AimeeM Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 The fleas were gone.  Yipee!  They're back.  The dogs have had their regular treatments, been given emergency "kill them now" doses; they have been professionally groomed and our GSD incurred several hundred dollars worth of treatment due to an infection from the fleas. We have had our pest control guys out several times and they have sprayed down the entirety of the inside of the house -- and the yards. Our yards are regularly taken care of by a private landscaping dude (who has done our lawns for almost 10 years now).  I vacuum several times a day. The house is over 4000 square feet. My back is killing me.   We know WHY the fleas are back, but I feel powerless to fix the situation. The neighbors' cats. Literally, just yesterday, I saw one of them in our front yard -- scratching their fleas. The vet warned us that cats were probably bringing them into the yard and that if we didn't fix that issue, we were fighting a losing battle. We aren't allowed to have fences in our front yards, as per the very strict HOA for our subdivision -- and the cats can easily scale the fence in the backyard.  But, seriously, what the heck can I do about it?! The neighbors' cats are terrorizing far more than just us (several others in the subdivision have complained), too, but it isn't illegal. The cats are constantly in our yards and I can't even leave our front door open long enough to bring in groceries from the car because the cats stalk our bushes and will run into our house!  I know the neighbors love their cats, but this is getting ridiculous. If you call animal control, there is only one recourse -- they have a "cat diversion" program. If I call them, they will bring me humane cat traps -- and then, when the cat steps into it, it traps them, I bring the cat into their office, etc.   I don't need to say how much animosity this could, potentially, create between us and the neighbors with cats. At this point, I'm trying to weigh my options. My 15 year old Italian Greyhound is crawling with them again -- we can't dip her again and she absolutely cannot have any more medication than she's had; our very energetic three year old German Shepherd is so full of pent up energy that he's just bounced on top of a sick (laying on the couch) DD16 and scratched her across her face (trying to play), because he can't play outside really at all. The problem is that they have to outside to use the bathroom, so they're bringing the fleas back in -- and obviously people walk across our yards and into our house. The kids haven't been allowed to play in the backyard in months.  I'm at my wit's end. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hjffkj Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Have you talked to your neighbors about the situation? If they love their cats so much their cats would be properly treated for the fleas and the issue would be gone after a little while. If you've tried to talk to the neighbors and nothing has happened I personally would have no problem trapping them and bringing them to animal control. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Monica_in_Switzerland Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Have you talked to your neighbors about the situation? If they love their cats so much their cats would be properly treated for the fleas and the issue would be gone after a little while. If you've tried to talk to the neighbors and nothing has happened I personally would have no problem trapping them and bringing them to animal control. I totally agree. Talk first, if it doesnĂ¢â‚¬â„¢t work, trap. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 Have you talked to your neighbors about the situation? If they love their cats so much their cats would be properly treated for the fleas and the issue would be gone after a little while. If you've tried to talk to the neighbors and nothing has happened I personally would have no problem trapping them and bringing them to animal control.  Only one set of neighbors. They are directly next door. In fact, we've physically taken the cats back to them. The other cats appear to be pets, but I'm not sure who they belong to. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EKS Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 How about next time they come in your yard, you give them a dose of Advantage? And then keep doing it at regular intervals. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 Probably an unpopular answer, but I suggest putting in a bigger backyard fence. Sure the cats will be able to scale it eventually, but they will be in the packyard less often, which will at least decrease exposure.  I think humane traps in your own yard are certainly another option, but of course if you do that, you will probably have to deal with IRKED OFF neighbors, which will make things more frustrating.  One option might be to talk to the neighbors about how you are going to treat your yard. Like...."hey, we have a super huge flea problem. As a result we are going to send our dogs to our family's homes for several weeks and totally poison our yard in an attempt to kill the fleas. We know your cats love our yard so we wanted to warn you ahead of time because I would hate for something to happen to your precious fluffy. Exterminator said it will be probably a month before our dogs could come back so I hope fluffy can be safe in that time."  