Carpet Beetle to blame for itchy kitty???

[Mykatiebaby00]

As far as I've been told by several sources, not ALL essential oils are toxic to cats.
I use several oils in my apartment. Sometimes I diffuse it in the air, and sometimes I spray it on furniture or on items to add a good smell.
I'm careful on which oils I use though, because I do have a cat-as you know, and a dog as well.
I also don't use the oils full strength. I dilute them with a carrier, usually with coconut oil.
As far as the peppermint oil goes, I only tried it that one time on my cat's bump. It didn't seem to do anything to her, or the bump.
I will double check though about peppermint being safe for cats-just in case- because I know some are safe for dogs that aren't safe for cats, and vice versa.

On another note, I have read that you can mix 91% rubbing alcohol with peppermint oil and spray it to deter carpet beetles from laying eggs where you spray it, and it also kills them.
There's also diatomaceous earth, (food grade) which is 100% safe for humans and pets.

If you read my post you'll see that I said that I moved into a new apartment. We've been here for a month and a half now.
Guess what I found in my bathroom cupboard, under the sink last night? A live carpet beetle larvae! Ugghhh!
When we moved I seriously went through every item, clothing, even pieces of paper by hand, with a fine tooth comb. I washed and dried everything. I got rid of my couches, our beds, my headboard set that had cabinets that attached to it, my dresser, and a vanity to reduce the risk of transferring them with us.
And here I found one again. *crying*
My Mom & brother helped me pack the apartment, & also wash ALL of our laundry to make sure it was safe, & I don't think they were as careful as I was, so unfortunately I think some May have survived in some bags of laundry somehow.
I hadn't unpacked a couple bags and had them sitting in my bathroom, so I'm PRAYING it just crawled out of the bag into the dark cupboard and is confined to that one room. I haven't seen any others, and believe me, I've looked EVERYWHERE.
I really hope you get rid of your problem! Apparently, I'm still working on mine...

Omg ESSENTIAL OILS ARE DEADLY TOXIC TO CATS!!! I have carpet beetle problems too and at a loss as to what to do. Already had exterminators in 3wks ago. I foster and my new foster is acting like a mop I think and bringing them into my bed. I think its the larvae and I must be allergic because of horrible itchy rash all over my torso (where kitten was on my bed) What do I do to get rid of them or I won't be able to foster again.
But ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE DEADLY TOXIC TO CATS they will lick and it can shut down their kidneys and liver and kill them. DON'T USE!!!!

 

[Mykatiebaby00]

Oh I wanted to say also that I've read that you can rub the diatomaceous earth onto your pets fur to kill any bugs that may be on them. It may help if your kitty is bringing larvae onto your bed.
I've even read of people sprinkling the DE right onto your mattress, then covering it with a fitted sheet.
The DE won't kill them right away-it takes time, but it WILL kill them and help combat the problem. It seems to me if used in addition with regular cleaning, it could be helpful. I JUST got the DE and am trying it out.
Also, I read to spray your sheets with the 91% rubbing alcohol and it'll deter the carpet beetles (in all stages) from coming onto your bed as well. Some people even wrote that they sprayed their hair with it to deter them from getting in their hair. It seems to be mixed opinions and stories on whether they really do get in a live human or pets hair though...
Let me know if you have any success?

As far as I've been told by several sources, not ALL essential oils are toxic to cats.
I use several oils in my apartment. Sometimes I diffuse it in the air, and sometimes I spray it on furniture or on items to add a good smell.
I'm careful on which oils I use though, because I do have a cat-as you know, and a dog as well.
I also don't use the oils full strength. I dilute them with a carrier, usually with coconut oil.
As far as the peppermint oil goes, I only tried it that one time on my cat's bump. It didn't seem to do anything to her, or the bump.
I will double check though about peppermint being safe for cats-just in case- because I know some are safe for dogs that aren't safe for cats, and vice versa.

On another note, I have read that you can mix 91% rubbing alcohol with peppermint oil and spray it to deter carpet beetles from laying eggs where you spray it, and it also kills them.
There's also diatomaceous earth, (food grade) which is 100% safe for humans and pets.

