Where Do Fleas Hide 7 Common Flea Hiding Spots
Although fleas larvae are hatched blind, they quickly detect the fleas fecal and organic matter, which acts as the flea larvaes food. To efficiently control fleas, you will need to know where they live and hide. The fleas saliva inhibits immediate detection by the host.
Quick flea tip: Herere the common types of fleas: Human flea Feline flea Canine flea. Related: Check the best drain cleaners.
Fleas Can Hide In Your Home
Fleas like hiding in crevices. Their populations are more numerous in places where they can feed and reproduce undisturbed . They also inhabit upholstery, furniture, and other common household furnishings, especially where they can stay warm. Simply put, you can find fleas almost anywhere. And just because you can’t see the fleas, doesn’t mean they aren’t already there. Fleas can be a problem all year round, whether it’s winter or summer.
Continue Flea And Tick Preventative
Continuing flea and tick prevention on your indoor/outdoor cat serves two purposes at this point.
Keeping your cat on preventative medication will keep any new fleas from finding a home on your cat or in your home.
Secondly, having your cat on preventative makes her a mobile flea-killing station in your home. If you missed any fleas, theyll die when they hop on to your cat to have a blood meal.
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What Are The Signs Of Fleas In The Bed
You should have cause to worry when your pets start scratching at themselves excessively, jumping erratically and being generally nervous. These are usually signs that all is not well.
Your pets will provide the first clue to signs of fleas in the house. So, if youre observant and careful enough, you may find flea dirt in your bedding, especially if it is light-colored. Flea dirt is the feces of these fleas, mixed with blood and usually appearing reddish-brown in color.
Frequently check for small, dark, oval-shaped spots on your bedding. They can provide indications of a flea infestation.
How To Prevent Fleas In Your Home
Have you ever been relaxing in your home and noticed your cat or dog scratching more than usual? This might mean they have fleas. Once fleas have taken hold, they can be hard to get rid of. Successful flea prevention in your home starts by getting rid of the fleas already there and then preventing them from coming back. Here’s what you can do to prevent fleas from getting in and gaining a foothold.
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Why Is Dawn Dish Soap Not Good Enough On Its Own
You may be wondering why many people use a dedicated flea treatment instead of just Dawn dish soap, right?
Dawn dish soap is good for a short-term solution to get rid of fleas that you can see. But it does not prevent fleas from coming back into your home. And, it does not kill the eggs and larvae that are produced in the flea cycle.
So, now you know why Dawn dish soap is not good enough on its own and why other solutions are often used.
Where Fleas Live In Yard
Fleas originate from wildlife and hide in the protected and shady outdoors spaces particularly under leaf and grass piles leaving flea eggs and flea larvae. Adult fleas will jump onto humans and pets to get into the indoor spaces.
Do fleas live in the grass? The bugs will hide and live in tall grass or some wood piles in your yard. So, ensure you flea treat the yard using the spray.
So, youll mainly find fleas hiding in the dark, moist, and humid areas of the yard as they suck human blood or eat other organic waste.
These yard areas will include moist regions, outdoor furniture , garage or shed, food debris, woodpiles, weeds effective weed killers and shrubs, and tall grass.
The regular cat and dog fleas prefer pets since theyll hide in their furry coat. Compared to pets, human bodies are hairless, and hence fleas wont attach and hide quickly.
Regardless of a massive flea infestation in the home, its possible to avoid flea bites by controlling or killing adults, pupae, larvae, and flea eggs.
Flea may live on the pets body for days since they provide a suitable blood meal. But fleas will bite the humans lower extremities, particularly the ankles and ankles bites may lead to allergies.
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To Remove Fleas From Your Pet
- Talk to a veterinarian about the safest and most effective method for flea removal.
- Use a flea comb when grooming your pet.
- Leave soap on your pet for at least 5 or 10 minutes when giving them a bath.
- Use a veterinarian prescribed flea medication that kills fleas.
- Follow the instructions very closely for over-the-counter flea products.
- Protect your pet by avoiding the application of flea removal in their eyes, nose, and mouth.
- Use gloves and other protective gear on yourself when applying flea removal products.
Where Do Fleas Come From In The First Place
First fleas
The first fleas can originate from the environment or from another infected animal . These small parasites can spread among cats, dogs, and other pets as they settle in the home. Outdoors, adult fleas stay near long grasses, bushes, or other shelters while waiting for the host to pass by.
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To Remove Fleas Inside Or Outside Your Home
- Wash pet beds and other fabric toys or mats in hot water.
- Vacuum thoroughly and remove the vacuumed debris to a plastic bag, seal it, and dispose of it outside immediately.
- Apply insecticides to baseboards, but make sure they are not harmful to pets.
- Clean all upholstery often.
