We bombed our apartment and we STILL have fleas! Please help!?

Question

My boyfriend and I bombed our apartment this past weekend because we had a SERIOUS flea problem. I washed my cat in some very strong flea shampoo before we left, and washed her again just to be sure when we got back (it works really well, judging by all the dead fleas in the tub when I get done). I even washed all of our clothes before we set off the bombs. I also sprayed the carpet with Raid for fleas and vacuumed twice when we got back.

But for some reason we STILL have fleas! My boyfriend is threatening to get rid of the cat, but I really don't want to do that as I practically think of her as my child (he doesn't have the kind of relationship with her that I do as he's the disciplinarian).

On a side note: our cat isn't the reason we have fleas. We dog-sat a friend's mom's pomeranian who swore up and down she didn't have fleas. Hmph.... It's funny the fleas didn't show up until we dog-sat.

What can we do?!?

My cat is an indoor cat because her front paws are declawed.
Also, the main reason I don't want to get rid of her is because she's very territorial of me and hisses at everyone else (except my boyfriend). I know if we try to give her to someone else, they'll take her to the shelter where she's sure to be put to sleep.

Krispy: No we don't have wood floors, it's all carpet. Good observation, though!

goddessdawnie: The bombs we used and the Raid we've been using are/were specifically targeted at fleas.

Sorry to keep adding, but one more thing: vets have stopped dipping in my area saying it's harmful to pets. Trust me, I'd have her dipped if I could!

Answer 1

you need to suck it up and call in a professional. they have stuff that sterilizes fleas and makes the eggs not hatch. it is apparent that they are living in the carpet, the drapes, etc. All it takes is a fold, a crease, a corner for one pregnant flea to survive. You need a professional flea application which works in a different manner than the permethrin contained in Raid. Then the fleas will die, the eggs won't hatch and you can break the cycle. Also make sure you buy Frontline for cats and apply it every month. any flea that gets brought into the house will die because Frontline gets into the cat's blood and the blood from the cat will poison the flea when it feeds.

Answer 2

Boomaloha is 100% right. Have a professional treat the house and get your cat on a monthly course of Advantage or Frontline Plus and keep the cat on it. Bombs are highly toxic as is Raid, but they are imprecise and don't get all the fleas. Shampoo will do an initial kill but the fleas will come right back if they are still in the environment. Professional exterminators are more precise and less toxic than bombs and Raid and Advantage or Frontline Plus will kill the fleas and keep them off for 30 days.

By the way, DON'T buy Advantage on E-Bay - while some vendors are reputable there have been a lot of scammers too. If you buy online - use a reputable site like Doctors Foster and Smith.

Answer 3

Getting rid of the cat won't get rid of the fleas -- they're living in the carpet and feeding off YOU.

It sounds like you're doing the right things BUT, you need to use flea control products. Raid is for things like roaches and spiders. What kind of bomb did you use? Was it a FLEA bomb?

The flea shampoo is a good start (I hope it was made specifically for cats; the flea shampoos made for dogs can actually kill a cat). Don't do it too often -- they can basically OD on it.

Use a home flea spray. Wash all your beddings and the cat's beddings, and spray ALL the carpets and furniture in the house. Spray any long curtains or drapes too. Take the cat out of the house while you're doing this because being exposed to that much flea spray can easily make her sick.

Vacuuming is great but be sure to dispose of the vacuum bag properly so they can't just get out and go right back to it. Either take it straight outside or bag it tightly in a sealed plastic bag.

Answer 4

I've had great success with table salt. I sprinkle it on all the fabric surfaces such as carpet, couch, mattresses, etc. I wait at least 8 hours then vacuum. Then I repeat a week later to kill any fleas that hatched during the week. The idea is the fleas eat the salt, get dehydrated, and die. I also sprinkle it liberally in my yard so none are brought in the house. The first time I did it, the fleas disappeard and I only saw one more flea in two years and my cat was indoor/outdoor. I would certainly give this a try. Getting rid of the cat won't get rid of the fleas in your home. They can feed off of you just as easily as they do the cat.

Also, be sure you are using something like Advantage or Frontline on your cats as a backup to the shampoo.

Good luck.

Answer 5

First, take your cat to the vet and have them dip her and get her all set - and have her stay a couple of days.

Next. Vacuum your carpet and dispose of the bag in the dumpster outside! Vacuuming and not removing the bag only gives more time for the fleas in the vacuum to be safe from the bomb and to breed and re-infest - do this once or twice - making sure to vacuum all of your furniture.

Next. Set off the bomb and leave the apartment - make sure the bomb is one that will take care of adults as well as their eggs and also has the chemicals that will sterilize them so they cannot produce off spring.

Next - vacuum again, and dispose of the bag - this ensures you get the dead guys, the near death, and the eggs that may or may not hatch. Remember to throw the bags in the dumpster outside.

Wait 24 hours and fumigate one more time before you bring your cat back home. This will allow the flea dip to work without bringing your cat into the mix prematurely. After the second fumigation - vacuum again and dispose of the bag - you can dump the bag and reuse it but dispose of it completely when done vacuuming - if you have one of the bagless vacuums then be sure that when you dump the vacuum cleaner container that you dispose of this waste in the dumpster outside.

This should resolve the issue - I would suggest that you get your fumigation material from your veterinarian - they will have much stronger products (at least in my opinion) than over the counter - ALTHOUGH I have used a product called Adams Flea and Tick products that is absolutely the best stuff on the market.

Good Luck!

Answer 6

There are new flea treatments that will take care of all fleas on cats/dogs, but you should check w/ a vet for best recommendation. A flea comb used daily works well, too. Afa the apt., you may need to clean more. Some products just don't work well. The vet may be able to give you some tips about that, too. Otherwise, you could have your carpets cleaned & anything else you can think of to clean, maybe call a professional cleaner if you can afford it. Good luck.

Answer 7

Have your cat dipped by a Vet, and then sprinkle salt very generously on your carpet. Let it sit for about a half an hour and then vacuum. If this doesn't work you might need to call in the pros to get rid of the fleas. The chemicals they use are much stronger than the ones you can buy.

Answer 8

You can bomb the house, but that doesn't affect the eggs that are there, once they hatch, there's more fleas. Get out the dehumidifier and put it on, the dryer the air is, the more likely the flea eggs will dehydrate and die, they need humidity to hatch.

A second bombing is a good idea, and treating the cats with Advantage (it works for 6 weeks) so the fleas going onto the cats will die that way also.

Answer 9

I also had a flea problem after i cat-sat for a friend . My boyfriend went and got Ortho Home Defence Max . It kills all kinds of bugs not just fleas and it works great. Your on the right track . I also have two dogs who are in and outdoor and i dont have a problem with fleas anymore.

Answer 10

your cat is going to need something to keep her protected or she will get fleass as well -
Go to the vet or you can get it on Ebay - ADVANTAGE - you squirt it on the back of your cats neck and at the base of her tail and within 24-48 hours she will not have any fleas,and she will be protected for a couple months....
As far as your apartment - go to a store that sells swimming pools - its late in the season,but if you have a pool dealer they should have it - diatanatious earth - sprinklle this on the floors all through your apartment - take your cat and leave for the day - when you come home vaccum and sweep it up,and your fleas will be gone.
Remember to empty the bag or canaster in you vaccum when done or youll have fleas all over again