The flea has the potential to breed inside your house within 12 days and each female flea can lay several hundred eggs per week starting 24-48 hours after her first blood feed from your cat. The eggs are laid on the animal but soon drop off into bedding and especially like the base of the pile of carpets. The larvae pupate, forming a cocoon, carbon dioxide plus vibration are the trigger factors for hatching of the adult flea. The adult flea usually lives for less than 20 days but due to the short life cycle and high egg count, many thousands of fleas can form in a room within a matter of a few weeks of a single female flea being introduced into a household.

Flea Control: It is important to understand the flea life cycle to be able to control the problem. The key to success if fleas are a problem in the house is to tackle all stages of the life cycle using appropriate products and techniques. Do bear in mind that a very high percentage of skin conditions in cats are caused by fleas.

Topical insecticide: The most popular and most effective non prescription spot-on is Frontline Spot On. This product should be applied every other month on dogs to provide a very high level of protection against flea infestation. Frontline Spot On kills over 99% of fleas with 24 hours after biting your pet. There are many other topical insecticides such as Advantage, Frontline Combo together with those with a combined worming action such as Stronghold, Program Plus and Advocate, however, all these products are currently Prescription Only Medicines in the U.K.

Environmental insecticide: These products such as Acclaim, Staykill and Indorex are used to spray your house. All the rooms where your pets have access must be treated. These products have two functions: Firstly, a chemical which kills any adult fleas in the room and secondly an insect growth and development inhibitor' which prevents the eggs and larvae progressing to their next stage and lasts for many months depending upon the product used. Spray your rooms with this product twice a year and you will substantially depopulate the house of fleas. as well as spiders (!) Do read the directions carefully as many are potentially toxic to fish. If you prefer to use a non insecticidal spray within your home the new product Skoosh will provide such an alternative.

A flea contraceptive: Program works by preventing the flea pupa from emerging from the egg. are extremely effective and have a high safety margins. Where there are no fleas in the house, this product alone should prevent any household infestation so long as all dogs and cats in the house are treated at the same time every month. In houses that are infested with flea eggs and larvae, it will reduce the egg and larval infestation of the house to a a very low level after a few months of continuous use. Please remember it prevents flea breeding but does not kill fleas.