How to clean an apartment from fleas
In addition, to get rid of fleas of a cat and other pet, it is also necessary to disinfect. living quarters... Remember that many special means that are sold in flea treatment stores are toxic. Therefore, for several days after treatment it is better not to live, and especially not to spend the night in an apartment.
It is important! The main habitat for fleas is carpets and bedding. Therefore, these areas must be treated especially carefully. As for the bedding, it is better to buy a new animal for the animal. This will help rid the fleas of the cat and prevent them from reappearing.
What harm do fleas bring to humans
Fleas cause inconvenience to people, although, in modern conditions and rarely lead to the development of any disease. In some cases, fleas are carriers of certain types of worms. They can lead to the loss of nutrients in the human body and disruption of the functioning of some organs.
If you do not get rid of fleas in time, then there can be a lot of them in the room. Sometimes a real infestation of fleas occurs, which greatly affects not only the number of bites, but also nervous system people who live in such a room. Flea bites on human skin can become inflamed, causing swelling. Flea saliva, which is toxic, causes itching and discomfort.
This is important to know! In a certain proportion of people, flea bites cause an allergic reaction. To overcome allergies, a special antigen has been invented.
Cases are very rare, and most often this happens when a sand flea lives in the room, when a fertilized female settles under the host's skin. Wounds and ulcers appear on the body of such a person, which can rot.
It is interesting! Adult fleas that are infected with a particular type of infection do not have the ability to transmit it to their offspring. But these fleas themselves will be carriers dangerous diseases throughout his life.
Fleas from cats are not transmitted to humans, they do not live in the hair like lice, but they can bite people if they need food. Fleas can actively reproduce in the pet owner's home if the conditions are right. In the absence of cleaning, the presence of dirty upholstered furniture, carpets, conditions for the growth of the number of individuals are good.
Danger of fleas to humans
Fleas in cats are dangerous to humans because they are carriers infectious diseases, their bites can cause allergic reactions, the wounds hurt and there is a risk of suppuration. If the insect has bitten a sick animal before, there is a risk of transmission.
Bites are often accompanied by severe allergic reactions that may require medical attention. When combing a bite, there is a possibility of spreading infection, suppuration of the wound.
To determine if the pet has insects, it is enough to comb out the cat on white paper - black and brown dots are traces of insect activity. Another option is to use a fine-toothed comb and spread the coat. You can see either the insects themselves or their feces.
Fleas can get into the house different ways- through outdoor shoes, after contact of the pet with infected animals. To protect yourself and your domestic cat from bites, you need to regularly clean, carry out preventive treatment of the animal, or put on a special collar on the cat.
If fleas are already living in the house, you should fight them. It is necessary to treat the animal - wash it with a special shampoo or use a collar or special drops. You can find out how to help your pet get rid of fleas from your veterinarian.
Chemicals for the treatment of living quarters from harmful insects:
- GET - allows you to get rid of fleas, as well as cockroaches and bedbugs. Available as a concentrate.
- Averfos - destroys fleas, bedbugs, ants, flies and cockroaches. Release form - concentrate.
- Adamant - powder (dust) for fleas, ants and bedbugs.
- Alfatrin is a concentrate for ticks, fleas, bedbugs, flies, cockroaches.
- Delta zone - a concentrate from fleas, bedbugs, mosquitoes, ants, flies, cockroaches.
Before working with drugs, you should read the instructions, prepare special clothing to protect the skin from chemicals, as well as a respirator and eye protection. Before processing a living space, you need to remove plants and food products, there should be no people and animals in the house.
After the first treatment, after a while, it is advisable to repeat the procedure, since insects could lay eggs, from which new individuals emerge.
Upholstered furniture should be treated especially carefully, all carpets should be cleaned, dust should be removed from surfaces. Mattress cover, linens, animal beds should be washed at a high temperature.
