How Do Fleas Work?
August 25, 2016 9:58 AM Subscribe
We adopted a feral kitten with fleas who was treated by the vet. I am still seeing fleas on the floor in the kitten's room after almost a week. What should I do?
Last week, we adopted a tiny feral kitten that a coworker had found on the street. We set him up in isolation in our bathroom and had a veterinary appointment the next day (Friday, 8/19).
The vet found fleas on the kitten and gave the kitten a pill to treat them. The vet told me to wash the bedding, and that I might see fleas around the room, but they'd be paralyzed and dying. The vet said that since the kitten had only been in our house for 24 hours, we didn't have to worry about the fleas setting up shop in the house.
When I got home with the kitten from the vet, I threw all the bedding & towels into the wash immediately. Every day since then, I've washed all the bedding and soft stuff in the room (which is just a rotation of old towels). The bathroom is hard tile with no floor mats. No carpet or rugs in the area.
Today is Thursday, 8/25. In the last day, I'm pretty sure I've seen a few fleas around the bathroom, but they don't look paralyzed or dying. They've been on the floor or on the bathroom counter, hopping like fleas do. I have not seen fleas on the kitten. I have not seen the fleas outside the bathroom. I have not seen the fleas in the bedding. Just on the floor & counter.
Tomorrow, we have houseguests coming to stay for 3 nights, and that bathroom is the most convenient to the guest room. I can ask the guests to use the upstairs bathroom, but they are in their 60s and would like to have access to that bathroom at least in the night. I can move the kitten out of that bathroom and into the upstairs bathroom, but now I'm starting to worry that maybe we haven't eliminated the flea problem and that the guests will be using a bathroom with fleas in it.
I don't know much about fleas. Are these fleas really dying, like the vet said, even though it's been a week? Should I be using some kind of spray or powder to kill fleas that are in the bathroom in advance of our guests, or should I just kill/remove the ones I see? And is the kitten protected from fleas at least until our next vet appointment on 9/7 after the pill administered on 8/19?
Last week, we adopted a tiny feral kitten that a coworker had found on the street. We set him up in isolation in our bathroom and had a veterinary appointment the next day (Friday, 8/19).
The vet found fleas on the kitten and gave the kitten a pill to treat them. The vet told me to wash the bedding, and that I might see fleas around the room, but they'd be paralyzed and dying. The vet said that since the kitten had only been in our house for 24 hours, we didn't have to worry about the fleas setting up shop in the house.
When I got home with the kitten from the vet, I threw all the bedding & towels into the wash immediately. Every day since then, I've washed all the bedding and soft stuff in the room (which is just a rotation of old towels). The bathroom is hard tile with no floor mats. No carpet or rugs in the area.
Today is Thursday, 8/25. In the last day, I'm pretty sure I've seen a few fleas around the bathroom, but they don't look paralyzed or dying. They've been on the floor or on the bathroom counter, hopping like fleas do. I have not seen fleas on the kitten. I have not seen the fleas outside the bathroom. I have not seen the fleas in the bedding. Just on the floor & counter.
Tomorrow, we have houseguests coming to stay for 3 nights, and that bathroom is the most convenient to the guest room. I can ask the guests to use the upstairs bathroom, but they are in their 60s and would like to have access to that bathroom at least in the night. I can move the kitten out of that bathroom and into the upstairs bathroom, but now I'm starting to worry that maybe we haven't eliminated the flea problem and that the guests will be using a bathroom with fleas in it.
I don't know much about fleas. Are these fleas really dying, like the vet said, even though it's been a week? Should I be using some kind of spray or powder to kill fleas that are in the bathroom in advance of our guests, or should I just kill/remove the ones I see? And is the kitten protected from fleas at least until our next vet appointment on 9/7 after the pill administered on 8/19?
Another thing that works in conjunction with flea combing is to deposit the fleas into a bowl of warm water with a drop or two of dish soap in it. The soap guarantees that the found fleas drown.
