If you are reading this post, then there is a good chance you are struggling to get rid of fleas. Each year you try a “new” anti-flea product on your cat or home and the pests go away for a while before coming back with a vengeance.
Where are you going wrong? The following top 7 reasons fleas keep coming back on you cat and your home.
Because You Only Take Action After Spotting a Flea
Flea prevention should be a yearlong endeavor. There is no once-and-for-all solution when it comes to fleas. You can use yard sprays, apply carpet powers, and buy cat flea pills online, but no matter what you do there is no permanent solution. To be safe you need to keep on treating your home, yard, and pet even when there is no visible flea infestation.
This is mainly because fleas are hard to spot and if visual monitoring is all you are going by you are a few steps behind the fleas. For every flea you spot on your cat’s fur there are literally hundreds that you cannot see. That means they are already in your carpet and in your home, at which point getting rid of them becomes a serious challenge.
They Never Leave
Fleas are highly mobile creatures and they can migrate to other locations for their survival. Fleas often escape to carpets, yards, sofas, and other areas of the home.
In military terms, consider your cat’s body as the main headquarters, but there are also these foreign bases such as carpets, area rugs, yards, sofas, curtains, and bushy areas. That means when you invade the headquarters with a cat flea spray it does nothing to eradicate the flea populations in the foreign bases. When the effect of the medication wears off, fleas from these foreign bases simply migrate back to the headquarters, your cat’s body, and starts repopulating.
This means the best way to tackle a serious flea infestation is by launching a multi-pronged attack. Treat your home and yard along with administering flea medication to you cat.
Not Being Regular with the Monthly Spot-On Treatments
Most monthly spot-on treatments are good for, you guessed it, 30 days. While they are a recurring cost, it’s vital that you administer a dose every single month.
Make sure to speak to a vet about recommended flea control products and pills for cats and never miss a date.
Trusting Untested “Herbal Remedies”
Probably the most common reason why most cat parents struggle with flea treatment is trusting home remedies. While some home remedies can deliver results, others are a complete waste of time. There are also too many variables when trying to apply a home remedy. Things can go wrong and the dose can be rendered ineffective. Some home remedies and medicines are also dangerous. For example, many old blog posts advocate the use of tea tree without mentioning that it’s actually toxic to cats. There is also no accountability. If a home remedy doesn’t work, you cannot call up anyone to register a complaint.
Questions that often remain unanswered when applying a home remedy.
- How much should I use?
- How often should I apply the remedy?
- Does it kill all adult fleas and eggs?
- What are the side effects of the treatment?
Stay clear of home remedies unless it comes recommended by the vet.
Because Your Cat is Social
If your cat is like most cats, it likes to roam the neighborhood or at least mingle with the neighborhood cats. There is a high chance your cat comes in close contact with other cats with fleas.
This means that even a temporary gap in flea treatment can open the door for a fresh flea infestation.
Neglecting the Yard
Yard sprays and diatomaceous earth works really well in killing fleas and ticks. They usually do not need to be administered every single month. When spraying or administering diatomaceous earth, make sure to focus on the areas where your pet frequents.Favorite resting spots, play areas, and others.
Not Protecting Your Home from Stray or Wild Animals
If your house cat is not allowed to venture outside your property, you can still get fleas from outside. Everything from racoons to rodents can be carriers of fleas and other parasites. While they are foraging for food, fleas enter your yard, then your home, and finally invade your pet’s body.
Install chicken wire and additional fencing to make your home inaccessible to wild and stray animals. Annual pest control to kill rodents in your property is also a good idea.