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Fleas won't leave my cats and home. How do I get rid of them?

Updated On September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Scottish Fold | Male | neutered

I have 2 cats and fleas. They both have a flea collar which doesn't seem to work. I have given them each an advantage treatment. I will be giving them a second dose later this week (at the 2 week mark). I have vacuumed a few times and done bedding laundry and sprayed Adams flea spray around. They aren't leaving. Now What?

3 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

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Answered By Jenny, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on June 26th, 2017

The majority of a flea problem is environmental. It is best to have the cats treated at a vet's office while your home gets treated at the same time. Flea collars do not typically work well. The most important part of treating fleas is breaking the life cycle which takes 3 months of consistent treatment.

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    Answered By Destini R. Holloway, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on

    I would recommend getting an emergency flea ridding product called Capstar (available at your vet and possibly local pet store) and giving the cats this. This will rid all fleas within 24 hrs. Then I would recommend using a flea fogger (from Lowe's or Home Depot) on the home, will all pets evacuated from the house for the instructed amount of time. Then I would suggest getting the cats transitioned to an effective flea preventative such as Revolution or Comfortis (from your local vet), especially if the Advantage doesn't seem to be holding up well. Best of luck getting rid of these pesky pests. I hope that Walt and his housemate get some resolve soon. Since both pest have had a large flea load, I would suggest monitoring their stool for tapeworms (transmitted by an infected flea). If you see this then both pets needs a tapeworm deworming (i.e. Praziquantel) from your local pet store (if available) or local vet clinic. Best wishes.

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    Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    Published on October 25th, 2018

    Unfortunately fleas only hop on the body of your pet when they want to feed, then they hop off again and stay in your pet's environment. So you need to treat all pets in the household as well as the environment (which contains the fleas, their eggs and larvae). Flea treatment:  1) Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly 2) get flea powder, put some in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum your house and furniture and also non-carpeted areas frequently to remove flea larvae and eggs which live off house dust., Dispose of the bag in the trash outside. Hot-wash all the pet's bedding, If you do this diligently for a few months you will get rid of the fleas. Flea products: Spot-ons and/or chews Advantage, Advantix Advantage Multi (Advocate in the UK) Frontline (ticks as well) Bravecto spot on (ticks as well) - for cats, in tablet form for dogs Simparica, Nexgard Revolution (stronghold in the UK) Tablets: comfortis (will only kill fleas once) Collar: Seresto (ticks as well) House spray: Indorex

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