- Close up holes where wild animals may get into or near your house.
- Remove debris surrounding your house.
You can avoid a flea infestation in your home in several ways, including:
- checking your pet regularly for fleas
- cleaning your pets sleeping areas
- preventing your pet from entering spaces likely to have fleas from other animals, like crawl spaces or barns
Dos And Don’ts For Effectively Killing Fleas On Cats And Kittens
Do’s
- Start early before the infestation gets worse. This will make elimination of the problem easier and faster.
- Clean the walls and floors of your house daily. Water your yard frequently and mow the lawn regularly. A tidy and neat environment will minimize infestations.
- Bathe and comb your cats regularly. Check for fleas after their bath.
- Sprinkle diatomaceous earth around the yard and in areas where your cats prefer to spend their time.
- Launder your fabrics with hot water and use borax powder for regular cleaning.
- Use only natural methods of flea elimination.
- Consult with your veterinary doctor.
Dont’s
- Never use topical flea treatments that are meant for use on dogs.
- Do not apply topical flea treatments on cats that are pregnant.
- Do not use citrus and essential oil sprays excessively.
- Avoid pennyroyal oil flea treatments.
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Third Prevent Fleas From Coming Back
Now that youve done the first two steps above Cleaning and Exterminating, its time to ensure the fleas dont come back for a LONG time. Or ever, if you can help it!
Weve had the best luck preventing future infestations in two ways:
First, it goes without saying that if you have animals indoors, you need to treat your pets to truly get rid of the fleas in the house and prevent them from rebounding back.
Topical Remedies
Now, our vet told us about a shot he could give our cat. This shot essentially makes any flea that bites him sterile. Over the course of many months, the fleas die out simply because they cant reproduce.
But is this shot necessary?
99% of the time it isnt. Thats where topical formulas come in.
Youre probably familiar with these the kind you squeeze directly onto the skin of your pets upper back.
These squeeze-on treatments really do work well. Apply monthly, and youll prevent fleas from coming back.
They start working quickly and are effective 24/7, including when your dog or cat gets wet.
Best of all they kill any flea that tries to move in on your loving pet! Bye-bye fleas.
For cats, Bayers Advantage II has a very long history success. This is a product you can trust will work for felines because of its long track record see links above.
Collars As a Great Defense
Being proactive and preventing fleas is always the best plan!
The Dangers Of Flea And Tick Product Ingredients
You can find many brands of flea and tick products at your local store.
Before you use any of these products, it is crucial to read labels and consult with your veterinarian. These products may contain ingredients that are harmful to both pets and people.
The Center for Public Integrity released information on its website in 2008.
There were at least 1,600 pet deaths related to spot-on treatments with pyrethroids over the last five years. Some flea and tick products contain chemicals that are likely to be carcinogenic to humans.
Pyrethroid spot-on also account for more than half of major pesticide pet reactions reported to the EPA over the last five years.
Besides pyrethroid-based products, other questionable ingredients are organophosphate insecticides and carbamates. According to the NRDC, some studies show that these substances can harm the nervous system.
I have spoken of how to get rid of fleas on cats and ways to rid your home and outdoor property of the pests.
Most of the natural remedies were not a natural flea killer for cats but rather worked to repel the fleas from them.
The benefit of using natural remedies is that you won’t jeopardize the health of either you or your pets with the use of toxic substances.
This is especially true if you have small children around the house who are still growing and developing. Some of the commercial flea and tick treatments contain substances that could harm your children.
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Myth #: Can Fleas Live On Furniture
Fleas usually enter the house on pets, as stated above, but they can quickly find refuge in the house. Carpets, bedding, pet beds, and upholstered furniture make cozy homes for fleas, flea eggs, and flea larvae. If you find fleas in the house, you must take quick action to eliminate them there . Natural flea killer powders, like calcium carbonate, can help.
“Carpets, bedding, pet beds, and upholstered furniture make cozy homes for fleas, flea eggs, and flea larvae”
How Can I Tell If My Cat Has Fleas
The most common flea that feeds off cats, dogs, and humans is the Ctenocephalides felis. If you observe your cat scratching and aren’t sure if fleas are the cause, you can certainly try to use a flea comb on your cat and observe if tiny black dots are present. These black specks are commonly called “flea dirt,” but in reality, it is the excrement the flea leaves.
If you do not see them, it does not mean that they are not there as fleas can be present in small numbers where the flea or flea dirt are simply not visualized. Fleas are very good at hiding on cats. In other cases, the trained eye of a veterinarian may be needed to find these tiny black dots that emerge on the comb. If you find the black specks, smash some with a damp paper towel, and the flea dirt will turn a rust color or red. The red color is residue from your cat’s blood and a warning that cat flea control is necessary.