Additionally, vacuum the space where the cat is and discard the bag outdoors each day. Fleas love little corners and dusty places. Really get in there behind the toilet.
posted by bilabial at 10:13 AM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Additionally, vacuum the space where the cat is and discard the bag outdoors each day. Fleas love little corners and dusty places. Really get in there behind the toilet.
posted by bilabial at 10:13 AM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
It sounds like the vet gave the kitten Capstar, which is only one of many flea treatments. It's not going to do much good for the house, though. Have you tried spraying the house? Virbac knockout spray should do the trick. You can buy it and spray it yourself, or you can hire an exterminator and in my experience they do the same thing so it's cheaper and easier to just do it yourself. Follow the instructions; you'll need to get the cat out of there while it dries.
posted by sockermom at 10:15 AM on August 25, 2016
posted by sockermom at 10:15 AM on August 25, 2016
Also, you will want to call the vet to see what pill they gave her. Capstar works for a week and can be administered every week (and is available over the counter). There are other treatments that work for longer, and without knowing what the vet gave your cat it's not possible to know how long it will last. I also used Revolution on my cat's neck and applied it once a month when I lived in a flea-infested house and it helped a lot. You might want to consider this as well.
posted by sockermom at 10:16 AM on August 25, 2016
posted by sockermom at 10:16 AM on August 25, 2016
Response by poster: I called the vet about something else, and they told me they gave the kitten Capstar. They said it only lasts 24 hours, though, not a full week. They were limited with what they could do last week because the kitten was pretty teeny, 12.5 oz. He's gained weight but he's still not much more than 1 lb.
I'm starting to freak out about the houseguests.
posted by aabbbiee at 10:38 AM on August 25, 2016
I'm starting to freak out about the houseguests.
posted by aabbbiee at 10:38 AM on August 25, 2016
In my experience if you're seeing fleas, your problem is very bad.
I would not waste time on half measures. This may seem over the top but you have house guests coming in 3 days so you have no time to lose. Call an exterminator and get them to come over and nuke your house. Make sure they understand you have a kitten you need to keep safe during and after the treatment.
Also call your vet and tell them the treatment didn't help much and you need something asap. Since the Great Flea Circus of 2014 I have been assiduous in applying a neck treatment (Advantage) to each cat, and a liquid mash-in-food treatment (Program) to the cat who didn't like to be touched (this is less effective). I also give Droncit worm treatment every six months.
I set reminders and am careful to do the treatments on the same day of each month as it's very bad for a cat to receive the treatment too often (the reason it's applied between the shoulder blades is because they can't reach there to wash; if they ingest it they could die. These treatments are not to be messed around with.
You really must go through your vet for this as the dosage depends on the cat's weight and because it's dangerous the last thing you want is to give your kitten too much. But, surely these treatments must come in kitten editions, and the vet will know all about that.
You have to act quickly and show those fleas who's in charge, though. Exterminator, now, don't faff around.
posted by tel3path at 10:39 AM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
I would not waste time on half measures. This may seem over the top but you have house guests coming in 3 days so you have no time to lose. Call an exterminator and get them to come over and nuke your house. Make sure they understand you have a kitten you need to keep safe during and after the treatment.
Also call your vet and tell them the treatment didn't help much and you need something asap. Since the Great Flea Circus of 2014 I have been assiduous in applying a neck treatment (Advantage) to each cat, and a liquid mash-in-food treatment (Program) to the cat who didn't like to be touched (this is less effective). I also give Droncit worm treatment every six months.
I set reminders and am careful to do the treatments on the same day of each month as it's very bad for a cat to receive the treatment too often (the reason it's applied between the shoulder blades is because they can't reach there to wash; if they ingest it they could die. These treatments are not to be messed around with.
You really must go through your vet for this as the dosage depends on the cat's weight and because it's dangerous the last thing you want is to give your kitten too much. But, surely these treatments must come in kitten editions, and the vet will know all about that.
