Didn't know where to post this!

My cats are treated and are fine with the flea thing, but some new people have moved in down the street and their cats seem to enjoy hanging out in my home via the cat door - when I'm at work..... Problem is that now I'm getting flea bites on my ankles!! Can hardly sleep at times because of the overpowering need to scratch them!

Does anyone know of a simple and safe way to deal with these bites? Will aloe vera handle it? I'm going to try aloe tonight! Is there anything else that you would recommend? How about Witch Hazel?

Thanks for any advice!

Mine are just now finally healing Tree. We went through the same thing recently.

I used benedryl cream, but I don't know if you want to use a medicated cream like that. I haven't tried witch hazel, but now that you mentioned it, I wish I had.

Of the four of us in our house, we all got bitten up pretty bad, except my husband. He eats lots of garlic. Try that to prevent it.

Good luck, I feel for ya!

My cousin used to use "Seabreeze" lotion on her kids' flea bites. Don't know if they felt any better or not...
I usually use hydrocortisone cream. You can get it at the dollar store.
Good luck!

Tree, I hate to say it, but if the fleas are coming in on your cats, I'm not so sure that yours are "fine with the flea thing". Or are these infested cats coming in through your cat door??? If the latter is the case, I'd suggest that you either contact your neighbors and ask them to treat their cats for fleas (Advantage, Frontline or the like) or I'd take the liberty of doing it myself. There is no way you are going to get rid of them if they are coming in and leaving their little friends behind.

That said, and back to your question - try vinegar...it's a natural healing agent and germ killer...doesn't smell so great, but could keep them from biting at your ankles continuously...

shelster, I absolutely LOVE garlic and eat it fairly regularly!

TIE, I've never heard of hydrocortisone creams being sold at dollar stores! I have to check that out tomorrow! Thanks!

Lyd, the fleas are coming in from the cats down the street that come in through the cat door to visit while I'm at work. I use advantage on my cats. YES, now that you mention vinegar.... my Mom used to put vinegar on our mosquito bites after camping as kids! It did help - thanks for the flash back!

Tree, my point was that if these cats are coming in with fleas, you are going to be infested with them and getting rid of them is NOT going to be easy!!! Talk to your neighbors or take matters into your own hands...it's really your only choice (well, that or close the doors!!)

Believe me, Tree, you don't want your house infested with fleas! We had that problem last year and it was hell getting rid of them. We actually had to stay somewhere else for a few days while we bombed the house and vacuumed over and over again. Not fun.

Lydia, can't close the door on my five cat poplulation!

Have come to the conclusion that something MUST be done. I'm certain that the 2 cats that frequent my home must belong to a new neighbour down the road ---- BUT, I can be wrong. One is a long white haired siamese with a bell around his neck - he actually ripped open my kitchen garbage this afternoon! The reason I know this, is because my cats NEVER do this.. and because the usual clumps of white fur were found around the "police line - do not cross" banner.

Would a person abondon a cat after putting a bell on its collar?

Yes, I plan to talk to the people who I THINK own the cat....... will let you know what results in this meeting.

LOLOL
Tree has two new cats!!! Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha

I now this may sound weird but here goes.

When my mother's dog brought fleas into the house, she tried everything to get rid of them. Finally, she called the vet up. He told her to sprinkle her carpets with table salt and let set over night then vacuume it up. (making sure to toss out the used bag!!) She did this for 3 nights and noticed that there were no more fleas. I don't know why it worked, but it did.

Just something to try.

Generally I would say aloe. Another
thing that will feel great on them,
and will help reduce redness, is
tea tree oil. Jojoba oil would likely
do a good job soothing the itch.

I read in Earl Proulx's book
"Yankee Home Hints" that sprinkling
½ - 1 tsp of brewer's yeast on a
cats food each night will drive fleas
off of the cat. But, eventually you
will have to get as many out of the
house as possible. The old shallow
pan with water and a bit of dishwashing
liquid placed under a bright light is
amazingly effective if that is only
light in the room. If the light is
immediately above the water the
fleas just keep jumping for the light
and landing in the water LOLOL.