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Repeat Cleaning And Treatment
If you happen to still find evidence of fleas in your house, dont hesitate to repeat step one above with the cleaning process while you wait for the treatments to do their thing.
If its early in the year, usually the first pass of a bottle like Vets Best will take care of the problem if you dont see too many fleas.
But if youve quickly become taken over by huge colony of fleas its time to get serious:
Clean your house as described, then treat the indoors, your pets and the yard with the products suggested.
Then, get ahead of the fleas by treating around the exterior of your house, and of course your pets.
Following this information is the home-run solution for how to get rid of fleas for good.
Symptoms & Signs Of Fleas In Cats
The most obvious symptom of fleas in cats is scratching and itching more than usual. If you notice your cat suddenly scratching much more, as if theyre in pain or highly irritated, try using a flea comb to look for signs of fleas.
Adult fleas are visible to the naked eye, but theyre fast and can easily hide in your cats fur. They are usually brown or reddish brown in color and have six legs.
Because fleas are so small and quick, you may be able to spot what is known as flea dirt more easily. Flea dirt is the feces of fleas. It may look like tiny grains of pepper or flecks of dirt.
You can find it fairly easily on cats with light colored fur, but it may be more difficult to spot against dark fur. To confirm that its flea dirt and not ordinary dirt, you can run a comb through your cats coat, which should pull some of the dirt off and possibly some adult fleas, as well.
Place the residue on a wet paper towel. Flea dirt will appear to have a rust color as it dissolves because it contains traces of blood, while regular dirt will be black or dark brown.
Flea bites appear, like other insect bites, as small, red lesions. The most common places that flea bites appear are on the groin, hind legs, and the back between the ribs and the tail.
Beyond the irritation that comes from being bitten by fleas, if the infestation is left untreated, some other conditions might also arise. Common secondary conditions caused by fleas include:
- Tapeworms
- Mycoplasma Haemofelis
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How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas
Felines consistently act mystifyingly, and here and there we cant be certain whats at the forefront of her thoughts. They groom themselves continually and pursue imperceptible things out of the blue. So how to tell that if your cat has fleas and thats whats making her do such peculiar things?
And if thats the case then you better pick up the pace since flea infestation is dreadful and whenever left untreated can pose some serious health problems to your feline and sometimes, it can end up being deadly.
That is the exact opposite thing youd need, so right away, how about we begin. Heres the manner by which you can tell if your feline has fleas.
Fleas Cause Harm To Your Pet
TAPEWORMS: Pets are very good at killing their own fleas initially, by scratching them or eating them. Some fleas carry parasites of their own. Tapeworms are transmitted to your dog or cat through fleas. Tapeworms are ugly, white, rice like segments that you may see in your pets feces or hanging out on the hair of their rear ends.
FLEA ALLERGY DERMATITIS: Its the saliva of the flea your pet is allergic to. If your pet is not allergic, they wont scratch and can be loaded with fleas. However, if your pet is severely allergic, ONE FLEA can cause severe misery, incessant scratching, hot spots, skin rash/infection, scabs and hair loss. Cats may develop little tiny scabs all over their body.
ANEMIA: Fleas are mini BLOOD SUCKERS causing blood loss. A large enough infestation can cause weakness and sometimes death in puppies, kittens and even small dogs and cats.
INFECTIOUS DISEASES: Hemobartonella and Cytauxzoan are nasty transmissible parasites that can be fatal! Ever heard of Bubonic plague? Fleas were responsible and there have been some recent outbreaks!
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Where Do Fleas Hide 5 Most Common Flea Hiding Spots
Where do fleas hide? Good question. Theres nothing more satisfying than hunting these bloodsuckers down and destroying them.
After all, nobody likes a parasite. Sucking blood for a living tends not to make you any friends. And even the sparkly dreamboat vampires of a few years back seem to have had their cultural moment and faded back into the shadows from whence they came.
But the bloodsuckers are still with us. Except they are less likely to be a pale Eastern European aristocrat with a questionable taste in capes, and more likely to be some kind of insect.
Among the perennially unpopular family of blood feeding insects, the flea is one of the most notorious.
Anyone who suffered through the itchy bites caused by a flea infestation knows that these tiny creatures are no joke. And the nuisance they create is completely out of proportion with their size.
Fleas are absolutely tiny. So tiny that, while they can be seen with the naked eye, they are extremely difficult to spot. And what makes them even more difficult to find is that they love to hide.
A modern home provides almost unlimited places for a flea to hide. When youre talking about an insect that, even fully grown, never gets bigger than 1/8 of an inch long, its not hard to see how easy it is for fleas to escape your attention.
But you have one great advantage in your game of hide and go seek with the fleas. Its that big, beautiful human brain of yours.