How to treat flea bites in humans
If bites are found in a person, they must be treated with an antiseptic, you should not comb the puncture site, otherwise you can infect and cause purulent inflammation. In case of severe itching, it is recommended to apply ice or treat the area with a special ointment that relieves skin irritation.
Human bites can cause allergies. At the first sign of such a reaction, you need to see a doctor. Depending on the severity of the pathology, the allergist prescribes therapy. Typically, antihistamines are used.
At the pharmacy, you can buy lotions that dry and soothe the skin, reduce inflammation, and disinfect the wound. There is a risk of anaphylactic shock - this condition occurs if a person is hypersensitive to insect saliva or parts of their body. Another serious complication is Quincke's edema. If such manifestations occur, urgent medical attention is required.
Preventive measures against cat fleas:
- Regular cleaning of living quarters.
- Periodic washing of bed linen.
- Cleaning of mattresses, upholstered furniture, cat beds.
Keeping your cat clean and properly cared for can help prevent insects from entering your home. If possible, contact of a cat with animals that can carry pests should be prevented - they are rats, mice, squirrels, street cats, etc.
By appearance- these are small dark insects, which can be seen on the coat for literally seconds, since then they hide in it. A cat flea on a person is more visible, since it cannot hide in the hairline, and it is easier for it to eat on open areas body: legs, buttocks, back and abdomen. A person can notice her as a tiny shiny insect, but it will be very difficult to catch her, since fleas jump well, so they do not mask their bites, pain relieving them. The length of their jump is up to thirty centimeters.
Cat fleas have a body of 0.8 to four millimeters, but the average is two to three millimeters. The color is dark brown and has a well-visible characteristic shine. The body is compressed at the sides and elongated in height, they have no wings.
This body allows the flea to:
- move at high speed in the fur of a cat or other animal;
- be protected from crushing. It is almost impossible to do this without a knife or other objects;
- experience a lower level of air resistance when moving.
Advice! If a flea is caught, a fingernail should be used to crush.
Fleas are easily transmitted from one owner to another due to the ability to jump well, so you should process the animal, as well as take care of the room: be it the house or the rooms of the apartment as a whole, in order to get rid of them completely. Moreover, the market is now full and offers many effective tools.
Cat fleas: life and reproduction
Shooting eggs from the abdomen, the female distributes them to a sufficient distance indoors. Flea larvae fall into different conditions, which allows at least some of them to live.
In just a few days, the eggs turn into larvae, which look like transparent worms white... They eat organic residues: pieces of pet skin, excrement of adults, in which blood has been preserved. The development of larvae occurs over several days, and sometimes weeks, it all depends on temperature regime indoors: whether it be a house or a room of an apartment and the amount of food. The next stage of development is pupation. Over a period of one to three weeks, an adult will grow from the pupa.
The full cycle from birth to adulthood is approximately ten days. Rapid development is possible only when conditions are favorable for feline fleas and good nutrition... In some cases, the cycle can be up to two years. For example, if it is freezing, development stops, and eggs and larvae can live.
Why is a cat flea dangerous to humans?
Cat fleas are dangerous to humans, which consists of:
- pathogens of dangerous diseases such as brucellosis, encephalitis, hepatitis, plague can be transmitted from fleas to humans. This can lead to an epidemic. Pets can also get encephalitis and plague;
- that the bites are painful. They lead to an allergic reaction, skin irritation, itching, and when scratching - purulent inflammation;
- in the introduction of secondary infections into wounds.
Cat flea control methods
Getting rid of cat fleas is half the challenge. It is not enough just to process a pet and a room: a house or an apartment. Another important point is to prevent them reappearance, which is much more difficult.
There is no single method or insecticide that completely eradicates (or at least controls) these insects. The life cycle of a flea is quite complex. Only understanding different stages development will help get rid of them.
Consider what fleas are from the point of view of biology.
