Cat Flea

Where it lives

Carpets, rugs, upholstery, pet bedding, gaps between floor tiles and skirting boards. Also thrives in empty apartments and garages where feral cats shelter.

Signs

• Itchy bites clustered around ankles and lower legs
• Pets scratching, biting at the base of the tail, or losing fur
• Black gritty “flea dirt” in pet bedding that turns red-brown when damp
• Small dark insects jumping from carpets or clothing
• Sudden intense biting when re-entering a property that has been empty

Risks

• Bites cause intense irritation and allergic dermatitis in people and pets
• Transmits tapeworm to cats and dogs
• Can carry Bartonella (cat scratch disease)
• Larvae survive for months in flooring, so infestations recur without treatment

Prevention

• Keep pets on a year-round veterinary flea treatment
• Vacuum carpets, rugs and pet bedding thoroughly and empty the vacuum outside
• Wash pet bedding weekly at 60°C
• Block access to voids and garages used by feral cats
• Treat before leaving a property empty over summer, not after

Treatment

We treat all floor surfaces and soft furnishings with a residual insecticide combined with an insect growth regulator that stops larvae developing. Vacuuming before and after treatment is essential, because vibration triggers dormant pupae to hatch into the treated surface. Pets must be treated by a vet at the same time or the cycle restarts.