# Fleas coming from outside?



## Nini (May 6, 2007)

I have had a flea problem in my one-room apartment for the past few weeks. I put the cats on Revolution, I vaccuum thoroughly every other day (and when I say thoroughly I mean even the couch, bed, blankets, cat tree etc) to get rid of eggs and possible hiding fleas, but I keep finding more and more fleas on the kitties. 

Granted, most of those fleas are dead or dying, but they are alive enough to bite ME during the night - my legs have turned an interesting patchwork of red dots - and all are full-grown adult size. Now my cats are indoor only but they hang out on the window sills all day, and we live on the ground floor, with a bunch of bushes, flowers and lawn right below. Do you think those fleas could be coming from outside? Or do they have a hidden reproducing nest somewhere at the back of my closet? :? 

I bought some diatomaceous earth, and tomorrow I will rub it everywhere I can: carpets, cat tree, fabrics, furniture, bedding... so that should help killing any fleas inside the apartment, but I am worried about possible invasion from the outside. Should I spray the outside of my windowsills (beyond the screens) with flea repellent? I have a leftover bottle of Sentry Natural Defense essential oils-based spray that I don't use on the cats because it smells so strong, would that help if I used it on the sills?

Thanks a lot for your help! *scratching legs*


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

No new ideas, just sympathy. Will watch this thread. Basically, it sounds to me like you're doing it all. Fleas can come in from outside, but they'd be riding on someone. Maybe you're just dealing with several generations that haven't all died off yet. I dunno, sorry.


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## Sowilu (Mar 14, 2007)

I would spray the outside. Even yet spray the whole house!!! I am having a little of the same problem but I don't let Kiddles out anymore and Negra doesn't want to come back in the house anymore. I vacuumed the bathroom Negra stayed in and I sucked up a whole bunch of fleas.


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## Leazie (Apr 14, 2007)

I think you can use borax as a barrier to keep the insects out. Also, the fleas maybe be coming in on you, you might want to try putting white pants on and walking around outside your house to see if any jump up on you.


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

I have been googling around, and apparently it seems fleas could be jumping on the cats while they are sitting on the window sills watching the birds... so I am going to spray the sills with that Natural Defense thing, and pray for it to work!

Thanks for the sympathy :wink: 
Time to put more vinegar on my bites...


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Nini said:


> ..... and apparently it seems fleas could be jumping on the cats while they are sitting on the window sills watching the birds.......


Wow, I didn't know that!! :? How high off the ground are your window sills?


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

coaster said:


> Nini said:
> 
> 
> > ..... and apparently it seems fleas could be jumping on the cats while they are sitting on the window sills watching the birds.......
> ...


Nice surprise, eh? :? 

The nasty little buggers never run out of new tricks... My windows are about three feet high off the ground, but fleas can jump amazingly high, and apparently they can spot animals even from a distance, so cats lounging on the window sills are an invitation (to quote an online article I just read) The war is declared!


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Ugh! I feel your pain!! 
Are you putting a flea collar in or throwing out (out of the house)the vacuum bag when you've finished vacuuming? "Cause they will keep reinfesting if you don't.
I've also had great luck with boric acid. Works like a charm.


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

I have a "no bag" vaccuum cleaner, so after I am done I empty the content of the dust container in a plastic bag, seal it and throw it away... but I haven't seen any moving bugs in there lately. 

Putting a flea collar in the dust container is a very smart idea, thanks!  

I have to go get a dust mask from Rite Aid before I can use that diatomaceous earth inside the apartment, but I believe it will help tremendously. A lot of my friends have recommanded it. And I feel better using something 100% natural and non-toxic than having pest control fumigate the place and poison us all (that was hubby's first suggestion haha) :?


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

Well your windows aren't any higher off the ground than mine are. Are window screens good enough to keep them out? Fleas are amazingly small.


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Nope, they seem to squeeze right through without problems... The cats have Revolution on, I comb them two or three times a day with the flea comb to get rid of new fleas, and today I found 24 FLEAS between the two of them! Very much alive too!

Tonight we drenched the outside part of the window sill in that Natural Defense spray, so hopefully that will help keep them at bay. If not, they will still have time to bite me before Revolution kills them on the cats :?


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

I've never had fleas here. Maybe that's just because they haven't found me yet. Maybe once they've found you, then they're like bees....they communicate back to all their little friends and they all come hopping. :x


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Are you sure that the diatomaceous earth is safe to use inside. It isn't safe to breathe in so what about the cats? Do you put it down and then vacuum it up really well? In that case, how does it kill the fleas? I've only used it for slugs in the garden. It is a natural product but it can cause serious respiratory troubles so I'd be extremely careful. 
I kind of think boric acid works really well and is a lot safer.


