FLEAS!!

[dirtybuck]

A friend of mine in a neighboring state has told me that a friend of his has a flea outbreak in his home. However, he has NO ANIMALS and thinks he might have gotten them from a ratty cat that hangs out near his house, and has a tendency to rub against his pants (I've heard that this is one way they can be transmitted).

I told Joe (my friend) that I would ask you guys about ways to get rid of them and relay the info back to Brian (his friend). He's looking for basically natural-green ways to get rid of them, but is almost willing to even go with pesticides right now (but not an exterminator..can't afford it)

I hope you all can help!

 

[electradeluxe]

well for starters shoot the cat!!! second i think you can buy furniture and carpet spray,leave for a while then vacuum thoroughly

 

[iheartmaytag]

Fleas can come in on humans too. All you have to do is walk through an infested yard and you are their dinner.

Pesky as the little buggers are, you can get rid of them quickly if it is just the start of having them. Sprinkling the carpet with Borax and letting it settle in will suck the moisture out of the buggers and then give the carpet a good slow vacuuming with a vacuum that has a revolving brush.

Studies have shown they can't survive the beating action, and the Borax will get the ones you miss as no vacuum is 100% efficient.

Repeat for several days, also vacuuming the furniture and washing bedding.

You can also buy foggers and pesticides as well as have an exterminator if things are really bad.

Bottom line, you can't give total blame to pets, or strays. Humans are warm blooded meals for fleas as well.

 

[jeffg]

Fleas hang out in undisturbed areas of a home, and they prefer carpeting. So the first step is to use a really strong vacuum and go over the entire house, including under all the furniture.

The fleas will be disturbed, and he may get bit, but it's necessary unless he opts for a chemical treatment.

And obviously, tell him to keep his distance from stray cats.

 

[penguinsoup]

preventive solution

The above flea extermination remedies seem pretty good, but I have a tip to help prevent this from happening again. (just click on the link for the question, and if the cat answers, "Fleas", one may want to distance themselves from the cat in question.

 

[ronhic]

Flea bomb...

...the house...

One of our dogs came back from an interstate dog show (no, not the show dogs, the old German Shepherd where they stayed) about 12mth ago and gradually over a week the scratching and biting increased until I had to take him to be groomed...well bugger me, there was at least 6 fleas on him that I saw....

First thing to do....there are a couple of oral products you can get for the cat that will kill the fleas and eggs dead in a matter of hours - regardless that it isn't yours, it hangs around and a flea can jump 3-6 feet in one hit...so before you know it they're back again - so do yourself and the cat a favour.

Second....get some flea bombs and follow the directions.

Finally....when you can re-enter the house, open it to air and then start washing everything in hot water and tumble dry on hot if the fabric can stand it

We did this and have not seen a flea or had scratchy dog since..

 

[panthera]

why not instead

electradeluxe,
That was extremely uncalled for and inexcusably rude.

It was the murder of cats in the middle ages which contributed greatly to the pest ravaging Europe.

 

[dirtybuck]

Penguin:

Uh, I'll definitely send the link to Joe to send to Brian.

However, I think a more appropriate song would be "Delilah", but changed to "Flealiah".

I can hear that one part of the song now (parody, of course).

She stood their biting
I felt the Raid in my hand
And she laughed no more.

 

[dirtybuck]

OOOPS!

I will never be a song writer, even parody ones, anytime soon.

Let's try this again, shall we?

She stood their biting
I felt the Raid in my hand
And she BIT no more.

 

[penguinsoup]

now if flies were a problem.....

Maggot's Farm done to the tune Maggie's Farm:
I ain't gonna fly on maggot's farm no more
no i ain't gonna fly on maggot's farm no more.
Well i wake in the mornin',
fold my wings and pray for no raid.
got my head full of eyes,
drivin' me insane.
It's a shame they want me out the door,
I ain't gonna fly on maggot's farm no more....

Ok, enough quasi-creativity for me today. Just needed a good excuse for a few minutes from moving furniture & cleaning. UGH!

Enjoy the link for the song as performed by Bob Weir & Ratdog. (I saw the Dead in Philly & Chicago earlier this year & they still put on one heck of a great show!)

 

[jeffg]

If you want to see the definitive version of Maggie's Farm, check out the link.

Jim Morrison reborn.

 

[penguinsoup]

reply to JeffG

Not bad, but I most certainly do prefer the Grateful Dead's version and when I've seen Bob himself do it. I was looking for a clip from the movie "The Freshman" w/ Brando & Matthew Broderick where Burt Parks sings it, but could not find it. That is one of my favorite versions for some reason. Of course I like the Rage version as well. I guess I just really dig the song. (rage audio is link -- one of their versions)
Have a Grateful Day!

 

[maytagbear]

Some of what has been said here

is very sensible. Some.