We already have the max height in the backyard, as allowed per the HOA -- six feet.  And they would call my bluff. They live right next door and I'm not sending sending my dogs away for a month (and couldn't, even if I were willing -- we have no family anywhere near the area). The subdivision sidewalks run in front of the yards, so we can't actually use something that lethal on the yards -- because it's perfectly legal and fine for residents to walk their animals (on leashes) on the sidewalks, and I wouldn't want a dog or cat to be poisoned because of a one time "dog peed on your tree" incident. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Are you *sure* that the cats have fleas? As in, you've seen the fleas on them? They could be scratching for other reasons. Â But, if you have seen fleas on the cats, talking to the neighbors would be my next step. Find out if they are treating the cats, and explain how bad the problem is. Â Next step, ugh. Maybe the traps. But I'd want to be really sure the cats were at fault first. What about all the local squirrels, mice, raccoons and such? Here they often support the flea population. If it *is* the cats, how can the neighbors stand to be in their own house, kwim? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 How about next time they come in your yard, you give them a dose of Advantage? And then keep doing it at regular intervals. Actually, yes, this. We did this for a while with a neighbor's cat which was always in our yard. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 16, 2017 Author Share Posted November 16, 2017 (edited) Are you *sure* that the cats have fleas? As in, you've seen the fleas on them? They could be scratching for other reasons. Â But, if you have seen fleas on the cats, talking to the neighbors would be my next step. Find out if they are treating the cats, and explain how bad the problem is. Â Next step, ugh. Maybe the traps. But I'd want to be really sure the cats were at fault first. What about all the local squirrels, mice, raccoons and such? Here they often support the flea population. If it *is* the cats, how can the neighbors stand to be in their own house, kwim? Â The vet and pest control guys are from the area and have said that the usual culprits (in our area; both are local to our immediate area) are outdoor pet cats or feral cats -- but, really, even if weren't causing the flea issue, it's still getting out of control -- they hide on our car hoods and under our cars; they hide in our bushes and run into houses; they hide next to garages and then sneak into garages, and use the flower beds and mulch for kitty litter (as per a few neighbors who contacted me after I made my first complaint). It's becoming a major problem for those of us with cat allergies in the house. Edited November 16, 2017 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stephanier.1765 Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 (edited) For your back fence, you could try these. https://www.amazon.com/Prickle-Strip-Fence-Topper-One/dp/B00B33XP1O/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1510866481&sr=8-5&keywords=cat+fence+topper  It sure doesn't look very nice but hopefully they'd only jump on it once. You could try bird spikes as well.  ETA: If your HOA doesn't like either option, ask them how they like fleas terrorizing the neighborhood.  The only way to ensure the neighbors cats keep out of your yard is to have your own outdoor cat. I'm truly not advocating this but when we did have an outdoor cat the other cats stayed out of his territory. Edited November 16, 2017 by slr1765 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Innisfree Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 The vet and pest control guys are from the area and have said that the usual culprits (in our area; both are local to our immediate area) are outdoor pet cats or feral cats -- but, really, even if weren't causing the flea issue, it's still getting out of control -- they hide on our car hoods and under our cars; they hide in our bushes and run into houses; they hide next to garages and then sneak into garages, and use the flower beds and mulch for kitty litter (as per a few neighbors who contacted me after I made my first complaint). It's becoming a major problem for those of us with cat allergies in the house. That's so hard to deal with. You have my sympathy. Can you tell the neighbor the cat's getting under and around the car and is not safe? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 16, 2017 Share Posted November 16, 2017 Have you tried putting orange peels around the bushes?  Cats aren't supposed to like the smell of citrus...   Have you ever tried using nematodes in your yard? I've heard that a solution with nematodes sprayed outside will kill fleas but I've never tried it.  (Our local hardware store advertises/sells this during the summer.)  Good luck. What you've been dealing with sounds horrible! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tap Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 What are your HOA rules on loose pets? That is where I would start if you think it is coming from the visiting pets. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lllll Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 How about next time they come in your yard, you give them a dose of Advantage? And then keep doing it at regular intervals.  