If you read my post you'll see that I said that I moved into a new apartment. We've been here for a month and a half now.
Guess what I found in my bathroom cupboard, under the sink last night? A live carpet beetle larvae! Ugghhh!
When we moved I seriously went through every item, clothing, even pieces of paper by hand, with a fine tooth comb. I washed and dried everything. I got rid of my couches, our beds, my headboard set that had cabinets that attached to it, my dresser, and a vanity to reduce the risk of transferring them with us.
And here I found one again. *crying*
My Mom & brother helped me pack the apartment, & also wash ALL of our laundry to make sure it was safe, & I don't think they were as careful as I was, so unfortunately I think some May have survived in some bags of laundry somehow.
I hadn't unpacked a couple bags and had them sitting in my bathroom, so I'm PRAYING it just crawled out of the bag into the dark cupboard and is confined to that one room. I haven't seen any others, and believe me, I've looked EVERYWHERE.
I really hope you get rid of your problem! Apparently, I'm still working on mine...

 

[Mykatiebaby00]

Ok, sorry, this is the last post. Lol.
I just wanted to double check the using peppermint oil on cats & dogs.
So it turns out I was wrong about it being ok for cats. I had it thought it was ok because I had remembered it being ok for dogs, and had it confused with SPEARMINT. ( which is even said to be used with caution.)
Peppermint is OK for Dogs, but not for Cats.
Good thing I only used the peppermint 1 time, diluted, and it was luckily in a spot she couldn't lick!
Anyway, here is my source of the info. (And I do only use Doterra.)

Here's the link for Cats:
Essential Oils for Cats - What You Need to Know!

Here's the link for Dogs:
DoTERRA Essential oils for dogs - Healing in Our Homes

Oh I wanted to say also that I've read that you can rub the diatomaceous earth onto your pets fur to kill any bugs that may be on them. It may help if your kitty is bringing larvae onto your bed.
I've even read of people sprinkling the DE right onto your mattress, then covering it with a fitted sheet.
The DE won't kill them right away-it takes time, but it WILL kill them and help combat the problem. It seems to me if used in addition with regular cleaning, it could be helpful. I JUST got the DE and am trying it out.
Also, I read to spray your sheets with the 91% rubbing alcohol and it'll deter the carpet beetles (in all stages) from coming onto your bed as well. Some people even wrote that they sprayed their hair with it to deter them from getting in their hair. It seems to be mixed opinions and stories on whether they really do get in a live human or pets hair though...
Let me know if you have any success?

 

[Poodles]

Oh I wanted to say also that I've read that you can rub the diatomaceous earth onto your pets fur to kill any bugs that may be on them. It may help if your kitty is bringing larvae onto your bed.
I've even read of people sprinkling the DE right onto your mattress, then covering it with a fitted sheet.
The DE won't kill them right away-it takes time, but it WILL kill them and help combat the problem. It seems to me if used in addition with regular cleaning, it could be helpful. I JUST got the DE and am trying it out.
Also, I read to spray your sheets with the 91% rubbing alcohol and it'll deter the carpet beetles (in all stages) from coming onto your bed as well. Some people even wrote that they sprayed their hair with it to deter them from getting in their hair. It seems to be mixed opinions and stories on whether they really do get in a live human or pets hair though...
Let me know if you have any success?

Oh I wanted to say also that I've read that you can rub the diatomaceous earth onto your pets fur to kill any bugs that may be on them. It may help if your kitty is bringing larvae onto your bed.
I've even read of people sprinkling the DE right onto your mattress, then covering it with a fitted sheet.
The DE won't kill them right away-it takes time, but it WILL kill them and help combat the problem. It seems to me if used in addition with regular cleaning, it could be helpful. I JUST got the DE and am trying it out.
Also, I read to spray your sheets with the 91% rubbing alcohol and it'll deter the carpet beetles (in all stages) from coming onto your bed as well. Some people even wrote that they sprayed their hair with it to deter them from getting in their hair. It seems to be mixed opinions and stories on whether they really do get in a live human or pets hair though...
Let me know if you have any success?