A suction-only vacuum WILL NOT DO. Need an upright or a powerhead canister. If you have, or can borrow, a Hoover Convertible, that's the thing, I think. Change the bag immediately after you're done.

I have had good success with a carpet powder from Hartz (yes!). It is in a blue cylindrical can. Shake it on the carpet, leave it in, vacuum it up 24 hours later. Also kills flea eggs.

Yes, fleas will hitchike on humans. They also hang out in lawns, so the stray cat (poor dear), is not necessarily to blame.

Unfortunately, fleas are developing resistance to Frontline, Advantage, and similar spot drops. However, they are still the best we have for our pets.

A deterrent, not an insecticide, is eucalyptus plant, which is available dried and fragrant at places like Michael's crafts, and other similar stores (and good, full-line) florists.

Lawrence/Maytagbear

 

[58limited]

First, the life cycle of the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, (the most common flea that infests dogs and cats) makes it hard to eradicate them. The pupa stage, in which they form a cocoon, is impervious to ALL chemicals. The pupa can be dormant in your house for over 7 months. Ideally, after vacuuming and cleaning, you need to use an insecticide with an insect growth regulator (IGR) and extended action. The IGR will get the hatching eggs and the emerging adults from the pupa stage.

There are several products on the market. At my clinic, we carry KnockOut. The IGR in it is Pyriproxifen. It comes in a fogger and an area spray, and the extra strength version lasts up to 7 months.

In my house I have also used cypermethrin (Demon W.P. and generics). Once dry is is safe for humans and pets. Since it is a wetable powder, you can expect some residue so some people don't like it. However, cypermethrin kills the hell out of all insects and lasts about 6 months.

Here are two weblinks. One tells about control, the other just tells about the cat flea:

http://lancaster.unl.edu/pest/resources/IntegratedFlea.shtml
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cat_flea

 

[dogboy44]

they like to hang out

under the edges of furniture, beds, etc. Vacuum everything and under everything to death, and wash all you can. If worse comes to worse, set off a flea bomb. You want to be green, but realistic!

 

[sudsmaster]

I've had very good results with Frontline Plus, which is a drop you put on the cat's coat. It contains methoprene (an IGR) and something to kill the adult fleas as well. It's not cheap, but I sort of beat the system by reading the labels carefully... I get the size for a 90 lb dog, and then use an old syringe (minus needle, of course) to aliquot out the correct doaage for each cat. The active ingedients are identical for the dog and cat versions - but of course double check the labels if there is any doubt. Some anti-flea meds made for dogs can make cats sick. Oddly, I found that the first really successful flea drop, Advantage, put one of my cats into nervous spasms. She really hated those drops, and had an aversion to any drops for a long time. Now I find I can sneak in the Frontline Plus and she doesn't have any physical reaction except to give me a disapproving look and stalk off to be by herself for a while. LOL.

But of course none of this helps if it's a stray cat... in which case I second the advice to get a flea bomb with an IGR. There are also spot sprays you can use around the house with IGR's.

I didn't know that the flea pupae could live for 7 months. I thought the flea eggs could survive for years in carpeting and cracks in the flooring.

Oh, and I recall reading some research not too long ago that insists that a brush or beater bar is not necessary for a vacuum cleaner to kill fleas. It said that the simple act of suctioning them up through the house was enough to give them fatal injuries. Still, if there are eggs in the dust, I'd dispose of the vacuum bag on a frequent basis, cause the vacuum - even with a beater bar - probably isn't going to deactivate those sturdy things.

 

[toploader55]

Years ago...

20 Mule Team Borax was the fix on furniture and Carpets.

While Fronline and the other were in the beginning stages, Borax was always a trust

 

[sudsmaster]

I wouldn't be using Borax in a home where there are housecats. It's poisonous to mammals, and since cats lick their feet and groom themselves, probably not a great idea.

 

[peterh770]

Since I have 11 cats...

I have only one rug in my house, with hardwoods throughout. The ONLY surefire solution I have has been taken off the market. But if you are lucky, in some smaller mom-and-pop, Ace-type hardware stores, you may find some "FGR (flea growth regulator)" by Enforcer or "Flea Beater 210" by Bonide. Each is a one ounce bottle that you mix with one gallon of water. I mix it up in a bucket with some Murphy's Oil Soap and mop my floors with it. Without the soap, I put a few ounces in a spray bottle and mist on the rug and furniture. It stops eggs from hatching, larvae from developing and adults from reproducing. This has been the only low-toxic way to get rid of fleas that I know of that for sure works.

I have heard that if you sprinkle diatomacious earth -- often used by some pool filtering system -- around the house, this will get rid of the fleas over time. Apparently, the earth is quite sharp to fleas, scratching them open and they "bleed out", shrivel up, dry up and die. And is basically harmless to mammals.

