supercats asked 6 years ago
Adam, thank you for such an informative site. It’s been a sanity saver. Before my question, here’s the situation:
Two indoor only cats who were sent to a kennel without flea medication (we forgot to apply) and came back with some new friends to our 2BR apartment. About a month elapsed without noticing anything until I, 9 months pregnant, realized I was getting weird bites. Since realizing this on 10/10, less than a week ago we’ve:
- Applied Revolution
- Gave each cat Capstar pills.
- Steam cleaned all carpets in the house, including mattress, couch, and office chairs.
- Regular washing of couch covers and bedding (every 3 days).
- Alcohol wiped down all surfaces, especially near favorite spots.
- Regular vacuuming (every other day).
- Two flea traps we’ve been moving around the house to determine where fleas are being born. Bedroom has been ruled out.
Despite this, I was bitten four times yesterday! I also found a flea climbing up into my hair after picking up He-cat (on my shoulder – never again *shudder*). I think what I’m most concerned about is
a) Getting fleas in my hair 🙁 And having the possibility of fleas eggs hanging out. I know they have a 14 inch jumping range, but She-cat loves to hang out on the couch back, which is conveniently near all of our heads. Do fleas lay eggs in hair? 🙁 I imagine it depends on flea type, so I am going to examine the solitary flea we’ve caught.
b) If fleas stick to hosts — why are these damn fleas jumping onto me?!?! The cats are roaming freely around the house but I am getting bites in the most absurd places, despite wearing socks over pants and long sleeves.
Am I just being impatient and should give this some more time? We don’t want to use any exterminators or sprays yet until I give birth and the baby is 6 months old, I’m afraid.
Adam Retzer Staff answered 6 years ago
supercats,
I am sorry I took so long to answer your question. I know timely responses are the most helpful, and regret that I got overwhelmed.
a) Fleas shouldn’t lay eggs in human hair. This is a common concern, because it is creepy to think about. However, there isn’t too much to be worried about. Fleas rarely leave their acquired host of their own choosing. The one you found on you probably got dislodged from the cat somehow when it was on your shoulder.
Fleas that are potentially developing on your couch won’t be laying eggs on you. They will have just emerged from cocoons and will be looking for a host. They may jump on you and bite you, but they won’t lay eggs. Fleas need to feed for 24 hours before they can mate. And then it takes another 24-48 hours before egg production begins. Thus, this only happens on a suitable host. Humans aren’t suitable hosts.
b 95-99% of flea populations are eggs, larvae, and pupae developing in the environment. When these fleas reach adulthood, they will emerge from cocoons and seek out a host. If an animal host isn’t around, they may be attracted to people. Once on a person, they will bite upon finding exposed skin. Then they will leave after biting. If the fleas went unnoticed for a month, you probably have a moderate to severe infestation, which explains the numerous bites.
It usually takes 8 weeks for infestations to end, sometimes longer in severe infestations. So, yes, more patience is going to be required (hopefully things have ended or are close to ending at the time of writing this response).
Spraying the environment isn’t necessary. However, it will speed up the eradication process and helps prevent re-infestation because insect growth regulators remain active indoors for 7 months. The other control methods you are using should be sufficient. Ensure the cats are kept on flea medication until the infestation is completely over so fleas don’t have a chance to lay eggs. If even a couple lingering fleas find an untreated cat, then the infestation can continue.
I hope this helps. Again, I am sorry for the late reply. Let me know if you have further questions.
Warm regards,
Adam
