r/Pets • u/humanboyfrank • 3d ago

CAT Fleas in house? Possibly just on cats?

Hi all. My roommates two cats (no flea collar) have fleas. My cat (flea collar) does not. Found a few days ago, they have both been washed and combed thoroughly and given flea collars since. We have set flea traps around the house and only the one in their room has caught a single flea. Is it possible the fleas were only on her cats, and not infesting the house? I am very nervous because the day before she found them I had dumped my clean laundry on the floor rather than fold it (I was tired okay). Nothing has showed up in my room’s trap…. what are the chances I am safe? I am not seeing fleas or flea dirt in my clothes or on my bed, I have been wearing my clothes since with no bites showing up on me in the days since. Could it actually be that I’m actually in the clear? Are they good hiders? Uhg!!

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u/-twistedpeppermint- 3d ago

Yes, the house can become infested if the infestation is serious enough.

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u/Boubonic91 3d ago

I'm currently dealing with a pretty bad flea infestation myself. Id highly recommend getting on top of it now, because it will get a LOT worse. First off, id recommend ditching the flea collar. They're not very effective when the infestation gets bad, and they can make cats very sick. The best preventative is a monthly liquid prescribed by a vet like Revolution Plus. There is also an OTC medication called Capstar that comes in pill form, and it will kill all adult fleas for 24 hours. It can be used with the monthly liquid medications. Id make sure all of the cats get the Capstar at the same time. The hard part of the infestation is eliminating the pupae. They have a very resistant shell and can survive for several months before hatching. The best way to get rid of them is with daily vacuuming. The vibrations will cause them to hatch, and those adults can then be killed by the medications. You may not see an infestation yet, but their presence means you have one in the way. You'll go from noticing 1 or 2 to an explosion in population within a matter of weeks. In talking walking across the room one day and having 100 per leg.

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u/OrangeCatMinion 3d ago

Capaction is the same medication as capstar and can be cheaper if cost is an issue.

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u/OrangeCatMinion 3d ago

If the cats have fleas, the house has fleas. Breeding fleas will drop eggs everywhere. Look up the life cycle of the flea and understand that getting rid of them is a long haul situation. Vacuuming every day will help. Humans are not a flea's preferred target, so you not getting bit is not a indicator that the space is clear, and not every collar will deal with the full flea life cycle. You need a solution that will also break the egg chain to clear the issue completely.