Flea Control

Posted in Cat Articles. Written by all cat products on February 20th, 2009

Fleas are found in all parts of the world. They are tiny, dark colored insects that feed on warm blooded animals, such as your cat.
There are about 2000 known flea varieties. They adapt very well to their environment and their hard outer shell makes them difficult to kill by squashing or swatting alone. They move very quickly and the structure of their legs means that they can jump extremely high and for a long distance in order to reach an unsuspecting host.
Any type of flea bite can cause itching, irritation and allergic reactions. The most common place for cat and dog fleas to bite humans is around the ankles and legs and indeed the bites may be the first sign that you have an infestation in your home. The bites are usually felt immediately and appear as small red spots, which are intensely itchy, particularly for those who are sensitive to the bites..
If your cat has fleas, it can very quickly turn into a major problem if not dealt with promptly and effectively. An adult female flea can lay as many as 100 eggs in days, which of course leads to hundreds of new fleas that are also able to lay hundreds of eggs. It doesn’t take an much to work out that after a relatively short time period, in the right conditions, you can potentially be dealing with hundreds of thousands of fleas.
How can you control fleas in your home?
If you have a cat then there is every chance that you will have had to treat them for fleas at some point. Cats can pick up fleas whilst outside so there is not much you are able to do to stop this from happening, but you can help prevent them from invading your home.
Purchase an insecticidal flea spray for your cat and for your home.
Wash all of your cats bedding, and the area around where your cat sleeps regularly, as this is most likely where fleas will lay eggs.
Flea eggs can lie dormant in cracks and crevices just waiting for vibrations from a passer by to alert the flea to an available host so vacuum all carpets thoroughly on a regular basis. It is also a good idea to steam clean the carpets from time to time.
Brush or comb your cat or dog as often as possible as this will help to dislodge the fleas and eggs from your pets coat. Vacuum the surrounding area immediately afterwards.
You can also ask your vet for other preparations that may help prevent fleas from settling on your pet in the first place
One of the problems associated with the control fleas is that they have become resistant to many types of flea control. So for instance, even if your pet is wearing a flea collar, this alone will not necessarily protect your pet or your home from an infestation of fleas. In order to deal with fleas effectively, you need to treat the flea in its various life cycles, your pet and your home.

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