 

[tomturbomatic]

Dried eucalyptus like from Pier 1 or, if you are lucky, a wholesale florist, laid along the baseboards in each room will eliminate them from the house very quickly. Don't know why, but it works, if you can stand the smell. Cedar oil spray is also great for this and for spraying around doorways or other openings to keep crickets, etc. from waiting near the opening for a chance to jump in.

 

[penguinsoup]

Yet another alternative....

A Flea Circus!

 

[iheartmaytag]

brush or beater bar is not necessary for a vacuum cleaner to

But it makes it much easier for the vacuum to vibrate the little bugs out of the carpet and sweep them away.

I agree with disposing of the bag ASAP afterwards just in case some of them survive.

 

[markk290]

Carpet & Upholstery Spray

Zodiac makes a spray for carpet & upholstery. I have used it when my cats have gotten fleas. It is a bit pricey but a 16 0z. can does my 900 sq.ft. house at least 10 times. I have done everything from furniture, carpet and bedding with no side effects to me or the cats. Follow the directions on the can and the fleas should be gone in a week.

 

[whirlcool]

We have experienced the drop in effectiveness of Front Line, Advantage, etc. These products have been on the market for over 10 years now and the fleas are becoming increasingly immune to those products. We use a new pill you give once per month, Comfortis. It costs about $70.00 for a six month supply. It works great, but it's expensive.

We find to kill off an infestation you really have to bomb your house. We find those foggers work best. Fog your house once, then do it again in 10 days, vacuuming after each blast. Make sure you vacuum in the creases and seams of all furniture too. It also breaks the cycle of fleas too. There is also a product on the market called Capstar which will kill all fleas on the dog or cat within 12 hours. It's a quick knock down drug and does not provide for any blanket protection. It can be used with other flea medications such as Frontline, Comfortis, etc.

 

[maytagmark]

Vacuuming often with a vacuum with a beater bar does work really well,I've always had inside only cats and always end up with fleas from time to time,I lived in a third floor apt. and had them,a lot of dog owners lived there and they never sprayed the parking lot so the fleas came in on our shoes and socks,I had a Fantom Thunder vacuum,I emtied the dirt cup in the toilet after each use and I could see that I was getting the little pests,If I used my Electrolux Olympia with the powernozzle,I took the bag out and put clear packing tape over the opening so I could reuse the bag,there were always fleas stuck to the tape,I hate to waste the bags if they are not very full,I've gotten in the habit of doing this, the other day I used my Hoover and was out of tape so I put the bag in a Ziplock bag, a little OCD, but no fleas on me,my cat gets the Advantage when needed,I also use a flea comb on her, she hates the drops and will try to get it all off.

 

[maytagmark]

Vacuuming often with a vacuum with a beater bar does work really well,I've always had inside only cats and always end up with fleas from time to time,I lived in a third floor apt. and had them,a lot of dog owners lived there and they never sprayed the parking lot so the fleas came in on our shoes and socks,I had a Fantom Thunder vacuum,I emtied the dirt cup in the toilet after each use and I could see that I was getting the little pests,If I used my Electrolux Olympia with the powernozzle,I took the bag out and put clear packing tape over the opening so I could reuse the bag,there were always fleas stuck to the tape,I hate to waste the bags if they are not very full,I've gotten in the habit of doing this, the other day I used my Hoover and was out of tape so I put it in a Ziplock bag, a little OCD, but no fleas on me,my cat gets the Advantage when needed,I also use a flea comb on her, she hates the drops and will try to get it all off.

 

[58limited]

I forgot to mention in my previous post that initially you must treat the pet, the house, and the yard at the same time. You might want to give a capstar to knock back the fleas on your pet until the regular flea product takes effect. Capstar starts killing the fleas within one hour of ingestion, but only lasts a day, or less. The pet has to be treated monthly, the yard also - rain will wash away your sprays or granules. The house may not need to be treated as often if using long duration products.

Comfortis is great, but does not come in a cat formulation.

 

[whirlcool]

Thanks for adding that about the Comfortis, that it is not available for cats. I wasn't aware of that. And there can be serious dangers giving a cat a medication that is for dogs only.

 

[cleanteamofny]

When I was working for Adirondack Trailways, we started pooling busses with Greyhound.
In other words, sharing busses on routes by the miles and Greyhound at that time was putting miles on our new equipment,
sending a few of our busses on charters and one of our busses ended somewhere out west.
It did take few years for the miles to balance out.

So the moral to the story is:
If you sleep with dogs, you'll pick up fleas!

LOL

Here's something that should get rid of those pesky little buggers!

http://www.amazon.com/Victor-M230-U...1?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1258716056&sr=8-1

 

[sudsmaster]

I guess the local fleas haven't gotten the message yet, as Frontline Plus still works very well here. I tend to use it on the cats on an as-needed basis. When I see one of them start to act as if he or she has a flea, out comes the drops and that settles it for at least another month or two. Fleas tend to be more of a problem in the summer months, when the temperature accelerates their development.