Fleas can be a frustrating experience for cat owners. You might be asking why your cat still has fleas after treatment. There are several good reasons why, which we’ll go over in this article.
A flea can lay hundreds of eggs and has a lengthy lifespan. In the right humidity, temperature, and food supply, an adult can live up to 18 months instead of the usual few months. Unfortunately, your house pet provides fleas with all the necessary conditions for growth.
1. Your cat has fleas after treament because you neglected hotspots
There are “hotspots” in most homes where flea eggs and droppings gather. These are typically the places where your pet sleeps at night or rests during the day. The best way to protect yourself from fleas is to target these regions because the flea larvae that hatch from these eggs don’t go very far. If you can, keep an eye on your pet all day to see where he or she spends the most time.
Even though lounging about, grooming, napping, and simply relaxing may not seem like much, these calm moments allow flea eggs to hatch and start the cycle all over again. Concentrate your efforts on treating these locations, and if any adjacent electrical outlets are present, consider plugging in electric flea traps to help the situation.
Move to a new place close to another hotspot if the trap doesn’t start catching fleas within 48 hours. If you frequently travel with your pet, don’t forget to treat your car as well. Carriers, crates, car seats, and blankets provide another another excellent setting for potential hotspots to grow.
2. Your cat has fleas after treatment because of their environment
A temperature of 70–85°F (about 20–30°C) and a humidity of 70% are optimum for flea growth. If you can, keep your house below 70 degrees Fahrenheit, and if you struggle with humidity, use an air conditioner or dehumidifier. Particularly if your pet spends a lot of time outside and gets wet from the elements, a pet’s hairy body offers the moist, warm habitat that fleas require. When your pets enter the house, dry them off and check them for fleas by combing over their fur with a flea comb.
3. Your cat may need several treatments
Fleas go through the egg, larval, pupa, and adult stages of their life cycle. However, fleas can continue to appear for months after you thought an infection has stopped. Most flea treatments only kill adult fleas.
A newly hatched female flea can deposit eggs in one day after finding a host. The key to preventing fleas is consistent treatment; bathing your pet will not do this. The eggs will endure, but many adults will wash away. When you’re done rinsing the soap off, additional fleas will hop back on (and more will hatch).
Whether you use a natural flea treatment or not, you still need to follow a regular routine to get rid of fleas.
4. Your cat has fleas after treatment because you treated only the fleas you saw
Only approximately 5% of an infestation is made up of adult fleas, which are often the ones you see on your pet. The other parts—eggs, larvae, and pupae—you cannot see. Within 21 days, the eggs hatch into larvae that settle on carpet and furniture. They will gorge themselves on hair and dead skin cells here. Flea infestations can be difficult to get rid of for a long time since fleas spend 95% of their lives outside of the adult stage.
Wash all of your linens, blankets, and pillows in really hot water to get rid of the fleas you can’t see. Other fibrous materials should be steam cleaned, especially those in the living and sleeping spaces because research has shown that these are typically where the most fleas are found.
Use diatomaceous earth of the food-grade variety to cover hot locations, such as pet beds and resting places. This organic flea treatment is safe for pets and works by drying out insects. Both carpets and wood floors can be treated by applying in lines around the areas that get the greatest traffic.
5. Your cat has fleas after treatment because you’re using the wrong treatments
Numerous flea treatments are harmful to kids and animals. This includes sprays, powders, collars, and drops used on the fur. These are insecticides, thus using them should not be done lightly.
There are now chewable flea treatments available that are far less dangerous than traditional pesticides while still being marginally less effective. One of the most well-liked is Comfortis, which is given by your veterinarian and lasts a month each dose. The main component is Spinosad, a naturally occurring chemical derived from a soil bacteria that has undergone extensive health testing by the EPA.
It’s also crucial to understand that medications used to kill fleas on dogs can harm cats, and that a tiny dog will require a completely different medication than a large dog. Prior to speaking with your veterinarian about the best course of action for your animal, avoid purchasing flea remedies from pet stores. The use of natural sprays and electric flea traps can increase your defense. In order to maintain the effectiveness of flea traps, refillable pads are also available.
6. Your cat has fleas after treatment because they got them again from outside
The less likely your pet is to carry a flea inside is the brighter and more open your yard is, as sunlight and airflow kill flea larvae. Keep your yard tidy and clutter-free. This entails routinely cutting your lawn and trimming your plants to remove flea habitats that are shaded. Maintaining a clean yard also deters wild creatures from thriving there and spreading their fleas. The most frequent intrusions are made by raccoons and feral cats.
Additionally, studies indicate that flea-eating nematodes are highly efficient at eliminating flea larvae outside. Nematodes can be purchased from your neighborhood garden center and applied with a lawn sprayer to wet, shaded sections of your yard where fleas grow if you suspect that your pet’s fleas are coming from there. The flea population often sharply decreases within 24 hours.
7. Your cat has fleas after treatment because they got them again from other pets
If you have multiple pets in your home, even if only one of them is scratching, you should still treat them all as potential hosts for your flea infestation. Combing, good grooming, and maintaining a clean home all help, but vacuuming, using flea traps, and using diatomaceous earth are more successful.
Treat the resting and sleeping areas of all of your dogs. Even though diatomaceous earth is a tiny dust, you should take care not to expose any family members who could have asthma or other breathing issues to it because you can rub it into your pet’s fur. Additionally, stay away from applying in windy areas or close to a home fan.
8. Your cat still has fleas after treatment because you’re not treating year-round
It is just untrue that fleas cannot infest your pet during the winter. Fleas flourish in crawl areas and porches and can survive outside for five days in temperatures as low as 33°F (0.5°C). The pupae can slumber for more than a year before finding the appropriate temperature.
You can take the danger of ignoring fleas for a few months, but it’s likely that if one flea makes its way into your home, it will quickly start to spread. During cold weather, continue flea treatments for as long as necessary.
9. Your cat still has fleas after treatment because you’re ignoring carpets
As was previously noted, carpets are a primary breeding ground for flea eggs and larvae. To kill eggs, they should be routinely vacuumed and, if possible, steam cleaned. To avoid re-infestations, make sure to remove the vacuum bags from your machine after cleaning and put them outside.
True HEPA-certified vacuums have the power to significantly lower population growth. Food-grade diatomaceous earth can also be used to cure carpets. Sprinkle over surfaces that your pet frequents, particularly those hidden under pet bedding. After waiting two to three days, remove the suction. Diatomaceous earth can be placed close to carpeted areas in lines along walls and in cracks.
10. Your cat still has fleas after treatment because you’re using treatments improperly
It should go without saying and is a recurring theme among all of these tactics, but because fleas are so adaptable, doing the incorrect thing or performing half the job is worse than doing nothing at all. Ineffective treatment practices provide fleas the chance, with each new generation, to develop an immunity to controls. As fleas continue to reproduce and develop more resistance, this can cause epidemics to grow indefinitely larger. Don’t disregard instructions and endanger your mental health or the welfare of your pet.
