help!!! i have cat fleas

[jeanette1976]

My flatmate's cat has brought fleas into the flat and I'm the only one that has been bitten (17 times on my right foot and 16 on my left!!) She's picking up ssome flea fumigation spray from the vets this PM but what can I do about the intense itching? I've tried EVERYTHING... savlon, toothpaste, leaving soap on to dry, etc. The itching seems to start in the mornings and at night and its so bad that I scratch until both my feet are bleeding! Any remedies would be very much appreciated as I'm going crazy with the itching! Thank you soooooooooo much! X

[tiggerblue10]

Firstly, your flatmate needs to get the cat de-flead. Frontline spot treatment is best. They should also get a carpet flea spray and spray ALL the carpets in every room. Both available from vets.

You should then take some piriton for the itching.

[Noweia]

I find Eurax helps with the itching when I get bitten. Also maybe try socks - they stop you doing so much damage when you do scratch.

As the previous answer says, you need to treat the cat as well as the environment, including vacuuming thoroughly everywhere the cat has been at regular intervals.

[Barmaid]

Stuck in a forest in Poland and bitten by red ants round my feet, I was advised to pee on them.

Although if you have access to Boots a "Bite Pen" which is ammonia and smells a bit like wee may help.

[dustypuss]

salt & vinegar

it doesnt stop the flees biting but it makes you taste better for them :-)

[stonekicker]

seriously - any type of anti-allergy tablet like piriton, loratidine, cetirizine etc that you would use for hay fever. you can buy 7 days worth of tablets from asda for about 79p. also - don't scratch! i know its itchy, but but scratching you irritate the bites and your skin releases more anti inflammatory chemicals which will cause more itching. a very unpleasant cycle which you must break by not itching. good luck! the cat will need to be de-flead, the house/carpets fumigated at the same time for it to be effective

[jeanette1976]

Thank you all! Will take anti-histamines tonight. Flatmate buying de-fleaing stuff tomorrow even though the cat had the drops on the back of it's neck and gets flea brushed regularly so she denies its from her cat. I say I had them 3 weeks ago just as she was putting drops so she probs was a couple of days late and i got unlucky!

Anyway, thanks again! X

[eileenb]

Bicarbonate of soda.
mix to a paste with water and dab on the bites.
works on me

[jules77]

I echo what stonekicker says, once the flat and cats are de fleaed, you need to get some antihistamines into your system, and it will take a few days to build up some resistance.

Zirtek or if you get them from the doctors they come by the name cetirizine, is the only thing that works for me as I am plagued by insect bites in the summer.

When you de flea the cat and the house, dont use the products from the pet shop as they are a waste of money........ get some frontline for the cat, and Acclaim for the carpets direct from the vet or online, (the latter being cheaper).

http://www.vetuk.co.uk/index.php?main_page=ind ex&cPath=3&zenid=d31a3ee88360acbaf17a3c4e72be5 bf1