This is what I would try.  If that didn't work, I might set the traps where no neighbors could see them and trap cats, slowly, one at a time, and haul them off - to - somewhere. The only problem with this plan might be that the neighbor replaces the old cats with new cats.  The situation does sound miserable. :grouphug:   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Wait, your pets are on a monthly preventative and yet "crawling" with fleas? How many fleas are you seeing? Even with repeated exposure you shouldn't see that many...yes they will jump on the pet but should then quickly die.  Do not bathe while using topical flea products any more than you have to....it does lessen efficacy. 9 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) If your HOA and your town don't have rules about roaming cats, call your local health department and see if there is anything they can do. Fleas can carry disease. In our area, at least, that is a health department issue. Edited November 17, 2017 by Catwoman 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Catwoman Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 This is what I would try. Â If that didn't work, I might set the traps where no neighbors could see them and trap cats, slowly, one at a time, and haul them off - to - somewhere. The only problem with this plan might be that the neighbor replaces the old cats with new cats. Â The situation does sound miserable. :grouphug: I wouldn't haul the cats away. That's punishing innocent animals for their owners' irresponsible behavior. I'm sure the cats aren't happy about having fleas. Fleas make cats miserable. Â I think the owners need to be held responsible for properly caring for their pets. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I too find it strange that you've got fleas all over the dogs when your yard is treated and your dogs are on a preventative and you've just got some cats coming over into the yard.  That said, the rest of the cat issues would make me a bit batty. I'd let the neighbors know the problems, and if they aren't resolved, I'd find a way to dissuade the cats from your yard, either by trapping and taking to the humane society (where, after a few pickups, they may start charging the owners a fee to recover), or by some other NO CATS HERE method. Do they really come into your yard even if your dogs are out?  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shellydon Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 If your animals are getting monthly flea medication and they are having fleas, then you need to switch medications. It is highly unlikely that a couple of outdoor house cats would cause a massive house wide flea infestation. Call your neighbors and ask if they are having trouble with fleas. If they say no, then ask what flea preventive they use. If they say they do not use one, catch one of their cats when it is in your yard and see if there are fleas on it. We treat our cats and dogs monthly. We have abundant wildlife including racoons and possums. Our cats get fleas when they go outside, but the fleas die within a few minutes. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) Can you get a really smelly flea spray and douse the cats whenever you see them? Do you live where it gets cold? Winter may give you a break from this. Have you talked to the neighbors at all about the flea situation and what youĂ¢â‚¬â„¢ve done to get rid of them. They must be infested!  ETA: we had our only fleas this year in 20 years of pet ownership. I think it must be just a bad year in my area. If local deer, squirrels, and raccoons are carriers, you can only blame neighborhood pets so much. Edited November 17, 2017 by KungFuPanda Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) Wait, your pets are on a monthly preventative and yet "crawling" with fleas? How many fleas are you seeing? Even with repeated exposure you shouldn't see that many...yes they will jump on the pet but should then quickly die.  Do not bathe while using topical flea products any more than you have to....it does lessen efficacy. They seem to die quickly, but don't they have to bite the dogs in order to die? And I'm not sure how many I'm seeing... I really, really hate bugs, so five or six seems like a lot to me, but may not to someone else, lol.  They seem to be contained to just the dogs at this point, and the yard. I'm not sure what is going with the yard, except that there is repeated exposure -- and the vet said we needed a "good frost"? The only thing that makes sense to me is that it isn't just my yard -- not all of the yards in the neighborhood are fenced (they aren't required to be), and I know that several others are having similar problems (and live somewhat close), so what would make the most sense is if even one in that batch isn't doing anything about the flea problem, couldn't it lend to transferring the fleas to the other yards? Edited November 17, 2017 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) Can you get a really smelly flea spray and douse the cats whenever you see them? Do you live where it gets cold? Winter may give you a break from this. Have you talked to the neighbors at all about the flea situation and what youĂ¢â‚¬â„¢ve done to get rid of them. They must be infested!  