You have to act quickly and show those fleas who's in charge, though. Exterminator, now, don't faff around.
posted by tel3path at 10:39 AM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: The guests are coming tomorrow. I can't get an exterminator by tomorrow.
posted by aabbbiee at 10:44 AM on August 25, 2016
posted by aabbbiee at 10:44 AM on August 25, 2016
Yes yes yes. Wash wash wash. And flea comb. You may have to give several baths to get all the fleas off. Kitty is way too small for a medicated "flea and tick" shampoo, but even mild soap will get them off and kill them. The most flea-ridden kitty I've treated took 5 baths, but he came out flea-free!
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:10 AM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:10 AM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
(Also per rules of AskMe, we're gonna need to see a picture of that cute kittykins. Please.)
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:11 AM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
posted by fiercecupcake at 11:11 AM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: [I did forget the rules. Here is Squirrel. I will stop threadsitting now.]
posted by aabbbiee at 11:31 AM on August 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
posted by aabbbiee at 11:31 AM on August 25, 2016 [6 favorites]
Having fleas in the house sucks, but it's not as dire "nuke from orbit" situation as bedbugs or something. Maybe I'm biased by a sad childhood experience of a terrible vet poisoning our 3 cats by using dog-strength flea dip and not diluting it enough, killing our youngest cat who had been the runt of the litter and stayed kitten-sized her whole short life. (The other two cats recovered.) Combing, Palmolive baths, vacuuming, more Capstar when the vet says it's safe, and you're bound to win the war in the end.
Wear white socks around the house and you'll be able to see if the critters are jumping on you. Maybe get special bathroom slippers for your guests to use during the visit?
posted by oh yeah! at 11:41 AM on August 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Wear white socks around the house and you'll be able to see if the critters are jumping on you. Maybe get special bathroom slippers for your guests to use during the visit?
posted by oh yeah! at 11:41 AM on August 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
copy paste from previous thread: There was one other method that killed many, if not all, of the adults in those terrible first days: overnight, leave out a shallow bowl of water with a drop or two of dish detergent to break the surface tension. Point a desk lamp over the bowl, relatively close to it, and leave it on overnight. They're attracted to some combination of the light and heat, jump up to investigate and drown. I counted 52 dead fleas the morning after the first night I tried it. So satisfying.
posted by hortense at 2:34 PM on August 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
posted by hortense at 2:34 PM on August 25, 2016 [3 favorites]
Once the kitten is inhospitable, the fleas should go away and given the measures you are taking, they are unlikely to spread. For a kitten that young, I would flea comb and drop in the toilet. Once she's a little bigger you can combine with other measures depending on the vet's advice. I would not use anything over the counter with a tiny kitten. Regarding your guests, can you swap them to a bedroom upstairs and one of you sleep in the guest room? It may not be ideal, but more ideal than giving them fleas.
posted by frumiousb at 2:53 PM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
posted by frumiousb at 2:53 PM on August 25, 2016 [1 favorite]
It's fleas, not nuclear waste. , I'd use that bathroom without pause and I have pretty bad flea allergy dermatitis. There are fleas all over the beach and I go there every day.
That said, you want to let them know what's up. You are telling them so they don't do something dopey like take their suitcase in the bathroom. Here is what you say to the guests. "We adopted a feral kitten and right now he's in the guest bathroom. He's been checked by the vet, and he's had the first round of flea treatment. We are still seeing an occasional flea in the guest bath. You are welcome to use it, or you can climb the stairs."
posted by 26.2 at 6:26 PM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
That said, you want to let them know what's up. You are telling them so they don't do something dopey like take their suitcase in the bathroom. Here is what you say to the guests. "We adopted a feral kitten and right now he's in the guest bathroom. He's been checked by the vet, and he's had the first round of flea treatment. We are still seeing an occasional flea in the guest bath. You are welcome to use it, or you can climb the stairs."
posted by 26.2 at 6:26 PM on August 25, 2016 [2 favorites]
If your houseguests have pets of their own who are regularly treated for fleas, this may be a non-issue for them, since any fleas they bring home would probably bite their treated pets and die. I would warn them the guest bathroom has a mild flea infestation that has proved more stubborn than you expected, and let them decide how to proceed.
