Matthew asked 8 years ago
About a week ago, I got a flea Infestation on my 2 cats. Because we have a newborn, we’ve been trying to avoid using chemicals in the house, by using the carpet powder and night light with a water bowl (with soap), the only problem is the flea population is still growing, and we’re not sure why. We vacuum daily to get the powder up, and reapply it nightly. I know they won’t work overnight, but is there anything non-harmful to humans and pets we can use to kill them?
Adam Retzer Staff answered 8 years ago
Hi Matthew,
Carpet powders won’t end an infestation. Borate compounds have been shown to be somewhat effective against fleas, but they won’t kill them all. The same goes for diatomaceous earth.
95-99% of the fleas are immature stages (eggs, larvae, and pupae) in the carpets. Even traditional insecticides, such as permethrin or pyrethrins, aren’t all that effective against these stages, because they live at the base of carpets where sprays can’t penetrate. And aside from these compounds being somewhat toxic, they also have a short residual effect, which limit their efficacy.
Vacuuming is one of the best things you can do to control fleas. Keep up the vacuuming routine (at least every other day). Still, mechanical control isn’t enough.
IGRs (insect growth regulators) are probably your best bet for controlling the fleas in your carpets. These compounds mimic natural insect hormones, and inhibit their biological mechanisms that trigger development. They prevent exposed adult females from laying eggs. And they prevent exposed eggs and larvae from maturing into adults. IGRs are considered safer than traditional insecticides, because they specifically mimic insect hormones and target insect endocrine systems. Additionally, they will stay residually active for 7 months indoors, so only one application is needed.
The two most common IGRs are pyriproxyfen (Nylar) and methoprene (Precor). These active ingredients are found in most flea premise sprays, but these sprays also contain traditional insecticides, which you say you’d like to avoid. Luckily, you can purchase IGR concentrate alone. For indoor use, Martin’s IGR comes in a good size (smaller and cheaper than those sold for outdoor use).
Keep in mind, 1-5% of the infestation is composed of adult fleas. And these fleas live permanently on their host once acquired. Each female lays around 25 eggs a day. Thus, it important to kill the fleas on your cats. Plus, the cats are being bitten and experiencing discomfort.
You can try being diligent with a flea comb as a chemical-free way to remove the fleas on the cats. However, if a few weeks pass and the problem still persists, it may be time to opt for flea drops, such as Advantage II.
Hope this helps!
Adam
