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Table of Contents
Why do I suddenly have a flea infestation?
What kills fleas in the house instantly?
How to tell you have fleas
How do you get rid of cat fleas in your home
How long does it take to get rid of fleas?
Natural or homemade flea remedies are risky
To get rid of cat fleas in your home, treat your cat with suitable flea products, vacuum thoroughly, wash bedding and tackle fleas developing in carpets and furnishings. The key is treating your cat and their surroundings together, then continuing until the flea life cycle is fully broken.
Fleas in your home can come from:• A neighbour’s or friend’s pet with fleas• Fleas from your garden (They hide out in damp, shady areas)• Fleas on you (maybe from a friend’s house or hike)
Fleas come into your home and stick around because of pets. Fleas survive on the blood of cats and dogs, so it’s important to treat all pets in the household with effective flea treatment, like Itch Flea Treatment for Cats which kills fleas in 24 hours.
The fleas you spot crawling through your cat’s fur are only part of the problem. Fleas lay eggs on your pet and these fall off their fur, into your carpets and floorboards. Wherever your pet spends time, they will be flea eggs. These eggs hatch into larvae, which hide in sheltered places before developing inside protective cocoons.
This means your sofa, rugs and gaps around floorboards can harbour developing fleas even after the fleas on your cat have been killed. New fleas emerge from cocoons and then jump onto your cat and restart the Flea Life Cycle.
This is the magic equation which clears fleas in the home‼️
Monthly vet approved pet flea treatment ➕ A household flea spray that kills flea eggs ➕ Lots of cleaning & Vacuuming 🟰 No fleas! 🙌
One MAJOR thing people miss when treating cat fleas or dealing with a flea infestation is keeping this routine up for weeks. Fleas will live in your home for months, so removing fleas isn't something that happens overnight. Use regular flea treatment to kill fleas and their eggs!
Look for increased scratching, excessive grooming, small scabs and patches of thinning fur. However, some cats show few obvious symptoms, so a cat that is not scratching can still have fleas.
For best results and to be sure to tell if you have fleas, here’s what to do! 👇
Use a fine-toothed flea comb over a white towel, paying attention to the neck and base of the tail. You may find live fleas or dark, pepper-like specks called flea dirt.
Place those specks on a damp white kitchen roll. Flea Dirt contains digested blood and produces reddish-brown marks when wet, helping distinguish it from ordinary debris. Itching has other possible causes, so speak to your vet if you are unsure what you have found.
Flea Bites On People often appear around the ankles, although bite marks alone cannot confirm an infestation. Speak to a pharmacist or GP if bites are particularly troublesome or the skin becomes increasingly sore or swollen.
Start with an appropriate cat flea treatment
Tailored flea treatment is the most suitable and safest for your cat. This means it is recommended based on their age, weight and health. Kittens, pregnant cats and cats should especially have tailored flea treatment like Itch Cat Flea Treatment which is safe for kittens and pregnant cats, just tell Itch about your cat and personalised flea treatment is delivered straight to your door, for free!
It’s important to treat other cats and dogs in the household too, ideally on the same day, using products appropriate for each animal. Leaving an affected animal untreated can allow the infestation to continue. Never use dog flea treatment on your cat. Some contain concentrated permethrin, which can cause fatal poisoning.
Follow the instructions carefully. For a spot-on product, this usually means parting the fur and applying the liquid directly to the skin at the back of your cat’s neck. Spot-on treatments need drying time, don’t let your cat outside in the rain, in the bath or to lick the treatment site for at least 48 hours.
Flea comb your cat
Combing helps remove adult fleas and flea dirt while allowing you to check how treatment is progressing. Choose a quiet moment and work gently, stopping if your cat becomes distressed.
Here is How To Flea Comb A Cat (With Video)!
Combing is useful support, but it cannot remove the eggs, larvae and cocoons scattered around your home. Treat it as part of your plan, not a replacement for effective flea control.
