When it has a host, an adult flea can live about 100 days. But how long can they live without a host? Those fleas typically live only one to two weeks. The entire lifespan of a flea, from egg to adulthood, can last a few weeks or even a few months.
It can take up to 24 hours for fleas on your cat to die, although it might occur much quicker. Fleas typically die faster than ticks, since they are a much less robust parasite. Ticks can take up to 48 hours for treatment to work. Oral flea medications tend to work a bit faster in cats than topical medications.
Unless the infestation is extremely minimal, cats will not get rid of fleas on their own.
Often even after treating with a suitable flea treatment you will still see flea's on your animal. However, this does not mean that the treatment has not worked or that the fleas are immune – the reasons are fairly simple: Fleas are hatching in your home and re-infecting your pet.
The pill nitenpyram (Capstar) kills adult fleas on your cat within 30 minutes. It doesn't have any lasting effects, though. Spinosad (Comfortis) is a fast-acting chewable that starts killing fleas before they lay eggs. It provides a full month of flea protection to help prevent future hatchings.
A study conducted by The Ohio State University demonstrated that up to 96% of adults and all immature stages of fleas can be killed by vacuuming. Vacuuming should be performed on carpeted as well as wooden floors and along with the floorboard twice weekly. This is a spray that contains permethrins and pyriproxyfen.
Sprinkle salt. Much like baking soda, salt works in a similar way. According to Rentokil, if you sprinkle some salt on your carpet, leave for two days and then vacuum up, it will help to get rid of fleas quickly.
Fleas generally cannot live in human hair. While most species prefer to live on the furs of animals, they can use humans as temporary vectors. In such cases, fleas can infest and bite humans. You may get infected if there is a serious case of flea infestation in your environment.
To test whether it came from fleas, place the dirt from combing your cat onto a wet paper towel. If it's flea dirt, a red ring will form around the specks – what you are seeing is digested blood that the fleas leave behind in their droppings after feeding on your cat.
First, treat your cat with a product designed to kill fleas. Bathe your cat or kitten with a specially formulated flea shampoo to kill fleas on contact. Flea sprays can be a good option for water-averse cats. Repeat treatment as needed and recommended on the label.
If your cat has had fleas, although you've already treated them, chances are there are still some eggs, pupae and larvae in their bedding. If you don't want to replace the bedding altogether, run it through a hot wash to kill anything that remains.
You might be asking yourself will fleas eventually go away? While some could last 2 – 3 weeks, they could also live for up to 12 months on the host it finds, so it is unlikely they will go away on their own. Fleas can also reproduce very quickly by laying eggs in carpet, bedding, or garden prolonging the infestation.
How do fleas reach your indoor cat? Almost any living creature or inanimate object can bring a flea into your home. Other pets such as dogs are obvious culprits, but fleas can also jump onto your clothes, shoes and bags and be inadvertently carried indoors that way.
Anemia. If a large number of fleas bite and feed on your cat, your pet can develop anemia, which means your cat is losing too much blood. This is a serious medical condition, especially in kittens and elderly cats, that must be promptly addressed through veterinary care.
Fleas can be brought into your bed from pets or humans and through infested clothing or furniture. They do need a host to survive since they feed on blood, so it's unlikely that fleas can live on your bedding or mattress for more than a week or two without an animal present.
It can take up to 3 months to break a total flea life cycle by using monthly flea treatments. For indoor flea control, vacuuming all floors, carpets, baseboards, pet bedding and furniture will help remove adult fleas and eggs.
Fleas often gather at the neck and shoulder blades of your pets. The base of the tail and along the back of the legs is a favorite hangout for them, too. Those are also places animals will bite to get to the fleas.
If you only treat one pet, any others will be bringing in fleas that then go on to lay eggs and infest the home. This is especially common in cats due to their inquisitive nature. They can explore heavily infested areas before coming home and grooming most of the fleas off before you notice them.
The first thing you may be wondering is, “Can fleas live in cat litter?” Unfortunately, the answer is yes; fleas thrive in humid environments like your cat's litter box. The good news is, a flea family won't just decide to set up shop in the litter box.
These insidious hitchhikers can feed within minutes of finding a host and can breed within 24 hours, laying up to 50 eggs a day in your home and yard. So, yes, one flea can—and often does—become a problem. Flea eggs usually fall off your pet and land anywhere your pet spends time: carpets, furniture and in bedding.
If you're looking for an easy way to protect your pet, you may be wondering, "Do flea collars work on dogs and cats?" The answer is yes. When used according to label directions, flea collars can protect your pet from itchy, annoying flea bites.
Flea collars are an effective way to keep control of any cat flea issues; however, alternative methods also exist, such as ultrasonic flea repellents. Cat Flea Collars are one of the most effective ways you can keep control of any potential flea issues your pet cat may come across.
Even if you do treat the environment but only use treatments on your pets intermittently, you won't be able to eradicate the fleas, as they will be able to feed and lay eggs, some of which will survive and go on to develop into a new generation of adults.