So thanks for all the info! I was dealing with a 4-6week old foster and I think there's really no way to quantify what most vets will say "toxic" do not use. That being said, I had to return her to rescue for both our sakes. Btw people who have never dealt with this think you're crazy! I also bought lavender and eucalyptus and added 91% alcohol and have been spraying everywhere . Bought food grade DE too but since I have COPD I don't really believe that its entirely harmless. Fogging supposedly doesn't work. Boric acid can but also toxic. I sprayed 91 alcohol all over my thick hair out of desperation the other night and left it on. Really hurt my scalp though. It's almost 2019 ! This is insane! There mustard be something else that works. This all began when the roof of myself bridling was replaced. Took 2 weeks of work. 2 other neighbors 1 with a dog have felt nothing.
Seemed to get better after exterminators sprayed around perimeters and sanitized sofas rugs mattress but 3 wks later and another foster kitten same thing!
It's driving me insane. Threw lots out, bagged and did tons of laundry. I had an infestation of bird mites 2yrs ago in a different apartment after pigeons nested outside bedroom window. Wonder ifThis seems the same in terms of skin ration and nor finding evidence of bugs so not sure if it's carpet beetles. Looked everywhere. I must be allergic. Debating ifs I should go to allergy doc for a shot????
Losing my mind....

 

[Poodles]

So thanks for all the info! I was dealing with a 4-6week old foster and I think there's really no way to quantify what most vets will say "toxic" do not use. That being said, I had to return her to rescue for both our sakes. Btw people who have never dealt with this think you're crazy! I also bought lavender and eucalyptus and added 91% alcohol and have been spraying everywhere . Bought food grade DE too but since I have COPD I don't really believe that its entirely harmless. Fogging supposedly doesn't work. Boric acid can but also toxic. I sprayed 91 alcohol all over my thick hair out of desperation the other night and left it on. Really hurt my scalp though. It's almost 2019 ! This is insane! There mustard be something else that works. This all began when the roof of myself bridling was replaced. Took 2 weeks of work. 2 other neighbors 1 with a dog have felt nothing.
Seemed to get better after exterminators sprayed around perimeters and sanitized sofas rugs mattress but 3 wks later and another foster kitten same thing!
It's driving me insane. Threw lots out, bagged and did tons of laundry. I had an infestation of bird mites 2yrs ago in a different apartment after pigeons nested outside bedroom window. Wonder ifThis seems the same in terms of skin ration and nor finding evidence of bugs so not sure if it's carpet beetles. Looked everywhere. I must be allergic. Debating ifs I should go to allergy doc for a shot????
Losing my mind....

 

[Poodles]

So thanks for all the info! I was dealing with a 4-6week old foster and I think there's really no way to quantify what most vets will say "toxic" do not use. That being said, I had to return her to rescue for both our sakes. Btw people who have never dealt with this think you're crazy! I also bought lavender and eucalyptus and added 91% alcohol and have been spraying everywhere . Bought food grade DE too but since I have COPD I don't really believe that its entirely harmless. Fogging supposedly doesn't work. Boric acid can but also toxic. I sprayed 91 alcohol all over my thick hair out of desperation the other night and left it on. Really hurt my scalp though. It's almost 2019 ! This is insane! There mustard be something else that works. This all began when the roof of myself bridling was replaced. Took 2 weeks of work. 2 other neighbors 1 with a dog have felt nothing.
Seemed to get better after exterminators sprayed around perimeters and sanitized sofas rugs mattress but 3 wks later and another foster kitten same thing!
It's driving me insane. Threw lots out, bagged and did tons of laundry. I had an infestation of bird mites 2yrs ago in a different apartment after pigeons nested outside bedroom window. Wonder ifThis seems the same in terms of skin ration and nor finding evidence of bugs so not sure if it's carpet beetles. Looked everywhere. I must be allergic. Debating ifs I should go to allergy doc for a shot????
Losing my mind....

Didn't check for autocorrect This time it began when the roof of my building was replaced .This photo is either bites, which would be new adult mites looking for blood meal or barbs of carpet beetle larvae. Also going to drop a lot on a roomba. If I hit the lottery would dispose of 100% of belongings and move!!!!