Until Squirrel is big enough to handle a dose of flea meds, I like the bowl of soapy water + desk lamp method for treating the bathroom, along with regular Palmolive baths for the furbaby.
If kitty is a good eater, he should hit 2 pounds relatively soon. Advantage sells a small dose size for 2-5 pound kittens. I am not a vet/I am not your vet/please consult your vet before acting on this information.
posted by Owlcat at 7:01 PM on August 25, 2016
Until Squirrel is big enough to handle a dose of flea meds, I like the bowl of soapy water + desk lamp method for treating the bathroom, along with regular Palmolive baths for the furbaby.
If kitty is a good eater, he should hit 2 pounds relatively soon. Advantage sells a small dose size for 2-5 pound kittens. I am not a vet/I am not your vet/please consult your vet before acting on this information.
posted by Owlcat at 7:01 PM on August 25, 2016
We rescued a 4 week old kitten who was absolutely infested with fleas. He was a black cat but there were so many you could see them crawling in his fur. Yuck. It took 2 days to get rid of them.
We simply wet his fur with warm water then lathered him in blue dawn (make a soapy ring around his neck first, so that the fleas can't run up to the head) and rinsing in the sink. Blow-dried him so he didn't chill, repeated the bath and blow-out again, then flea combed him two or three times a day for a few days. By the second day, we weren't finding any adult fleas. The Dawn will momentarily paralyze them so they're easy to wash off in the rinse water.
You'll need to vacuum and wash bedding as well every day, so that you're catching any eggs or adult stragglers as well.
As for your house guests, unless hundreds of fleas are falling off kittie, they are unlikely to be bitten. Maybe I'm biased but I'd even forgive those hundreds if an adorable kitten was keeping me company!
p.s. Capstar only lasts 24 hours and kills adult fleas. Topical flea treatments should not be used until kittie grows up quite a bit.
posted by muirne81 at 1:36 PM on August 26, 2016
We simply wet his fur with warm water then lathered him in blue dawn (make a soapy ring around his neck first, so that the fleas can't run up to the head) and rinsing in the sink. Blow-dried him so he didn't chill, repeated the bath and blow-out again, then flea combed him two or three times a day for a few days. By the second day, we weren't finding any adult fleas. The Dawn will momentarily paralyze them so they're easy to wash off in the rinse water.
You'll need to vacuum and wash bedding as well every day, so that you're catching any eggs or adult stragglers as well.
As for your house guests, unless hundreds of fleas are falling off kittie, they are unlikely to be bitten. Maybe I'm biased but I'd even forgive those hundreds if an adorable kitten was keeping me company!
p.s. Capstar only lasts 24 hours and kills adult fleas. Topical flea treatments should not be used until kittie grows up quite a bit.
posted by muirne81 at 1:36 PM on August 26, 2016
Response by poster: Thank you, everyone! I was able to get a can of Knockout spray from the vet late on Thursday, and I sprayed down the bathroom floor, cabinets, bed, and litter box, with fresh bedding afterwards. That seems to have taken care of it. Guests came and went and we haven't seen a flea since Thursday.
I did get Frontline from the vet. They told me to give him a smaller dose from the regular tube, but I'm a little worried about getting that right on such a teeny baby so I'll probably wait until next week's vet appointment.
Thanks for the advice!
posted by aabbbiee at 6:54 AM on August 29, 2016
I did get Frontline from the vet. They told me to give him a smaller dose from the regular tube, but I'm a little worried about getting that right on such a teeny baby so I'll probably wait until next week's vet appointment.
Thanks for the advice!
posted by aabbbiee at 6:54 AM on August 29, 2016
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