Fleas: treat the pet and the whole home
A few adults on your cat; the rest of the population in the rugs and floor gaps.
The short answer
The cat flea (Ctenocephalides felis), which also infests most dogs, is 1–3 mm long, wingless and jumps a very long way for its size. It lays eggs on the animal, but they drop off and develop in rugs, floorboards and bedding. Effective treatment combines care of the animal, on the vet's advice, with treatment of its surroundings.
Identity card
Scientific name: Ctenocephalides felis
- Size
- 1–3 mm
- Appearance
- Reddish-brown to dark brown, body flattened side to side, wingless, long hind legs
- Life expectancy
- Several weeks to a few months for an adult on a host; cocoon able to wait for months
- Active period
- All year round indoors with heating, peaking from late spring to autumn
- Where it hides
- Pet beds, cushions, rugs, carpets, floorboard gaps, sofas, car seats
How to spot fleas
Tick off in your head what you have seen: the more the clues overlap, the surer the diagnosis.
- Small clustered bites that itch intensely, mostly on the ankles and lower legs.
- Tiny insects leaping onto white socks as you walk across a rug.
- A pet that scratches, nibbles itself or loses hair, often along the back and near the base of the tail.
- Black specks in the coat or bedding that leave a red halo on damp paper: these are flea droppings.
Understanding how it behaves
Only adult fleas stay on the animal. The eggs slide out of the coat; the larvae shun light and feed on debris and adult droppings deep in fibres and cracks, then spin a cocoon.
Inside that cocoon the flea can wait several weeks, or even a few months. Vibrations, warmth and the carbon dioxide breathed out by a host trigger it to emerge: hence the sudden outbreaks on returning from holiday or moving into a home that has stood empty.
Fleas affect households with pets, but also furnished lets, pet-friendly hotels and vehicles. Treating only the animal leaves most of the population in place.
Why it shouldn't be left
- Very itchy bites in people, sometimes with marked skin reactions.
- In dogs and cats, an allergy to flea bites (dermatitis) with itching and hair loss.
- Transmission of the tapeworm Dipylidium caninum to an animal that swallows a flea while grooming, more rarely to a young child.
- Spread through the whole home if the surroundings are not treated.
What the technician does: fleas
01
Inspect
Mapping of where the pet sleeps and moves, the rooms where bites occur and the textiles involved; coordination with the treatment prescribed by the vet.
02
Treat
Floors, rugs, bedding and corners treated with an authorised insecticide combined with an insect growth regulator that stops larvae from becoming adults.
03
Sanitise
Vacuuming routine (bag or canister emptied outside straight away), throws and cushions washed at 60 °C, advice on floorboard gaps and vehicles.
04
Follow up
Follow-up visit as set out in the protocol, once the last cocoons have hatched, a second visit if needed, photo report and active vigilance for new bites.
Prevention, at home and at work
Simple habits that lower the risk of the intruder settling in or coming back.
- 01At home: have every dog and cat in the household treated regularly, on the vet's advice, even if they rarely go out.
- 02Vacuum sleeping areas, rugs and the sofa often, then empty the vacuum outdoors.
- 03Wash the pet's bed, throws and cushions at a high temperature.
- 04Before moving back into a house that has been shut up, vacuum everywhere and watch for bites.
- 05In a furnished let or pet-friendly hotel: plan a more thorough textile clean between stays.
Your questions
My cat has been treated: why am I still being bitten?
Most of the population, as eggs, larvae and cocoons, is in the home. Until the home is treated, new fleas keep hatching for several weeks.
Can the cat flea settle on me?
It bites you but doesn't stay on humans for long: it needs a dog or cat to breed.
How long should I stay out after spraying?
Plan to leave for a few hours with your pets while the surfaces dry, then air the rooms. The technician tells you the exact time for the product used.
Why are there still fleas a few days later?
Cocoons resist insecticides. Fleas that emerge afterwards come into contact with the product still on the floor. Keep vacuuming daily: the vibrations speed up their emergence.
Fleas at home or on your premises?
2-hour slot, 7 days a week from 8 am to 8 pm, price shown and paid online, photo report emailed on the day of the visit.
Related service: Crawling insect treatment