ETA: we had our only fleas this year in 20 years of pet ownership. I think it must be just a bad year in my area. If local deer, squirrels, and raccoons are carriers, you can only blame neighborhood pets so much.  This is our first year with fleas, too.  I live in the south. Eventually it will get cold, but it never really stays below 35 or so for the entirety of a day (maybe at night it will dip, but by mid-day it's usually back up in the 40's, even during the winter).  They only really seem to be on the dogs after they go outside in the yard -- but I was/am under the impression that the fleas have to bite the dogs in order to die, and the dogs have to go out pretty frequently, especially the GSD who really needs the exercise.  I'm not 100% that it's the pet cats -- and definitely not solely. We know there are also feral cats and animals in the area.  I'm sick of the cats stalking my yard in way that goes beyond the fleas. We've had problems with this (as have a few other neighbors) for a couple years now (cats stalking the yard, coming into the house, jumping off our cars and from under our cars, pottying in flower beds, etc.), but the fleas are new as of this summer. Edited November 17, 2017 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Oh, the south does make it more difficult. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 If your animals are getting monthly flea medication and they are having fleas, then you need to switch medications. It is highly unlikely that a couple of outdoor house cats would cause a massive house wide flea infestation. Call your neighbors and ask if they are having trouble with fleas. If they say no, then ask what flea preventive they use. If they say they do not use one, catch one of their cats when it is in your yard and see if there are fleas on it. We treat our cats and dogs monthly. We have abundant wildlife including racoons and possums. Our cats get fleas when they go outside, but the fleas die within a few minutes. I don't know that it's back to house-wide. I know that I've kept up the cleaning on the main floor of the house (the only floor the dogs are allowed on; they aren't allowed upstairs in the kids' bedrooms) and I know that I've seen them back on the dogs. It's possible that they are dying shortly after transferring to the dogs, but I'm still more than a little annoyed that the fleas are in the yard.  Is it possible that landscaping is undoing or interfering with the yard sprays for the fleas? The yard sprays (for the fleas) are done by the pest control company; the landscaping is done by a different person entirely; then there is a third company that comes out and sprays the lawns for weeds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 I too find it strange that you've got fleas all over the dogs when your yard is treated and your dogs are on a preventative and you've just got some cats coming over into the yard.  That said, the rest of the cat issues would make me a bit batty. I'd let the neighbors know the problems, and if they aren't resolved, I'd find a way to dissuade the cats from your yard, either by trapping and taking to the humane society (where, after a few pickups, they may start charging the owners a fee to recover), or by some other NO CATS HERE method. Do they really come into your yard even if your dogs are out?   Well, the dogs aren't out for long periods of time. Ironically, the neighbors (who have no problem letting their cats roam) will usually complain about dogs barking :P  And only the 10 lb, elderly, Italian Greyhound is ever in the front yard (never alone). It isn't fenced. She isn't very intimidating, lol -- even to cats :P Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Ugh, that is irritating. The thing that would irk me the most, honestly, besides the vacuuming (which I would point blank refuse to do - there has to be a better way, that is a massive waste of time!) would be the kids not being able to play in the fenced yard.  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Ugh, that is irritating. The thing that would irk me the most, honestly, besides the vacuuming (which I would point blank refuse to do - there has to be a better way, that is a massive waste of time!) would be the kids not being able to play in the fenced yard.   I almost mentioned that the kids couldn't play in the yard... but I thought it would sound silly on my part. I'm so glad someone else was thinking it, too! They haven't been able to play in the yard since the middle of summer.  The pest control company can only spray the house so often (it takes them about an hour and we have to leave the house for a couple hours every time they do) and told me that vacuuming was the very best way to prevent the fleas from taking over the house again, since the fleas are being tracked in from outdoors by either the dogs or humans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ausmumof3 Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I wonder if your flea product is not working correctly? Normally even if they picked up fleas they should die straight away right? That's what happens with ours. Maybe you need a different dosage or product. I don't know if there's resistance issues. Â For the cats maybe you need a sensor operated sprinkler system for a while? I'd also be tempted to treat them myself though I don't know how ethical that is plus it's expensive. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 I'd rip out all my carpet, install hardwoods, and take on a zillion dollar loan that I would be paying on until I died before I did that much vacuuming.  Have I said how much I dislike large-scale vacuuming? Carpet shampooing I enjoy, occasional vacuuming I enjoy, but 4000 square feet, no.  You have more endurance than me with the vacuuming obviously :)  Ooh, a sensor operated sprinkler is a good idea. Especially since your kids don't go out anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) I'd rip out all my carpet, install hardwoods, and take on a zillion dollar loan that I would be paying on until I died before I did that much vacuuming.  Have I said how much I dislike large-scale vacuuming? Carpet shampooing I enjoy, occasional vacuuming I enjoy, but 4000 square feet, no.  You have more endurance than me with the vacuuming obviously :)  Ooh, a sensor operated sprinkler is a good idea. Especially since your kids don't go out anyway.  There is only carpet upstairs -- which is why the dogs aren't allowed upstairs, lol. During the summer, they did get tracked up there and it was AWFUL.  I don't actually mind vacuuming the hardwoods on the main floor. DH got me a nifty new vacuum with different levels of "pull," so it isn't as painful to do the hardwoods frequently. My back eventually aches, but not like this past summer. Now, upstairs we have not only carpeting, but extra padding and plush carpeting, due to a particular special needs kiddo of ours who likes to bounce himself off furniture and rub his head on floors :p  I love the idea of a sensor sprinkler system. Any idea how that would effect legitimate dog walkers, though? The sidewalks run through the fronts of the yards. Edited November 17, 2017 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Well, maybe set it so that it doesn't sprinkle on the sidewalks, just the yard part (even maybe just the part nearer your house, and forget about the part between the sidewalk and the street - what kind of cat is going to just hang out on that part of the yard? and at any rate at least it would keep them away from the house somewhat).  Might dilute your flea poisoning stuff, though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 I wonder if your flea product is not working correctly? Normally even if they picked up fleas they should die straight away right? That's what happens with ours. Maybe you need a different dosage or product. I don't know if there's resistance issues.  For the cats maybe you need a sensor operated sprinkler system for a while? I'd also be tempted to treat them myself though I don't know how ethical that is plus it's expensive.  We use a different flea product for each dog. Our GSD takes Nexguard and our Iggy takes Sentry; the GSD's is a chewable, but the Iggy's is placed on her skin (her stomach can't handle the chewable). We make sure not to bathe the Iggy for weeks after the preventative. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
eternalsummer Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Oh, if you are even having to vacuum the hardwoods, I would definitely try to figure out how to get rid of the darned fleas. That is insane - no back yard for kids, no back yard for dogs really, encroaching cats who try to get in your house and garage - just no. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) Oh, if you are even having to vacuum the hardwoods, I would definitely try to figure out how to get rid of the darned fleas. That is insane - no back yard for kids, no back yard for dogs really, encroaching cats who try to get in your house and garage - just no.  The pest control dudes told us to vacuum the hardwoods religiously, too -- and that's just as a preventative measure while we know they're still outside, even if we don't see them off the dogs. This summer when the fleas actively invaded the house, it was miserable (the vacuuming, I mean, lol).  I posted another warning ("Keep your cats in or I'm going to start humanely trapping them as per the county") in our neighborhood FB group, and I've had several PM me (and comment on the active posts I have up) with similar horror stories -- same cats (one cat recently left his collar at the scene of a "crime," lol, and they posted a picture of it). But, yeah, even if it isn't the pet cats causing the flea issues (I know we have feral cats in the area), the cats are causing other problems. Edited November 17, 2017 by AimeeM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