 

[Mykatiebaby00]

Oh no! I'm sorry the kitty had to go back. Perhaps it was the best thing for both of you though, til you can get the problem under control.
It's funny you mentioned bird mites because I was just talking to my Aunt last night & she said she had a friend that they thought they had a bad infestation of bird mites, but after she heard about my problems with carpet beetles she wondered if they had them too.
I told her it could be, because carpet beetle larvae are often in birds nests and such.
So maybe you are dealing with a two-fold problem?
I've also read a lot about people with carpet beetles developing something called "Morgellon's." From what I've gathered in reading people's stories, they are treated like they are 'crazy', but they have definite rashes and super bad itchy skin.
I feel like that's me! But I only have a few bumps here and there. I'm just SUPER itchy ALL THE TIME. I don't think it's allergies to something food wise or environmental as it all started a few months BEFORE I found out I had carpet beetles (which makes sense-i wondered why I was so itchy, why my pets were so itchy,etc.), I've changed my laundry detergent a bunch of times, and even take hydroxyzine for itching. Nothing seems to help.
And here I am in a new apartment with carpet beetles, AGAIN.
I put peppermint oil in my shampoo to try to make sure no larvae were getting in my hair cuz I scratched my head like crazy cause it was itching so bad. It dries our your hair pretty bad too. I tried spraying alcohol too, but it dried it out waaay too bad.
My cat is losing fur around her ears and its thinking around her face. It's just started becoming more noticeable. Same with my dog.
But when I brought her to the vet for the bumps, they just said it was allergies. TO WHAT?!
I was given a mousse to rub into her fur, and told to give her cetirizine 5mg once a day. (Generic allegra I believe).
The mousse is just for dry skin & doesn't seem to do anything but reduce the amount of dandruff she has a little bit.
But they both started itching around the same time I DID, so it leads me to believe that it has something to do with the carpet beetle larvae hairs.
That, or they missed that they have some type of mites...
They did look at the dandruff under the microscope to make sure it isnt walking dandruff, but she didn't take a closer skin scrape sample & look at it under the microscope- just brushed some hair that had dandruff on it.
Needless to say, I don't believe she did a thorough job inspecting her. I think she should've checked further, because my kitty had some pretty bad bumps on her. It just didn't seem like they could come out of nowhere from allergies.
You never know though!
Seems to me that if there was an apocalypse, the only things left living would be roaches, scorpions, and carpet beetles/CB larvae!!

So thanks for all the info! I was dealing with a 4-6week old foster and I think there's really no way to quantify what most vets will say "toxic" do not use. That being said, I had to return her to rescue for both our sakes. Btw people who have never dealt with this think you're crazy! I also bought lavender and eucalyptus and added 91% alcohol and have been spraying everywhere . Bought food grade DE too but since I have COPD I don't really believe that its entirely harmless. Fogging supposedly doesn't work. Boric acid can but also toxic. I sprayed 91 alcohol all over my thick hair out of desperation the other night and left it on. Really hurt my scalp though. It's almost 2019 ! This is insane! There mustard be something else that works. This all began when the roof of myself bridling was replaced. Took 2 weeks of work. 2 other neighbors 1 with a dog have felt nothing.
Seemed to get better after exterminators sprayed around perimeters and sanitized sofas rugs mattress but 3 wks later and another foster kitten same thing!
It's driving me insane. Threw lots out, bagged and did tons of laundry. I had an infestation of bird mites 2yrs ago in a different apartment after pigeons nested outside bedroom window. Wonder ifThis seems the same in terms of skin ration and nor finding evidence of bugs so not sure if it's carpet beetles. Looked everywhere. I must be allergic. Debating ifs I should go to allergy doc for a shot????
Losing my mind....

 

[Mykatiebaby00]

Holy Cr*p, that is BAD!
I would definitely say go get an allergy shot!
My few bumps are nothing like that.
Honestly, those are like the bumps my cat has on her. They are pretty big and raised like that. But she had a FEW, very scattered.
Maybe yours are HIVES? Kinda looks like it, maybe?

Didn't check for autocorrect This time it began when the roof of my building was replaced .This photo is either bites, which would be new adult mites looking for blood meal or barbs of carpet beetle larvae. Also going to drop a lot on a roomba. If I hit the lottery would dispose of 100% of belongings and move!!!!

