Help! It might be fleas?

[kjs1976]

My brother thinks he may have fleas in his townhouse. He has a cat, but it is strictly indoors. Two weeks ago our cousins came for a visit and stayed at his house. The morning before they came, he woke up with itchy bites around his ankles and feet. He chalked it up to being at an outdoor party the night before and being bitten up by something because my other brother, who was also at the party, had some too. Then my cousins came and said they both woke up with what they thought were spider bites or something. The ankle biters woke him up last night at 3AM so he got up and washed all his bedding and slept down stairs on the couch. He only is bothered, as was one cousin, when they slept in his bed or the guest bed. When he slept/sleeps on the couch, he isn't affected. The cat seems unaffected...no scratching, acting normal. Does this seem like fleas????

If it is, what are the best treatments for clothing, bedding, furniture, etc.?

He and our cousins came over for b-fast on the last morning they were here. Do I need to do anything to my house? Have they possibly cross-contaminated it? I have an indoors only cat as well! Thanks for any insight!

 

[kjs1976]

I should add he did do a thorough search for bed bugs as well. He went home today and really inspected everything on both beds and saw no evidence of bed bugs or fleas. Accornding to what he's reserached, he should see evidence of both. He even sifted through his vaccum contents outside when he was done vacuuming again! Now he's wondering if he didn't just get bit up outside and they started to bother him a few hours later??? My cousins were outside the afternoon before they claim they got bit so could it be just bug/gnat bites? Such a mystery!

 

[worm761]

I don't know if it is fleas or not but a quick, easy and cheap way to get rid or or treat for them.... Buy some Borax laundry booster. It is in the laundry soap aisle at Walmart and costs less than three dollars. Sprinkle some on the affected area, carpet...stomp it in the carpet or pat it into the mattress. Let it sit for about thirty minutes then vacuum it up. It kills any eggs that might be there and kills the adults too.

 

[HeatherH]

Fleas can be transported into a house on clothing and shoes. Having an indoor only cat doesn't prevent fleas...I have two of them and have to flea treat them monthly; one of them had a HORRIBLE case a while back (I had no idea it was fleas, just thought it was itchy skin...stupid me).

He should check the cat for "flea dirt"...little black specks at the base of the spine. That is actually flea...poop (ick, I know). If he sees that then he knows for sure it's fleas.

The vet can give him Frontline or Advantage for cats. By treating the cats we completely got rid of our flea problem as well.