EmilyGF Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Get free range chickens (or a chicken cage you move daily) and let them eat up all the fleas in your yard? Â Not sure how many you need, but when my aunt got a bunch of chickens and ducks the number of fleas in her yard nose-dived. Â Half-jokingly, Emily Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 17, 2017 Author Share Posted November 17, 2017 Get free range chickens (or a chicken cage you move daily) and let them eat up all the fleas in your yard?  Not sure how many you need, but when my aunt got a bunch of chickens and ducks the number of fleas in her yard nose-dived.  Half-jokingly, Emily  If I hadn't been on the receiving end of the HOA's wrath before, I would buy 50 chickens and let them loose in our yards.  Totally Not Joking, Aimee 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Fleas don't need to bite to die if you use a topical product.  Also, remember, because of the life cycle you will get  a few bursts of new fleas, so this may just be that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Katy Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 First of all it may not be that your dogs are bringing it back in - eggs hatch in cycles, and it may re-occur. What you want is a mechanical flea killer - it can kill bugs in all stages of growth (eggs, larva, fleas) and bugs cannot develop resistance to it. The safest kind is food grade DE - or diatomaceous earth. Go to Amazon.com and buy a huge bag of food grade diatomaceous earth and a "duster" to spray it around your house. Put it in every crack and crevice, and stop vacuuming for one week. Don't breath it in. Consider using gloves when working with it or your skin will feel dry afterwards.  If it's going to be dry for the week, dust it around your yard too. It will take FOREVER but will be totally worth it. This is the primary way we got rid of ticks in our backyard when we lived in Oklahoma. It will wash away as soon as it rains. I scattered it around our backyard like chicken feed when I knew there was forecasted to be 11 days without rain. If you do this, consider a dust mask so you won't accidentally breath it in. It's as fine as baby powder.  Assume your tick products aren't working (fleas can develop resistance) and try some K9 Advantix II - it's the only kind we've tried that no dogs have been allergic too, and it's been effective everywhere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JennyD Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 (edited) This (ghastly) possibility has probably already been ruled out, but just in case: A friend had a a horrendous flea infestation in her house that just kept coming back. Â Until one day there was a tornado warning, so the family spent the night in the basement and noticed a bad smell. Â A possum had gotten into the wall and died. Â Edited November 17, 2017 by JennyD Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Melissa in Australia Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Trap the cats and take them to the pound. If the owners have to bail them out they will get sick of paying he fines and either get rid of them or keep them inside. There are too many nonresposable cat owners in the world. Cats are the number one destructive animal to indigenous animals everywhere. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Flea Busters Powder is a type of physical killer like mentioned above. Not a fast fix, but it works, and it lasts a year. You would use a broom to brush it along the floors, working it into all the cracks and crevices, especially around baseboards, where furniture meets the floor, etc. Those are the places flea eggs stick. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017   What you want is a mechanical flea killer - it can kill bugs in all stages of growth (eggs, larva, fleas) and bugs cannot develop resistance to it. The safest kind is food grade DE - or diatomaceous earth. Go to Amazon.com and buy a huge bag of food grade diatomaceous earth and a "duster" to spray it around your house. Put it in every crack and crevice, and stop vacuuming for one week. Don't breath it in. Consider using gloves when working with it or your skin will feel dry afterwards.    Aimee has a child with special needs. I'd be afraid of trying something like this.  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laurie Posted November 17, 2017 Share Posted November 17, 2017 Can you get a really smelly flea spray and douse the cats whenever you see them?  I've been using Doc Ackerman's Citronella pet spray on our dog during the summer months. I've never used it on our indoor-only cat so I don't know how cats would react, but I think it's smelly!  1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 Fleas don't need to bite to die if you use a topical product.  Also, remember, because of the life cycle you will get  a few bursts of new fleas, so this may just be that.  Only the elderly dog receives a topical treatment. The GSD receives a chewable form. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) This is a great suggestion and one that has been mentioned before. My concern is that two of our kids have significant special needs -- one more on the severe end of the spectrum, who stims by rubbing his face and forehead on the floors; the other with medical special needs, including lung problems. If breathing the dust in is potentially dangerous, I'm not sure how safe it would be, kwim?  ETA: the fleas seem to be contained to the yards right now. I know they are riding on the dogs on some level, but the fleas in the house seem much, much less than they were this summer. The pest control guys came out every couple of weeks to spray down the entirety of the house, and between that and the dogs being treated, it did seem to make a decent dent. The area that seems to not be taking to treatment is the outdoors -- which is problematic because I have to let the dogs out, at least to potty. We don't really get a dry week around here this time of the year, which may be why the chemical yard treatments aren't taking very well.  