 

[Poodles]

Oh no! I'm sorry the kitty had to go back. Perhaps it was the best thing for both of you though, til you can get the problem under control.
It's funny you mentioned bird mites because I was just talking to my Aunt last night & she said she had a friend that they thought they had a bad infestation of bird mites, but after she heard about my problems with carpet beetles she wondered if they had them too.
I told her it could be, because carpet beetle larvae are often in birds nests and such.
So maybe you are dealing with a two-fold problem?
I've also read a lot about people with carpet beetles developing something called "Morgellon's." From what I've gathered in reading people's stories, they are treated like they are 'crazy', but they have definite rashes and super bad itchy skin.
I feel like that's me! But I only have a few bumps here and there. I'm just SUPER itchy ALL THE TIME. I don't think it's allergies to something food wise or environmental as it all started a few months BEFORE I found out I had carpet beetles (which makes sense-i wondered why I was so itchy, why my pets were so itchy,etc.), I've changed my laundry detergent a bunch of times, and even take hydroxyzine for itching. Nothing seems to help.
And here I am in a new apartment with carpet beetles, AGAIN.
I put peppermint oil in my shampoo to try to make sure no larvae were getting in my hair cuz I scratched my head like crazy cause it was itching so bad. It dries our your hair pretty bad too. I tried spraying alcohol too, but it dried it out waaay too bad.
My cat is losing fur around her ears and its thinking around her face. It's just started becoming more noticeable. Same with my dog.
But when I brought her to the vet for the bumps, they just said it was allergies. TO WHAT?!
I was given a mousse to rub into her fur, and told to give her cetirizine 5mg once a day. (Generic allegra I believe).
The mousse is just for dry skin & doesn't seem to do anything but reduce the amount of dandruff she has a little bit.
But they both started itching around the same time I DID, so it leads me to believe that it has something to do with the carpet beetle larvae hairs.
That, or they missed that they have some type of mites...
They did look at the dandruff under the microscope to make sure it isnt walking dandruff, but she didn't take a closer skin scrape sample & look at it under the microscope- just brushed some hair that had dandruff on it.
Needless to say, I don't believe she did a thorough job inspecting her. I think she should've checked further, because my kitty had some pretty bad bumps on her. It just didn't seem like they could come out of nowhere from allergies.
You never know though!
Seems to me that if there was an apocalypse, the only things left living would be roaches, scorpions, and carpet beetles/CB larvae!!

Yeah I think it's 2fold and may have brought CB larvae with me! There's also Tea tree oil shampoo but all this stuff is very drying. I also have a horribly itchy scalp. I think you need a new vet who will scrape. I could actually see bird mite nymphs walking on my laptop but CB evidence is eluding me. Joni Mitchell has Morgellon's .
I think the way I finally got rid of bird mites was literally carpet bombing .
Fog a couple of times, 3-4 weeks apart, put DE down, roomba, vacuum, wash/dry and maybe get allergy shot from doctor. It's insanity isn't it ??
But seriously find another vet and pre-interview doc over phone so you don't waste money. If you insist and are polite they will talk to you.
Good luck.
NJ pestilence

 

[Poodles]

Holy Cr*p, that is BAD!
I would definitely say go get an allergy shot!
My few bumps are nothing like that.
Honestly, those are like the bumps my cat has on her. They are pretty big and raised like that. But she had a FEW, very scattered.
Maybe yours are HIVES? Kinda looks like it, maybe?

Forgot. You can also try to collect some possible samples on glue trap and send to your State University Entomology dept. I did that in NJ Rutgers University and they didn't find any worrisome species but they hard to find and catch.

 

[Pantherprincess]

As far as I've been told by several sources, not ALL essential oils are toxic to cats.
I use several oils in my apartment. Sometimes I diffuse it in the air, and sometimes I spray it on furniture or on items to add a good smell.
I'm careful on which oils I use though, because I do have a cat-as you know, and a dog as well.
I also don't use the oils full strength. I dilute them with a carrier, usually with coconut oil.
As far as the peppermint oil goes, I only tried it that one time on my cat's bump. It didn't seem to do anything to her, or the bump.
I will double check though about peppermint being safe for cats-just in case- because I know some are safe for dogs that aren't safe for cats, and vice versa.

On another note, I have read that you can mix 91% rubbing alcohol with peppermint oil and spray it to deter carpet beetles from laying eggs where you spray it, and it also kills them.
There's also diatomaceous earth, (food grade) which is 100% safe for humans and pets.