Fleas thrive in warm, humid environment and temperate climates. The main food is the blood of the host animal. Fleas are used as a host for mammals in 95% of cases. They can also infect birds (in 5% of cases).
Fleas live in four main stages: egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The life cycle varies from several weeks to several months, depending on environmental conditions.
The best approach to flea control is start with the least toxic (home remedies) and most natural methods, resorting to stronger measures only if the effect is not achieved.
Along with this, it is important to maintain cleanliness and sanitation in the house. Understanding the flea's life cycle explains why cleanliness is so important. Adult fleas live for about 3-4 months. During this time, they constantly lay white eggs on your pet that look like dandruff or salt crystals. Flea eggs mature into larvae that live in cracks and crevices in carpets, linoleum or floorboards, upholstery, blankets, sand, earth, etc.
Since these tiny larvae cannot jump long distances (only 1-2 cm), they feed on black spots of dried blood (flea mud) that fall to the floor with their eggs while the animal itches and licks its fur.
After 1-2 weeks, the larvae pass through the cocoon (pupa) stage. After another 1 week, they hatch as small fleas and jump on the nearest host. This cycle takes from 2 to 20 weeks, depending on the temperature in the house or the environment.
Summer is flea season. It is then that the cycle lasts only 2 weeks. This is why fleas reproduce so quickly in summer period... In temperate latitudes, the peak of flea activity occurs in early August.
On the one hand, it doesn't matter how many adult fleas you managed to remove, because much more of them are on initial stages development where they are difficult to obtain. On the other hand, eggs, larvae and pupae are easily sucked up by a vacuum cleaner and removed by washing / washing with water.
An important ally in the fight against fleas is cleanliness, both for your pet and for your home, especially in pet sleeping areas. Regular cleaning of the house interrupts life cycles fleas and significantly reduces the number of adult fleas.
Treatment of an apartment, house and animals from cat fleas - 14 methods
1. We process with water vapor
Despite the fact that the expensive method of steam treatment is effective in the fight against flea eggs. You will need a steam generator, steam cleaner, or at least an inexpensive steamer.
2. Vacuum cleaner
Vacuum floors and furniture thoroughly at least 1-2 times a week to destroy flea eggs, larvae, and pupae. Focus on the areas where your pet sleeps by drawing Special attention in place under the furniture. In case of severe infestation, you can place a whole or part of the flea collar (eg 1/4 cut) in a vacuum cleaner bag.
This will kill the fleas you catch in the carpet and keep them from getting out. The safest thing to do is get rid of the bag or its contents right away, as it creates a warm, moist, and food-filled environment for eggs and larvae to breed.
3. We wash pet's sleeping clothes in hot soapy water
You need to wash or dry things at the maximum temperature, once a week. High temperature destroys fleas on all of them life stages development, including eggs. It is important to remember that flea eggs are very slippery and easily fall off bedding or blankets. Roll up the bedding gently, and toss it in washing machine, being careful not to scatter flea eggs around the house.
4. How to wash a cat from fleas
Wash your pet with natural flea shampoo.
5. Comb the animal
If you find fleas, clean the teeth of the comb or dip it in a container of hot, soapy water so that the fleas remain under the water. Cover your knees with an old towel. Wipe the comb on it periodically during the procedure, removing excess hair clumps and flea dirt. When you're done, empty the soapy water and any trapped insects down the toilet.
6. Mow the grass and water the yard regularly
If you live in a private house, this must be done. The short grass allows sunlight penetrate and heat the soil, which kills the larvae. And by watering the grass, you drown the "young".
7. Don't touch ants
It would be more correct to say: "do not disturb the ants." They love to eat flea eggs and larvae. This is another reason not to use pesticides that kill all insects in your garden.
8. We "sterilize" resting places for animals
If your pet likes to sleep or hang out in a particular spot in your yard or room, you can cover that area with solid black. plastic object on a hot sunny day. You can use a PVC greenhouse film to warm the soil, or a large plastic container.
