Sunday, August 10, 2008

Fleas and Romance

My cats have fleas. UGH. Gross. I hate bugs. Especially bugs that bite, gnaw and jump.

They have been itching for a while but I didn't even think it could be fleas until I saw one jump right off of my cat today. I was traumatized. I hopped immediately into my car and sped to the grocery store to buy flea killer.

First of all, fleas are impossible to kill. Seriously. Remember the superhero cartoon The Tick? That's a great idea for a superhero considering how un-crushable fleas and ticks are. I could probably shoot a three pointer before I could successfully crush a flea between my fingers.

De-fleaing a cat is definately a two person job. I don't know how the old single ladies with a million cats do it on their own. My husband had to hold the cats down while I combed them and drowned the fleas in rubbing alcohol. We finally got a system down and the result was a massive flea-genocide. Poor flea bag kitties!

I have to say that de-fleaing our cats together was kind of romantic in a sick way. It was one of those everyday mundane moments that is made better simply because you have someone you love to do it with you. By the end of the task, we also shared the paranoia that we were now covered in fleas. When one of us would itch randomly, we exchanged knowing looks. I hope it's just our imagination playing tricks on us.

I couldn't help but think how cute my husband was in sharing my concern for our itchy babies. Really, it was almost enough for me to throw down the flea comb and bottle of rubbing alcohol and take him right there on the kitchen floor. Almost. Then he scratched his leg and all I could think about were itty bitty, crawly, biting fleas.

6 comments:

KC said...

Are you using Frontline plus for kitties? We have had a couple of flea problems and it is definitely the best- it kills the eggs as well as the fleas.Removing fleas off from your kitties is only half the battle as by now there are flea eggs all over your house ready to hatch and jump back on the cats. Vacumming can make the fleas hatch early which is good if you have already used some flea medication.

Good luck! I hate fleas too, and its so embarrassing but we soon learned if you live anywhere near any other animals there is no escape from fleas, they can move so fast and so far!

I'm so excited for your baby to come.

postscript said...

I hope you guys are able to get rid of those fleas FAST. WE've never had that happen to us--our only pet was a guinea pig. We do have ants, though...at least they don't itch :)

KG said...

I agree with kym ... the only way you can really stop the cycle of fleas is to get them on one of those pills. Then they'll die off in your house. Otherwise you'll spray a ton of that nasty chemical everywhere and it won't help!

Anonymous said...

i have to disagree with the comment about the "nasty chemical" most modern pesticides are very safe if used correcly, a good residual insecticide such as deltamethrin used in your home combined regular vacuuming and a treatment of front-line on your pet or similar is the best way to deal with fleas.

Downsized Attorney said...

Nothing like blood sucking pests to bring a relationship together!

the dragonfly said...

I think it's kind of sweet that you did it together. Hope they don't come back!!!!