Flea's, maybe a stupid question but.....?

Question

i recently got a kitten and ive been reading about de-fleaing, now my cat wont be going outside and will be a house cat, can he still get fleas or like head lice does my cat have to catch them from another animal, or do they just appear, thanks in advance

Answer 1

Yes, he can still get fleas. They can travel into the home with you on your clothes, particularly if you've been around other animals, and they get on the cat should you take him outside, like to the vet. Fleas have a wide range of motion and their eggs can lie dormant for a long time. You might want to invest in Frontline, Advantage, or some other flea control for him anyway. And I know this because my two cats are indoor-onlys as well, and they still got fleas.

Answer 2

You can carry fleas in from outside. The fleas will usually "catch a ride" on your shoes or socks. I use Frontline Plus on my cats that are indoors and never have had a problem. Animals can not get head lice, but they can get a different kind of parasite. Not likely with an indoor cat.

Answer 3

I work for Petco so I know quite a bit about fleas. And I also have an indoor cat that got fleas. When you de-flea by fogging you house and all that fun stuff, if you miss even one egg it can lay dormant for up to one year. That one flea can lay 1000 eggs, and each of those a 1000 apiece. Noise, vibrations, and heat can cause them to hatch. they can't just appear on their own but it's possible for YOU to bring them in. That's how my cat got them. I never used flea protection because my cat is always indoors and didn't think about all the animals I come in contact with. In your case the chance will be much smaller but still there. Use a spot on treatment like Zodiac or Bio-Spot to be safe. If he's indoors there is no reason to spend alot on Frontline or Advantage.

Answer 4

Fleas don't just appear. You could bring them from outside on your clothes into the house. You have to wait until your kitten's a certain age before de-fleaing though I think. I hope you don't think I'm being a moaner but cats are natural explorers and they LOVE the outdoors so don't keep it in unless maybe you live in a high rise flat. It would be a shame to keep him in as I've seen house cats sit there longingly looking out of the window. It's not natural but if it can't be helped keep him entertained as much as possible and give him lots of love and affection which you seem to already. Don't forget to litter train him if he can't go out and change it every day (for hygiene reasons - urine can give off dangerous toxins).

Answer 5

A cat will probably want to go out at some point. You can get flea drops from a reputable pet store, depending on the kittens age. The drops are easily administered and last up to a month. The kitten must be approx 12 weeks old, check with the pet store for exact age.

Answer 6

I have 3 cats and every one of them at one time or another has had fleas. You can bring fleas in from being in the yard but the biggest culprit in my house is when my cats sit in the windows when I have them open. They can jump throught the screens and onto your cats. Once you have them they are a HUGE headache to get rid of.

Also, if your kitten already has fleas they have to be a certain age before you can actually put flea product on them. the next best thing is washing your cat (I know-sounds fun right?) with Dawn dish soap. The consistency of the soap suffocates the fleas. You can also use a flea comb and comb them off of your cat, just make sure you have a little cup with water and dish soap in it to dip the fleas in.

Good luck with your kitten!

Answer 7

I moved into a house a few years ago and i had NO PETS at ALL.

Then after 3 months we had fleas all over the front room(GAH!)

apparently they lay dormant in the carpet until vibration or movement wakes then up, The previous owners had had cats but the house had been empty for a year or more and it was winter...nasty suprise. all in all, in or out, your kitten can still get fleas, they travel on your clothing, I had a lift from a friend once who'd had their cat in the back of the car, ,fleas were all over the back seat, ten My cat got them, buggery things. hate em.
just use a precaution every now and then. exposure is minimal indoors,and they are easy to get rid of

Answer 8

Even though your kitten will stay indoors she will still need regular worming and de-fleaing, and vaccinating. You'll bring all those problems indoors after you've been outside; plus there's also the risk that she'll make a determened effort to get outside when she's in season.
All puppies and kittens are born with some worms, less if the owner of the mother regularly worms her, but worming doesn't completely eradicate them.
Flea bites also transmit tapeworm.
And thats not a daft question, many owners don't bother to look after their pets health because they think that being indoors somehow keeps them safe; it may keep them safer but it doesn't give immunity!

Answer 9

If your cat lives indoors it can still get flea's but it should not be a problem for either you or the cat. Animals happily hang on to their flea's like a miser does his wallet and visa versa - but of course if the cat starts scratching away a liitle too much not to notice then a flea collar bought at a supermarket will do the trick in keeping numbers down. You can buy drops too but when I used this on my cat he straight away started cleaning himself and within five min's was coughing and foaming at the mouth - very unpleasant for both of us.

Answer 10

they usually catch them from areas in the garden where fleas hang out (sometimes a compost heap) and they also catch them from other cats.

since my cats have got older and not been going out in the garden as much they have not had form of fleas in years.

there are some great flea soluutions on the market. just a drop on their neck and they are protected. it saves the hassle and mess of powders and sprays and stops the cat becoming distressed.

not sure why your cat has to be a house cat - but an extra tip, you need to have some grass available. so have some available in a pot.