Use a household flea treatment safely
To get rid of severe flea infestation, household flea treatment is necessary. Home flea sprays, like Itch Flea House Spray contain an insect growth regulator to kill adult fleas and help prevent immature fleas from developing into adults.
Spray your home where your cat has been, which is the likely place fleas will be living - e.g. carpets, pet bed, cat trees, sofa and other furniture. Never spray household flea treatment directly onto your cat!
Will vacuuming get rid of fleas?
Yes, Vacuuming Will Get Rid Of Fleas. Vacuum thoroughly while tackling the infestation, concentrate on your cat’s favourite sleeping places, but for best results to get rid of fleas, vacuum your entire home daily. If your cat travels, check their carrier and any car upholstery they touch as well.
Vacuuming removes flea eggs, larvae and other debris from the environment. Repeating it matters because one pass will not reach everything hidden deep in carpets or crevices.
Afterwards, seal and discard the vacuum bag, or empty a bagless machine into a sealed bag for an outside bin.
Wash bedding and furnishings
Wash your cat’s bedding, blankets and washable covers, including items belonging to other affected pets. If your cat sleeps on your bed, include your sheets and duvet cover. Itch Vet Team of Qualified SQP Specialists recommend washing pet bedding at 60°C and if possible, tumble dry on a high heat. For items that cannot be washed, a steam cleaner can help kill fleas or try a safe household flea treatment which can be used on furnishings.
Killing ALL fleas overnight is a myth! You can effectively start to get rid of fleas in the first few hours, if you use vet strength flea treatment for cats. But keep in mind fleas are not just on your pet, they are everywhere in your home. So to get rid of fleas in your house immediately, is not going to happen. It will take a few weeks, even if you use vet prescribed treatments. Sorry. Fleas are tough critters.
“Natural” does not automatically mean safe for cats. Essential oils, including tea tree, peppermint and citrus oils, can be toxic. Applying them to fur also creates a risk of your cat swallowing them while grooming.
Homemade mixtures and herbal repellents should not replace effective veterinary treatment. Avoid experimenting with concentrated oils or unlabelled insecticides on your cat, their bedding or your carpets.
Getting rid of cat fleas in your home requires 7 important steps - Click here for an easy step-by-step guide on How To Prevent Fleas In Cats!
Whether it’s your Ragdoll, Maine Coon, British Shorthair or any other breed, Itch Flea Treatment is suitable and tailored for all cats and kittens.
Itch Flea kills all adult fleas on your cat in 24 hours and halts all other life stages. Delivered for free, every month, exactly when you need it.
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If there’s one thing guaranteed to ruin your week, it’s discovering that fleas have decided to turn your home into their personal holiday resort. One minute your pet is having a harmless scratch, the next you’re Googling “flea treatments at 2am”! But don’t panic. You can get rid of them with an effective and ongoing routine. Here’s a no-nonsense look at what actually works to kill fleas and what options might be best for you. Keep reading to find out more.
Your cat is scratching like mad, or you’ve seen tiny dark specks (flea dirt) in their fur… Ah, hello fleas. If you’re reading this, it seems like your current flea killing approach isn’t working. This is more than likely because you’re not attacking the source. Sorry to break it to you but the fleas you're seeing are really only the tip of the iceberg. Flea eggs and larvae (flea stages before they develop into adults) lurk in your carpets, soft furnishings, or the garden. This means treating just your cat won’t cut it. To get rid of 100% of fleas, you need a combination of proper pet treatment, deep home cleaning, and consistent prevention. So here’s what you’re going to do…
When most people think of fleas, they picture a constantly scratching pet. So if your dog or cat isn’t itching, it’s easy to assume fleas couldn’t possibly be the problem. Unfortunately, that assumption isn’t always correct. Pets can still have fleas even when they show little or no itching at all. Or if you are currently fighting a flea infestation and you’ve noticed your pet has stopped scratching, don’t assume this means the fleas are dead. Keep reading to find out how to know for sure you have fleas and then how to eradicate them completely!