The heat that accumulates under the plastic bakes the contents, it will also do an excellent job with fleas and larvae, drying out their remains. Of course, this method it is impractical to use where you want to keep live grass or plants.
9. We use lime
Apply agricultural lime on grassy or wet areas is a well-studied method. It also dries up fleas. Roll out any dead leaves and grassy debris before applying the lime.
10. Cooking herbal powder
You can find powders at pet and natural food stores, or you can make your own if you have herbs in your home. The herbal blend usually includes the following ingredients: eucalyptus, rosemary, fennel, yellow dock, wormwood, and rut. Apply the powder gently to the cat's coat by brushing back with your hand or comb and sprinkling it into the base of the coat, especially on the neck, back and abdomen. For serious infections, repeat several times a week. Some herbal flea powders also contain natural pyrethrins, which are used to control insects.
11. How does a flea collar for cats work?
Use a herbal collar. They are impregnated with insect repellent herbal oils. Some of them are "rechargeable" essential oils and are applied again.
12. Changing the diet
Add to the food for the animal enough natural or brewer's yeast and garlic. Scientific research prove the effect of the use of yeast in the fight against fleas. From time to time, they try to challenge this effect, but it's still worth a try. Yeast can also be rubbed directly into the fur of the animal.
13. We process with salt
Treat the rugs with mineral salt. This will kill the fleas. Salts are effective for 1 year, they safely kill fleas at all stages of development within 3-5 weeks.
14. Using diatomite
Once or twice a year, apply diatomaceous earth along walls, under furniture, and in cracks and crevices that cannot be reached with a vacuum cleaner. Diatomite resembles a chalk rock, it is a fossilized remains of unicellular algae. Although direct skin contact is harmless to pets and humans, this powder is harmful to many insects and their larvae, including fleas. Small particles in the ground kill insects by attacking the wax coating that covers their bodies. As a result, fleas dry up and die. You can also sprinkle this powder on the carpet where fleas are likely to live. Don't use too much - a small amount will work great against fleas. Leave the carpet as it is for 3 days and then clean it thoroughly. Repeat the procedure within 30 days. So you can be sure that even the larvae are destroyed.
The cat is, perhaps,
So what should you do if cats get fleas? Whether they are transmitted to a person or not, we have already found out. But this does not mean at all that these bloodsuckers are absolutely harmless. The insects in question are carriers of a wide variety of diseases. To get rid of them, it is necessary, firstly, to process the skin of the animal itself, and secondly, to disinfect the room.
Removing fleas from cats can be done both with the help of folk remedies, and by means of special purchased ones. In the first case, use wormwood or tar soap... Fleas do not like wormwood very much. The grass is first dried and then gently rubbed into the skin of the animal. It is also recommended to put the plant in bags and place them on a litter. Fleas will not die from the smell emitted by this grass, however, most likely, they will leave. The inconvenience of this method lies, first of all, in unpleasant odor, which may not be liked not only by fleas, but also by the owners of the cat.
them and the bedding of the animal.
From chemicals Bars is especially popular. If you wish, you can buy this brand of shampoo, spray or drops. The latter are applied to the withers of the animal and to the shoulder blades - that is, to those parts of the body that the animal cannot lick. Within about a day, the product itself is distributed throughout the skin. Removing fleas from cats in this way is not too difficult, but at the same time effective. You can also use the funds for prevention. Even if you do not let the animal out of the house, this is not a guarantee that fleas will not appear. You yourself can bring the larvae into the house on shoes or clothes from the street.
So, hopefully, we have answered the main question of the article - "whether fleas are transmitted from cats to the owner or not." Now you know that they cannot live on a person, but his blood is quite suitable for them. Therefore, the owner of the "baleen-striped" often suffers from flea bites, which, by the way, are very itchy. In addition, fleas are carriers of various diseases... Therefore, it is imperative to remove them from the animal.