If you read my post you'll see that I said that I moved into a new apartment. We've been here for a month and a half now.
Guess what I found in my bathroom cupboard, under the sink last night? A live carpet beetle larvae! Ugghhh!
When we moved I seriously went through every item, clothing, even pieces of paper by hand, with a fine tooth comb. I washed and dried everything. I got rid of my couches, our beds, my headboard set that had cabinets that attached to it, my dresser, and a vanity to reduce the risk of transferring them with us.
And here I found one again. *crying*
My Mom & brother helped me pack the apartment, & also wash ALL of our laundry to make sure it was safe, & I don't think they were as careful as I was, so unfortunately I think some May have survived in some bags of laundry somehow.
I hadn't unpacked a couple bags and had them sitting in my bathroom, so I'm PRAYING it just crawled out of the bag into the dark cupboard and is confined to that one room. I haven't seen any others, and believe me, I've looked EVERYWHERE.
I really hope you get rid of your problem! Apparently, I'm still working on mine...

Carpet Beetle IS AN ABSOLUTE CAT PROBLEM!!! And human. Vets are way, WAY uneducated on this issue!! Unless you go to a dermatologist Vet and even then, good luck!! Do NOT foster a cat if you’re battling these. They get on their flanks, anus area, they clean n get facial dermatitis, gagging, sneezing, throwing up from over-grooming. Carpet beetles love lint, cat hair, cotton, WOOL, feathers, dried flowers, CAT FOOD...and carpets, window sills, car carpets etc. You MUST vacumme like every 4-5 dats, mop cat food areas. Do not leave dry food out overnight. Call open borders in kitchens, baths, anywhere humid. Scoop daily cat boxes, change every 5-7 days. Add a good cup or more of DE (diatomaceous earth -human grade) and I dust my kitties (carful of eyes n nose) but get under chins, cheeks around ears, tummy’s, flanks, around private’s n brush it in, work it in well to the skin...comb it in..check their anus area for ones that stick to their bottoms. These things can be so tiny it’s unbelievable. I went thru 5 exterminators who never diagnosed my issue, 5 Vets who unless I cried barely did a skin scraping on cats for scope. I bought my own scope on Amazon for $11 n started taking tape samples n sent it in to local extension office ZERO help until finally they began noticing it was carpet beetles. By then I’d already figured it out. You just must wash cat bedding weekly of not more. Synthetic is best like a throw. No wool!! Rotate ur clothing n check it closely. Clutter must go. They like to get underneath sofas n chairs n love crumbs. You have to pull out furniture n suction around cracks n crevices. Anywhere their is cat fur. Clean ur laundry area well. Lint is a good source...CAR FUR Bigtime!! The poor girl who lost her beloved cat in such a traumatic way.... my tears and prayers go out to you... I had a full blown infestation, had to sell my home. They followed me through my car carpets n on the backs of some paintings I had. Unreal!!! I got extreme dermatitis from them. Use head n shoulders on ur hair n braid it n keep it up if you can. I still let my cats sleep with me but I use a separate cotton sheet to wrap them in. Careful humidifying up your home or laundry area...then mites come in. I’ve bedn thru pure HORROR w these things... you can be completely infested and not realize until it’s overwhelming. Contact me if you need help... [email protected] bless you all n protect your cats... medicated shampoo them, brush them well...if they’re chewing or licking it’s bevatse they are distressed!! Not nuts!!! Neither are we!! Like most people treat this “no seeums” issue!!! God bless!!!

 

[Pantherprincess]

Has anyone ever dealt with a carpet beetle problem (I cannot bring myself to use the word 'infestation')? I have two 12 yr old cats and one has been licking her tummy bald for about a year now (she was labeled insane--psychogenic alopecia) and another who's just started scratching and biting at his fur a few months ago. They've been on two new diets since (both grain-free and unique protein and carb sources), I've purchased HEPA allergen filters and have checked for fleas. Decided to check their bedding today (duh!) and found the carpet beetle larvae (thank you, Internets!). So…could THIS be the allergy source? I've found info on humans with carpet beetle larvae dermatitis but not a d*mned thing on cats.

HELP?!?!