First of all it may not be that your dogs are bringing it back in - eggs hatch in cycles, and it may re-occur. What you want is a mechanical flea killer - it can kill bugs in all stages of growth (eggs, larva, fleas) and bugs cannot develop resistance to it. The safest kind is food grade DE - or diatomaceous earth. Go to Amazon.com and buy a huge bag of food grade diatomaceous earth and a "duster" to spray it around your house. Put it in every crack and crevice, and stop vacuuming for one week. Don't breath it in. Consider using gloves when working with it or your skin will feel dry afterwards.  If it's going to be dry for the week, dust it around your yard too. It will take FOREVER but will be totally worth it. This is the primary way we got rid of ticks in our backyard when we lived in Oklahoma. It will wash away as soon as it rains. I scattered it around our backyard like chicken feed when I knew there was forecasted to be 11 days without rain. If you do this, consider a dust mask so you won't accidentally breath it in. It's as fine as baby powder.  Assume your tick products aren't working (fleas can develop resistance) and try some K9 Advantix II - it's the only kind we've tried that no dogs have been allergic too, and it's been effective everywhere.  Edited November 18, 2017 by AimeeM Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 This (ghastly) possibility has probably already been ruled out, but just in case: A friend had a a horrendous flea infestation in her house that just kept coming back. Â Until one day there was a tornado warning, so the family spent the night in the basement and noticed a bad smell. Â A possum had gotten into the wall and died. Â Â Aggghhhh! That would be awful! Â We're in our basement pretty frequently, since we're in the middle of finishing it into usable space/square footage, so I would assume that we would smell... death. DH is actually in the middle of putting up the walls, so I hope nothing has died in there! Lol. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GailV Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 Regarding the dead possum in the wall -- even if we managed to ban all cats (and dogs -- people walking dogs by on the sidewalk, and sometimes on the yard) from our yard, we'd still have squirrels, chipmunks, moles, possums, raccoons, rabbits, foxes, and lord knows what else, up to and including a herd of deer wandering through the yard.  It would really stink to set off a feud with the neighbors by trapping their cats, then have it turn out to NOT solve the problem because the vector was some other creature.  (Also, most days I wonder why the neighbor's cat can't come over here and get rid of some of the smaller fauna. Our cats are indoor and fairly clueless, but I know the neighbor's hunts. We had mice chew through the electrical of our sprinkler system a few years back. Yeesh.)   Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MaeFlowers Posted November 18, 2017 Share Posted November 18, 2017 If your yard guys are treating with spray, can you ask them to switch to granules? Â I havd never had any luck with topical flea treatments on any of my dogs (or cats). I switched to treating the yard with granules (we do it ourselves). We live in the south and are surrounded by woods but have not had a flea or tick issue since we switched. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 (edited) Regarding the dead possum in the wall -- even if we managed to ban all cats (and dogs -- people walking dogs by on the sidewalk, and sometimes on the yard) from our yard, we'd still have squirrels, chipmunks, moles, possums, raccoons, rabbits, foxes, and lord knows what else, up to and including a herd of deer wandering through the yard.  It would really stink to set off a feud with the neighbors by trapping their cats, then have it turn out to NOT solve the problem because the vector was some other creature.  (Also, most days I wonder why the neighbor's cat can't come over here and get rid of some of the smaller fauna. Our cats are indoor and fairly clueless, but I know the neighbor's hunts. We had mice chew through the electrical of our sprinkler system a few years back. Yeesh.)  Even if the cats aren't causing the fleas, I have a major issue with the cats running into my house and my garage any time I open my front door or my garage door. We don't own cats. We don't want cats in the house. Much the same, I would imagine, as people not wanting my "I-swear-to-God-he's-friendly" 100 lb. German Shepherd running amok in the neighborhood and into everyone's houses as he pleases, kwim? Even if he's totally friendly and just wants to play, him chasing the neighborhood kids and running into houses wouldn't be very welcome, lol. Edited November 18, 2017 by AimeeM 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AimeeM Posted November 18, 2017 Author Share Posted November 18, 2017 If your yard guys are treating with spray, can you ask them to switch to granules?  I havd never had any luck with topical flea treatments on any of my dogs (or cats). I switched to treating the yard with granules (we do it ourselves). We live in the south and are surrounded by woods but have not had a flea or tick issue since we switched.  Are the granules safe for pets?  The yard guys aren't treating the yard -- our pest control company treats both the inside of the house and the yards. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.