete based balcony she likes to sun herself on during the nice weather.  (Until I make her come in so I can turn on the A/C, that is.)

So, homeowners and anyone living in ground level (1st floor in the U.S. and often called the ground or basement in Canada and Europe) apartments should definitely buy and use nematodes.  Sprinkle them on the ground if you don't have a hose end sprayer and water them in by hand if you don't have access to a hose at all, as might be the case for apartment dwellers.

If you have to use the flea drops, follow the above advice.  Sometimes that stuff is still necessary, but definitely use the diatomaceous earth around the home and definitely wash everything in site and treat everything in site just as you would if one of your kids were to come home from school with a note from the nurse saying the kid has lice.  That means you have to treat the home aggressively and practically be obsessed with cleaning for a while.  I even put the diatomaceous earth underneath of the apartment sized refrigerator when I was treating the home.  The refrigerator should be moved at least once a year to vacuum out the dust and debris at least once a year or so anyway to prevent build-up in the motor and to prevent fire hazard.  It's actually sickening how much builds up back there when you move the thing  for this task, but when you see that build-up for yourself you'll realize that this really is necessary.  Spider webs, pet fur that accumulates just from air circulation from the motor, dust and other debris actually builds up back there.  So, why not go ahead and put the diatomaceous earth underneath of the refrigerator if you're able to move it yourself?  If you're not able to move it--don't do it.  The ones in my apartment must be meant to be moveable because they actually have wheels underneath of them that can't be seen but that make it possible to move them.

When washing your blankets and your pet's bedding--use the hottest water setting on your machine.  And, don't line dry the bedding when you're treating for pests and parasites.  Take advantage of the heat from the dryer when treating for any kind of pest.

Definitely treat the OUTSIDE of the home in addition to the inside.  It's very important to get the fleas at all cycles of their life.

[x02062014]

I definitely will try that, Thank you guys :)

[opus88]

thanks for the heads up on advantage....haven't had to use them for my boys so didn't know it wasn't a good choice.
should do an independent warning post on that annie, than we can bump it up often:))

[AnnieBrooke]

Cats are warmer than humans, and tend to draw fleas out of the environment.  Although if an environment is heavily infested, you can't count on kitty to do it all, and would need to do the vacuuming also, you should definitely get a flea treatment from the veterinarian.  

I agree totally with Opus that you should  not be using any flea treatment you can get over the counter, at best they do no good, but at worst, they poison the cat and the environment.  Unlike Opus, I don't recommend Advantage; it goes through the kitty's system and doesn't just stay in the skin.  The veterinary flea treatments I have used in the past are Frontline (it has even been tested to be safe on animals who are themselves pregnant) and Revolution.  

Anyway, if you don't know how to put the treatment on the cat or don't want to when pregnant, take kitty in for an appointment and have them do it right there.  But also vacuum vacuum vacuum at home, including the sofa and other places with crevices and fabrics.  Wash your blankets on the bed.  Vacuum the top of the cabinet or fridge if the cat sleeps there.  (You get the drift.)  Then any remaining fleas, as they hatch, kitty will tend to attract and they will bite kitty and die.

[opus88]

you sound totally at wits end, I hope we can help. first a suggestion....stop buying anything from Hartz...they are ineffective and dangerous, many cats have suffered permanent health problems from their products.
I would also caution real hard abt using any pest sprays around your cat...or you for that matter, you are expecting...you sure don't want any of this stuff in the house with a new baby either.

I think you first need to rid the house of any eggs that perhaps keep redepositing themselves back onto your kitty, at the same time use a product from your Vet called Advantage....all flea products are pesticides so you sure don't want to keep overdoing it on the kitty, they too can cause many health (neurological issues)

the product I think should work for you....theres another member on here whose used it with good results, i hope she pipes in too. its called Diatomaceous Earth, I will send you a link to where its avail thru amazon. just make very sure you buy the FOOD GRADE variety.

http://www.amazon.com/Silk-Road%C2%AE-Diatomaceous-Earth-Food-grade/dp/B00FN3LNLY/ref=sr_1_4?s=pet-supplies&ie=UTF8&qid=1390586583&sr=1-4&keywords=diatomaceous+earth+food+grade

this has to be sprinkled lightly on the carpets/furniture/pet bedding and anywhere else fleas will be hiding...make very sure you wear a mask while putting this down b/c it is a very fine dust and very
HARMFUL if inhaled. Make sure your kitty is NOT in the room while you are dusting it nor when you vacuum it up later, do one room at a time and keep kitty out of that room overnight than wipe as much of it up with a mircofiber cloth than vacuum, throw the vacuum bag into the trash immediately after b/c those nasty little buggers will crawl right out of them..:(
Some have used it directly on their pets I DO NOT recommend doing this, it is very drying to their skin and harsh.
heres some more reading on it.....

http://www.thebugsquad.com/fleas/diatomaceous-earth-fleas/
good luck...