Treating cats for bed bugs

buggedinbrookly

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Unfortunately, I just found a bed bug. And, as my wife and I have begun getting bitten, it appears that our kitties are getting bitten, too. Is there anything anyone has used to keep cats from being bitten by these nasty little vampires?
 

beandip

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I'm not familiar with bed bugs. What do they look like?

Are you sure it wasn't a flea?

If it was fleas, then I would say get some of the topical treatment from THE VET. The store bought stuff is not safe. I like Revolution, Advantage, or Frontline.
 
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buggedinbrookly

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbug

And pray you never see one. It's not there yet, but it's approaching epidemic proportions here in NYC.

To be honest, I've never seen one on the cats, but I've never seen one on me, either. They've never had bites before, but in the past couple of weeks we've all been itching at tidy little geometric bite patterns.
 

beandip

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EEK... I think I would contact an exterminator. You'll probably have to evacuate everyone for treatment.

Besides that, I would call a vet and ask about the cats. Revolution might work, but of couse it's not advertised as being effective against bedbugs. But it does work on a number of other bugs and parasites. It's absorbed into the bloodstream and then the bugs die when they feast on the blood. Since bedbugs eat blood, then it might work on them too? It's available from vets.

http://www.revolution4cats.com/displ...ies=FL&sec=100
 

kittiesx2

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Originally Posted by buggedinbrookly

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bedbug
Nasty little things

The website that you posted has some great ways of finding/getting rid of bedbugs. Have you checked in the seams of your mattress? The website said that double stickyback tape along the bottom edges of your mattress or boxspring can stop them from climbing onto the bed?
Good luck
 
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buggedinbrookly

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Yes - I have up-ended my life and begun the purging and bagging process - the exterminator will come through once that is done. And while my wife and I will probably be safe in our bed, I fear for my little kitties. Somewhere had mentioned using DE (diatomaceous earth) as a dusting powder for the cats (it won't necessarily keep them away from the cats, but it should kill them) but I'd like to do more prevention than launch an offensive, at least via my cats.
 

deljo

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I work in an apt. bldg. in Cleveland, March 2006 we had about 5 units that were infected. Of course we have exterminators but the darn things go dormant and just when you think its over one will resurface. Its been over a year and we are still doing monthly checks. Its been a big fear of mine that I would carry them home. Of course everyone else in our office is also scared. One of the exterminators took them home even though he would wind duct tape around his pant legs so they could not crawl up.I would be so scared for my cats. In the U.S. the DDT that used to kill them is not legal to use anymore. As you will read online its almost impossible to get rid of them. Good luck with your endeavors.
 
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buggedinbrookly

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As beandip said above, and as a local vet has said has proven to be effective (she said she's had at least a dozen calls this year about cats being bitten by bed bugs), is that Revolution seems to work.
 

piestealer

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bed bugs don't live on their food source. They're attracted to warmth to eat and then they go back into hiding. Unless your cat is actively being bitten, no bed bugs should be on him. I would just isolate the cat from the bug source, probably your mattress. 
 
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