Carpet Beetle IS AN ABSOLUTE CAT PROBLEM!!! And human. Vets are way, WAY uneducated on this issue!! Unless you go to a dermatologist Vet and even then, good luck!! Do NOT foster a cat if you’re battling these. They get on their flanks, anus area, they clean n get facial dermatitis, gagging, sneezing, throwing up from over-grooming. Carpet beetles love lint, cat hair, cotton, WOOL, feathers, dried flowers, CAT FOOD...and carpets, window sills, car carpets etc. You MUST vacumme like every 4-5 dats, mop cat food areas. Do not leave dry food out overnight. Call open borders in kitchens, baths, anywhere humid. Scoop daily cat boxes, change every 5-7 days. Add a good cup or more of DE (diatomaceous earth -human grade) and I dust my kitties (carful of eyes n nose) but get under chins, cheeks around ears, tummy’s, flanks, around private’s n brush it in, work it in well to the skin...comb it in..check their anus area for ones that stick to their bottoms. These things can be so tiny it’s unbelievable. I went thru 5 exterminators who never diagnosed my issue, 5 Vets who unless I cried barely did a skin scraping on cats for scope. I bought my own scope on Amazon for $11 n started taking tape samples n sent it in to local extension office ZERO help until finally they began noticing it was carpet beetles. By then I’d already figured it out. You just must wash cat bedding weekly of not more. Synthetic is best like a throw. No wool!! Rotate ur clothing n check it closely. Clutter must go. They like to get underneath sofas n chairs n love crumbs. You have to pull out furniture n suction around cracks n crevices. Anywhere their is cat fur. Clean ur laundry area well. Lint is a good source...CAR FUR Bigtime!! The poor girl who lost her beloved cat in such a traumatic way.... my tears and prayers go out to you... I had a full blown infestation, had to sell my home. They followed me through my car carpets n on the backs of some paintings I had. Unreal!!! I got extreme dermatitis from them. Use head n shoulders on ur hair n braid it n keep it up if you can. I still let my cats sleep with me but I use a separate cotton sheet to wrap them in. Careful humidifying up your home or laundry area...then mites come in. I’ve bedn thru pure HORROR w these things... you can be completely infested and not realize until it’s overwhelming. Contact me if you need help... [email protected]bless you all n protect your cats... medicated shampoo them, brush them well...if they’re chewing or licking it’s bevatse they are distressed!! Not nuts!!! Neither are we!! Like most people treat this “no seeums” issue!!! God bless!!!

 

[Pantherprincess]

you suggest to toss things the cat sleeps on? He gets into the guest bedroom and the bed is full of hair! So washing it? will that get rid of eggs or what ever those little buggers create

Toss it!!! Suction that entire room!!!

 

[Pantherprincess]

Has anyone ever dealt with a carpet beetle problem (I cannot bring myself to use the word 'infestation')? I have two 12 yr old cats and one has been licking her tummy bald for about a year now (she was labeled insane--psychogenic alopecia) and another who's just started scratching and biting at his fur a few months ago. They've been on two new diets since (both grain-free and unique protein and carb sources), I've purchased HEPA allergen filters and have checked for fleas. Decided to check their bedding today (duh!) and found the carpet beetle larvae (thank you, Internets!). So…could THIS be the allergy source? I've found info on humans with carpet beetle larvae dermatitis but not a d*mned thing on cats.

HELP?!?!

G

I had a carpet beetle problem this past summer. Contrary to what people believe, they actually come in from outside. I found them mostly on my windowsills...not the carpet. BUT they do eat fibers and will make their way to the food source...the carpet. What I didn't know about carpet beetles is that cat hair is a MAJOR food source for them. Yucky! So, if the cat beds have a lot of hair and stuff in them, I would suggest tossing them and getting new clean ones.

I really don't know if carpet beetles would cause an allergy. I'm inclined to say no, but I really don't know for sure. What I do know is that you might as well not put the vacuum away. Vacuum, vacuum, vacuum! Those buggers are a PITA!

