Cat and Pest Extermination

I have a 17 month old young cat and live in an apartment. We have just been notified that our apartment building is going to be treated by professional pest exterminators next week and that pets should be removed from the apartment and the building during the treatment. We are being told that we (kitty and me) can safely return to the apartment once the treatment is complete, which should only be 2-3 hours at most.

I'm wondering if it's really safe to bring her back inside that soon afterwards. I can easily keep her out of the building in her carrying case for a few hours for that amount of time (it's cool here) but if it's really not safe to take her back inside after the exterminators are done, my only other option is to board her for the day. My vet recommends that pets in his care not be boarded however, since they may pick up illnesses from other cats that way.

I guess my bottom line question is will it be safe to bring my cat back into the apartment once the exterminators are finished or should I keep her out longer and maybe even board her overnight? I've never dealt with this situation with a pet before so any advice will be appreciated. Thanks.

I guess it would depend what they are using.  I'm a worrier, so if it were me I'd probably stay out for the evening (myself included).  Is there a hotel in your area that allows pets that you could stay at for the night?.

Miss Mew said:

I guess it would depend what they are using.  I'm a worrier, so if it were me I'd probably stay out for the evening (myself included).  Is there a hotel in your area that allows pets that you could stay at for the night?.

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This is probably what I would do also. I'd also make a quick trip home when the time stated was up just to open windows and let the apartment air out. Though I am sure they know what they are doing and have done it hundreds of times, I know I'd feel safer giving it more time to air out.

Personally I would board her for a night or two, it would just make me feel better. Then I'd vaccuum everything and open all the windows and try to air the place out for when she came home. I don't know what they're doing specifically, but my friend stayed at a hotel that had been treated for pests and came in contact with drapery that had been treated, and I guess she touched her face, because her entire face and hand broke out in massive welts from it. I think better safe than sorry, even though her case was probably rare!

A belated thanks for the responses, which were most helpful. I decided to do some further checking with my apt. management and they said that if I didn’t have a current infestation (and I didn’t), the treatment wouldn’t be nearly as extensive. As it turned out, I didn’t have to board the cat and in fact, the exterminator placed just a few drops of gel under and around the kitchen sink (something I have done myself in the past). The entire process took only about 90 seconds.

Hi Tumbleweed01.

I do hope that these gel "drops" are out-of-reach of your kitty.........that material is likely a much more concentrated version of the usual sprays that are used.

From what you wrote, I'm visualizing some of it being in an unenclosed area/s....I hope not!