For the first time ever, our indoor kitty has fleas. I guess it was just a matter of time with the outdoor strays always wanting pettings, but it's aggravating. I'm going to treat her with some Hartz I bought this morning, but what can I do for the carpets/sofa that's not really toxic or dangerous to her, or us? I did not like all the warnings on the sprays and carpet treatments, there's no way I can keep the cat off the carpet/furniture for a day or two!

I'm 36 weeks pregnant, so my mobility is a bit limited. I read online about salt and baking soda in the carpets, so getting ready to sprinkle that down and leave it most of the day before vaccuming, in hopes it will help. I also read you could use borax, but then I read a bunch of warnings about not if you have an animal that grooms itself, becuase it will hurt it, and also you don't want to be sitting on or walking on borax that you missed, because it's acidic. I'm not fond of the idea of leaving a dish of water/soap mixture out overnight because it's hard for me to bend over, plus, I know the cat would drink it. She'll drink anything.

We don't think her fleas can be too, too bad yet, so I'm hoping to start off with an easier treatment first, and no vet visit. DH is a football coach and pretty much won't be home at all the next few weeks other than to sleep at night he's so busy, so i've got to manage this on my own, and I'm not sure how much I can do.

If anyone has any suggestions about this, I'd be grateful! This is my first time dealing with fleas.

Edit: I just read (GOT to stop reading stuff online) that fleas can cause worms in your cat... am I going to need to get her to the vet for a treatment of deworming?!

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"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70

Ok, let me tell you a couple things!!
First, make sure that you are NOT keeping your AC OFF at all while you have these fleas. They breed like CRAZY when in a warm environment. So, until you get it under control (gone completely) do NOT turn your AC off completely!

Second, I'd try that baking soda/salt thing, although I've never heard of that. But you should try that first and see what happens. But other than that, you can sprinkle a flea powder (in the pet department at walmart and the like) down and let it sit, then vaccuum it up. It won't be nearly as harmful to you or your pet as borax would (although borax works), if that's what you are worried about.

Lastly, if the salt/soda thing doesn't work, please get some foggers and go at it. They are full of chemicals, but it'll only take once. Make sure everything you eat on is put away in the cabinets, etc....or that you wash everything when you get back. You will need to leave (and your pets leave too) for a few hours to let it work. Plus, you can NOT be there while they are spraying!! Then when you get back, just wipe all surfaces down (furniture, counters, etc...) really well, and you all will be fine. Give the carpet a good vacuum, and the kitchen a good mopping and it will be taken care of. The chemicals will NOT kill your cat or anything, as logn as you don't leave her there while they are going off!!!!

After all this, and you get them under control, just go by your vet or (1800petmeds.com) and order some advantage flea control, this DOES NOT require you to visit your vet or anything like that, you can just pick up the meds....so you won't pay for an office visit or anything. Keep the advantage on her once a month and you should be golden. Edited: you do not need to worry about the worm thing unless she's had them for a long time, if she's just gotten them, no worries!! The flea treatment will kill them and she'll be fine!

Hope this helps, we live in the south and it's hot here all the time, so we have to keep them under control. Also, you can get some flea and bug treatment granuals and spread them in the yard, those work well for maintenance in your yard.
Good luck, but don't worry, they are easily manageable without DH's help!

double post, sorry.

I've battled fleas every summer, for some reason my poor pomeranian gets almost eaten alive with them!

The only thing that I have found that really works to get them off the animal is Frontline. I've tried Advantage and it just didn't work as well.

I've also used the Borax with success. It didn't bother any of my pets or any of us. I just sprinkled it on before bed and then swept it up in the morning.

I tried the foggers this summer 3 different times. It would work for about 24 hours and then the fleas would be back.

Ok, good news about the worms thing, I can't see as she's had them for long, a few weeks at the absolute most, but we've only found two on her, so she can't have too too many more, I'd hope.

I'm going to return the Hartz medicine I got, I read horrible things about it killing pets, so guess I'll try and find some Advantge or Frontline. I called a ton of places and no one has it, so once I get the ok from DH will order it online and hope it doesn't take too long to get it in. Darn expensive stuff, DH didn't beleive me how much it cost, but as long as it works... Going to get the outdoor cats flea collers or something.

Hopfully I don't have to do a fogger, I pray I can just take care of it with the salt, or, maybe during the cat's naptime do a borax treatment. I'm not really sure where to find that at, I'm guessing laundry aisle at a Kroger might have it? *sigh* Such a mess. Thanks for the replies, I'm feeling a little better about the worm thing. Trying to tell myself this isn't the end of the world!!!!

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"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70

No, it's not the end of the world..just a pain in the butt...lol. Glad you are comforted about the worm thing, and let me tell you that two fleas are NOT going to cause worms! So you will be fine. You should be able to find borax in the cleaners somewhere, whether it's laundry or others, I'm not sure, but it's cheap I believe.
I don't know anything about Hartz killing pets, but to be honest, it does NOT work well anyway. You should go with frontline or advantage, those will work, especially since your kitty doesn't go outside. And if the cats outside are your cats, you should do the same for them, otherwise, just do flea collars, the cheapest ones you can find at walmart (like 97 cents) work better than the hartz brand too.
No, the treatment stuff for the cats is not cheap, but that comes with having pets....we have two large labs too and one cat, the dogs get heartworm medicine, flea medicine, and we treat the yard twice a summer, and the cat gets flea medicine, and to keep them all up to date with shots and stuff, they can be expensive, but I wouldn't trade any of them for all the money in the world, they are our children (seeing as we don't have two legged children yet..lol). Let us know how it goes girl!

I will!! Thank you so much!!! :D I didn't think about treating the yard, I imagine that's a good idea too. The strays outside we've been feeding for well over 6 months, and they never leave the yard so if by chance they DO have an owner somewhere, which I'm doubting, because they used to be skin and bones, and are just now looking like proper kitties, hopfully that person won't care if we stick flea collers on them. I've already planned if we ever move to pack them along with us, lol. I'll have to find those ones at Walmart this week, that's not a bad price at all!! Whew, today is being saved from feeling like a Monday!!

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"And the state of his bathroom -- I'm not one to gossip, but there are things crusted on his sink that have not simply developed intelligent life but have in all probability by now evolved their own political systems." Cain describes Abel in in SANDMAN #70

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http://tinktime-tink.blogspot.com/

If you tell your secrets to the wind... Don't be mad if it tell's the trees.

My little witchling!!

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http://mommysavers.com/boards/journa...wjournal&j=110

http://tinktime-tink.blogspot.com/

If you tell your secrets to the wind... Don't be mad if it tell's the trees.

An old remedy for your carpets/ house... sprinkle Moth Ball crystals on your rugs and leave it there for a while, flees HATE it!!

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http://tinktime-tink.blogspot.com/

If you tell your secrets to the wind... Don't be mad if it tell's the trees.