Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My cat has fleas...beyond the advantage stuff I'm told it's time to bug bomb. I'm not completely adverse to the idea as there are a lot of spiders that replenish themselves quickly where I live.

I'm thinking the cat may have got fleas from the rats. She likes to sit on top of the rack and look down at them. Anyone have experience fumigating with tons of rats? If the rats do have fleas and I can't fumigate then I'll probably just have the rats deal with it. I can't really replace my colonies right now, and I'm not about to treat each rat with advantage or any of those.

Any thoughts?

Although I am probably not going to be of much help, here is what I say of the matter.

I had a flea problem (from a new kitten) that spread to the dogs and the downstairs area. Luckily my cats were kept in the upstairs bedroom the whole time so they never caught a flea. As far as I knew, the rats didn't seem to have any fleas. But what I did was cleaned the rats cages and then move them to the upstairs spare bedroom that the cats where not in. I bombed all the house except the main bedroom and spare bedroom. After it was safe, I brought the rats down and did use ocassional flea spray in the area, but after a few days, no more fleas. I don't see any fleas on my baby rats either when their fur was just growing in.

When you have fleas (espeically for dogs and cats), just treating them doesn't fix the problem. You also got to make sure you kill all the ones in the area that your pet's had access to. I wish you good luck.

If it were me.....
And it has been and this is what has worked best for me.
I Frontline Plus the cats...if there are tiny kittens involved then use the spray Ovitrol Plus (also from the vet) the Ovitrol Plus is also fine for the rats. You can do each individually or just take out food and water and spritz the cages if you don't think they have them, or don't want to fuss too too much. Then get a kennel/yard/area flea spray designed to inhibit growth or kill eggs or both. Or go on with the Ovitrol Plus as it will kill eggs too and is a bit safer. Spray the carpets, under chairs and anything you can imagine harboring fleas. Your beds and wash the bedding etc. The basement if the cats have access to it....etc. Spray is better than bombs in that it can be directed under stuff and it doesn't coat everything in the house.
If the cats go outside at all I am betting that is the problem. And you are gonna have a dickens of a time getting them under control if they go in and out. (I don't have carpets and I have entirely indoor cats so that helps A LOT)
This is an aweful year for fleas.
The rats won't have fleas unless they are introduced somewhere.
-----
Sonya

I bought this bug bomb:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=1&pCatId=7595

And this medication for the kitty:

http://www.drsfostersmith.com/product/prod_Display.cfm?siteid=1&pCatId=2982

Next time I'm at the feed supply place I'll buy some spray. I don't think the rats have the fleas because I've never seen any on them. But the cat is an indoor only cat, I've walked her a couple times on a lead. But until recently I've never noticed any fleas. However now she definetly has them. Good point on the bug bombs not getting under couches. When I do bomb I'll turn my couches upside down, and the bedding will be in the washer. And of course, the kitty will reside at a buddies place.

Thanks again for the wise words. The plan with the rats is to just play it by ear. If I see fleas, I'll blast them with some spray. But I will hesitate for a very long time before that....don't want anything getting passed to the snakes.

Good luck with it. It is a terrible year for fleas and bugs!
And like you say. Don't feed off any rodents that got treated for a couple weeks at least....maybe after a bath too. Now there is a picture!
-----
Sonya