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

No diatomaceous earth is safe inside, if you brush it deep inside the carpets and fabrics so it stays there and does not cause respiratory problems. You let it sit there for a week before you do a thorough vaccuuming, and can repeat the process again.

I am planning to wear a dust mask and locking the cats in the bathroom while I do this tomorrow, to avoid any problems. I have several friends who operate this way and said it works very well.

I will keep you posted on the process!


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## nanook (Jun 12, 2005)

Happy flea killing!


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Haha thanks a lot! We should make Flea Killing Day a holiday... the only three-month long holiday in the world :lol:


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Just a little update: I found a recipe online last night, for a "juice" to brush on your pet while dealing with fleas. It's supposed to keep them away and soothe the cat's skin in case of bites.

Well, while I don't think my cats would appreciate, I tried it for myself this morning. My legs have been devoured by stray fleas, so I am hoping this will soothe the itches a little... I will keep you posted as to how it works, it could be a useful one to keep if it does!

To obtain the "juice", slice one organic lemon with its peel in very thin slices, put it in a pint of near-boiling water, and let it steep overnight with a lid on. Then sponge the juice onto your skin (or your pet's) and let dry. The d-lemonene, naturally present in the lemon, is what is supposed to help.


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## Nell (Apr 7, 2005)

The diatomaceous earth works by dehydrating the fleas. Boric acid (borax) works the same way but is safer to breath and cheaper.
I've tried the borax method when we had a very mild infestation. It kept them at bay, but didn't get rid of them completely. The only thing that got rid of them completely was resorting to a chemical spray.


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## coaster (Dec 1, 2004)

As I understand it, they ingest it, and the sharp edges cut up their insides, their bodily fluids leak out, and they dehydrate to death. :twisted:


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## Sowilu (Mar 14, 2007)

I will be posting here with you soon Nini, so you are not alone!!!!


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Sowilu said:


> I will be posting here with you soon Nini, so you are not alone!!!!


Haha, great! Just one piece of advice: you may want to take your shower after, not before rubbing that powder everywhere in your home! When we first did it both my husband and I ended up looking like flour-dumplings :lol:


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## Sowilu (Mar 14, 2007)

Nini said:


> Sowilu said:
> 
> 
> > I will be posting here with you soon Nini, so you are not alone!!!!
> ...


OMG!!! Now my problem is we live in a busy household with 6 people, one cat, 4 birds, two fish tanks! Good thing is only 3 1/2 rooms with carpet. Hopefully mom and dad won't mind they probably will appreciate my hard work and all thanks to Kiddles and her little adventures! If she would only stay in the yard an not all over the woods.......


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## Nini (May 6, 2007)

Sowilu said:


> Nini said:
> 
> 
> > Sowilu said:
> ...


Then you want to keep everyone out of the rooms you will work in, you will see, the cloud is pretty impressive, even when you are careful not to sprinkle too much of it (I used a flour sifter). 
The powder won't be harmful to your fish even if it gets in their water, however you should make sure none of your pets or relatives breathe it in, as it can cause irritation and respiratory problems. You can really feel it when you breathe it in, it feels like inhaling baby powder :? 

And theeeen for a good shower! :wink: 

PS: I had to do this with two indoor-only cats... life is unfair to us pet-owners!


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## Sowilu (Mar 14, 2007)

Yes it is!!!!

I will have to probably do the living room first and see if after that my parents sleep in it and we can do their room and then my sis and I will sleep in the living room and I will do my room. Oh man I have work to do and this is supose to be my summer vacation!


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## Mom of 4 (Jul 29, 2006)

If you don't treat all of the areas at once, you increase the possibility of the treatment failing. You could carry a flea or two from an untreated area to the tiled areas (a temporary haven) and later back to the carpet. also, they recommend that the treatment be repeated in three weeks - due to the life cycle of the flea.

I also would suggest asking the vet for Capstar. It kills any fleas currently on the pet, but it is inactive within 8 hours. It needs to be a part of the treatment for it to be effective.

Be sure to turn the AC system for the house before you treat (no matter which method you choose). You don't want the treatment dust to get into the AC system for you to breathe later. And the tiled/wood floor areas need to be vaccuumed (bag disposed of immediately) at this time.
We've only had to treat our house a few times over 30 years. The easiest thing to do was treat and leave for 24 hours. That way I didn't have ot worry about the treatment triggering my asthma. And yes, I take the pets with us to the hotel.


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