Good luck Tree if the fleas get in your house. Wow I wonder how the salt works..

Some people are allergic to flea bites, since they are making you scratch at nite, you may have to take the Benedryl tabs or the generic (cheaper!) to keep the itchy feeling away. I also heard that Sarna is good for dry skin and itchiness, but beware it has a icy hot feeling at first. There's a generic of that one too. As far as the flea situation, isn't it a little too cold to be getting these critters? If they are biting you believe me, you need to take charge of getting rid of them, from what I hear, once they bite you, they turn into an adult stage quicker just from your blood. That's what I was told by the guys who I had to come in and spray (three times!) to get rid of these pests. Still if you allow the cats in they have to be treated or you're fighting a lost cause.

1. Eat more Garlic
2. Treat bites with Aloe Vera, or other over the counter bug bite med.
3. Use the pink stuff - No not the pink stuff you drink, the other pink stuff that you put on your skin and dries to a chalky powder - our bottle is missing the label, I do not remember the name of that pink stuff.

Prevention is key. Eucalyptus does it for us around here (2 cats, 1 dog)

We get the branches from a craft store, put a bunch under the couch, under the low slung chair, under the bed - We also keep some in a vase on the floor. Something about Eucalyptus drives them away and/or kills them.


Are you sure these are neighbor's cats? Or are they Neighborhood Cats. If the first, then you need to talk to that neighbor and have them dip the cats.

If they are neighborhood cats, then it is time to either invest in a vet visit, or bathe them in flea killers along with your own cats. Also flea collars and Advantage are good. Sounds to me these cats have already claimed you as their own, eating off you, living in your home - therefore you have the right to treat them to baths, collars and medicines - they are home invaders who are ruining your happy home.

Thus you are left with giving them the boot and closing up the house, or treating them for their ailments.

Since Flea killers are poison never use them unless there is a flea problem.

Also feline diseases can harm your cats. I would check with my neighbor (if these cats are the neighbor's cats) to make certain that these cats are up on their shots - to protect yourself. If they are Neighborhood cats, then you may want to take the time to get them shot snipped (yes down there) and otherwise more domestic.

Cheers

David

Just an update:

(LOLOL DvdStwrt - garlic is a manditory food group in my diet!! LOVE IT!!)

The neigbours were called and they did say that the white Siamese cat was extremely friendly and entered many area homes!!?? The woman actually felt badly and offered to replace some of my kids' cat food. That was a nice gesture but I declined, as my kids like their regular diet!

Amazingly enough... this cat has not been frequenting my home for awhile now.. how did that work? Did she give him a stern "talking to"???

What is that "pink stuff"??

quote:

---

Originally posted by Tree:
Just an update:

(LOLOL DvdStwrt - garlic is a manditory food group in my diet!! LOVE IT!!)

The neigbours were called and they did say that the white Siamese cat was extremely friendly and entered many area homes!!?? The woman actually felt badly and offered to replace some of my kids' cat food. That was a nice gesture but I declined, as my kids like their regular diet!

Amazingly enough... this cat has not been frequenting my home for awhile now.. how did that work? Did she give him a stern "talking to"???

What is that "pink stuff"??

---

I want to call it chamomile lotion. Its something like that.

Sorry, I still can't recall the name.

Old age I guess.

David

"Calamine plus itch reliever" - is definately pink.. must be the one that you speak of!

I just found a picture of it on the net!

If you have carpet, sprinkle 20 Mule Team Borax and work it into the carpet so it dissapears...
It will kill fleas,ants,roaches , spiders - anything.... and is NOT harmful to any animal...

Yes, I HAVE heard that before donrent. Is it true that the rough edges of borax are like extremely sharp knives to them?

Tree, a natural flea repellant is Pennyroyal. A few pots in strategic areas will help significantly, but the herb is toxic so it must be put where cats won't eat it. A simple, free, herbal remedy to a flea or mosquito bite is to crush a yarrow leaf and rub it on the spot. It's a low-growing fast-spreading herb and producses attractive red or white blooms in the summer.