So I went to a friend's house and after about 10 minutes of me hugging and petting her cats, she says "Oh yeah, the fleas are almost gone now". I have little itchy red bumps that could possibly be mosquito bites on my upper arms and shoulders. I saw a little tiny black thing running on my arm, but everyone tells me that fleas hop, they don't run really fast. I used a flea comb and combed the living daylights out of my cat (I'm surprised she has any fur left!) and looked for "flea dirt". What I saw were LOTS of white flakes, and then 4 brownish/blackish little bits.
Can "flea dirt" be white and flakey?
I should also mention that my cat gets Advantage regularly, and that I was a little late with it this month, but I gave it to her yesterday (2 days after squishing the flea kitties).
So, what does everyone think? I'm extremely paranoid, as I live in someone's basement and it is not my house. If I brought fleas in here, I'd feel terrible.
Thank you!
Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
Re: Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
If your friend had fleas in the home and didn't use a proper application, they won't disappear and you could have brought one or two home with you. Find out what she used on her cats, and advise her never to use over-the-counter products as they are useless and oftentimes dangerous/fatal for cats. Advantage or Frontline prescribed by her vet are the safest and most effective flea control.
As for your kitty, use the flea comb again, tap the comb onto a white paper towel and if there are any black or brown debris, place a drop of water on them,...if they turn red, they could be flea dirt, which the Advantage application already given should take care of.
As for your kitty, use the flea comb again, tap the comb onto a white paper towel and if there are any black or brown debris, place a drop of water on them,...if they turn red, they could be flea dirt, which the Advantage application already given should take care of.
..........Traci
Re: Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
Thank you *so* much.
Ok, so the white stuff is probably just dry kitty skin, then? I did run water over every clump of fur I brushed off of her, and nothing turned red.
Do you think one or two fleas coming home on me is enough to infest the house? Should I do preventative maintenance and call an exterminator? I hate to do that, because I just think it's going to give my cat cancer or something, but if I should, I certainly will.
I'll brush her again in a little bit, I think she's a bit put off by my excessive brushing. She liked it at first!
Ok, so the white stuff is probably just dry kitty skin, then? I did run water over every clump of fur I brushed off of her, and nothing turned red.
Do you think one or two fleas coming home on me is enough to infest the house? Should I do preventative maintenance and call an exterminator? I hate to do that, because I just think it's going to give my cat cancer or something, but if I should, I certainly will.
I'll brush her again in a little bit, I think she's a bit put off by my excessive brushing. She liked it at first!
Re: Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
Yes, the white is probably dry skin.
Were the "bugs" you found on your arm at the friend's house or your house? Any chance they could have been some other insect (like gnats or mites)? In any event, wash your hands and arms with a mild antibacterial hand soap to help soothe the areas.
Don't go to the extreme of an exterminator, it's not necessary. Just use the flea comb again tomorrow and the paper test and chances are, you didn't bring any home that would infest.
Were the "bugs" you found on your arm at the friend's house or your house? Any chance they could have been some other insect (like gnats or mites)? In any event, wash your hands and arms with a mild antibacterial hand soap to help soothe the areas.
Don't go to the extreme of an exterminator, it's not necessary. Just use the flea comb again tomorrow and the paper test and chances are, you didn't bring any home that would infest.
..........Traci
Re: Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
You are my new superhero, I can't tell you how worried I was about this! Thank you!!!
It is possible that the little guy on my arm was something else - I've never actually seen a flea, so I can't say for sure either way!
Whew. I feel much better.
Thanks again.
It is possible that the little guy on my arm was something else - I've never actually seen a flea, so I can't say for sure either way!
Whew. I feel much better.
Thanks again.
Re: Flea dirt or kitty dandruff?
Fleas appear as tiny black flecks, and they do tend to hop/jump as opposed to running. Again, find out what type of flea application your friend used on her kitties, if it was an over-the-counter product, it could actually have caused a reaction on your skin from handling the cats, imagine (and I would tell her), what that reaction might be doing to her cats. This is why we always strongly advocate Frontline or Advantage from the vet only, since other applications can prove ineffective or deadly. You can read more Here, might have your friend read it too.
..........Traci