If both cats are balding, scratching, and licking like crazy, try to look at some other common denominators. Harsh cleaning products? Wool? Latex?

its carpet beetles!!! Believe me!! It’s so awful on kitties.... read my reply to the others....Carpet Beetle IS AN ABSOLUTE CAT PROBLEM!!! And human. Vets are way, WAY uneducated on this issue!! Unless you go to a dermatologist Vet and even then, good luck!! Do NOT foster a cat if you’re battling these. They get on their flanks, anus area, they clean n get facial dermatitis, gagging, sneezing, throwing up from over-grooming. Carpet beetles love lint, cat hair, cotton, WOOL, feathers, dried flowers, CAT FOOD...and carpets, window sills, car carpets etc. You MUST vacumme like every 4-5 dats, mop cat food areas. Do not leave dry food out overnight. Call open borders in kitchens, baths, anywhere humid. Scoop daily cat boxes, change every 5-7 days. Add a good cup or more of DE (diatomaceous earth -human grade) and I dust my kitties (carful of eyes n nose) but get under chins, cheeks around ears, tummy’s, flanks, around private’s n brush it in, work it in well to the skin...comb it in..check their anus area for ones that stick to their bottoms. These things can be so tiny it’s unbelievable. I went thru 5 exterminators who never diagnosed my issue, 5 Vets who unless I cried barely did a skin scraping on cats for scope. I bought my own scope on Amazon for $11 n started taking tape samples n sent it in to local extension office ZERO help until finally they began noticing it was carpet beetles. By then I’d already figured it out. You just must wash cat bedding weekly of not more. Synthetic is best like a throw. No wool!! Rotate ur clothing n check it closely. Clutter must go. They like to get underneath sofas n chairs n love crumbs. You have to pull out furniture n suction around cracks n crevices. Anywhere their is cat fur. Clean ur laundry area well. Lint is a good source...CAR FUR Bigtime!! The poor girl who lost her beloved cat in such a traumatic way.... my tears and prayers go out to you... I had a full blown infestation, had to sell my home. They followed me through my car carpets n on the backs of some paintings I had. Unreal!!! I got extreme dermatitis from them. Use head n shoulders on ur hair n braid it n keep it up if you can. I still let my cats sleep with me but I use a separate cotton sheet to wrap them in. Careful humidifying up your home or laundry area...then mites come in. I’ve bedn thru pure HORROR w these things... you can be completely infested and not realize until it’s overwhelming. bless you all n protect your cats... medicated shampoo them, brush them well...if they’re chewing or licking it’s bevatse they are distressed!! Not nuts!!! Neither are we!! Like most people treat this “no seeums” issue!!! God bless!!!

 

[Pantherprincess]

Hi Triplecheck.

I just read your post about your kitty. I am sorry that you lost her and know how hard it is. I have always had several cats all at once and sadly I lost 4 cats within about a year's time last year. They were 14, 16, 16 and 18 yrs old. I have also had carpet beetles in the past and currently have them again. I have so much cat hair everywhere and cleaning it all up is nearly impossible. Will be working on doing that again this week.

According to my vet and information that I read online, it is very unlikely that these bugs caused your cat to be sick and die. I have learned many times over that older cats can have a lot of health issues that are not known for some time. My old cats have had hyperthyroidism which was treated for some time with cream in the ear and one had cancer of the mouth, which was horrible when I found out. She was a sweet kitty and could not open her mouth very wide to eat. It was really hard putting her down but since I had so many cats and she managed to get food down, I did not notice at first. It was only when my vet was giving her an annual exam when he noticed he could not get her mouth open.

I also had a cat that got a really bad case of pancreatitis and stopped eating. By the time I realized that she was not eating at all and it was serious, her organs had started to shut down. I have also had multiple cats with kidney issues many times over, and the list goes on and on. I also had one that had a viral infection that I could never get rid of. I have had them stop eating and I put them through tests and shots and medicines and after the 4 latest ones, I realized that I made them suffer by trying to help them get better when it was just not going to work. It will be really hard, but I hope that I don't put my remaining 8 cats through that again. If it looks bad and getting better is not likely, I hope that I can just put them down without them suffering more by me trying to save them.

I truly believe that we will see our pets again in heaven, IF we are believers.

I think that your kitty was probably sick from something serious and it was just her time to go. Please do not blame yourself. Just know that you gave her the best home you could for a long time and a lot of kitties never get that. I am really good at the blame game and I blamed myself for every kitty who passed that I loved. Kept second guessing every decision and know I am finally realizing that when they are very sick, I have to stop thinking about trying to save them, to keep them here with me, when putting them down is better for them, if they are really sick.

The only thing that I would suggest, WITHOUT QUESTION, is to get another vet. Your vet sounds horrible. My vet would always give me the facts and I always made my own decision and decided when I was going to put them down. He was always ready to do what I wanted. I just cannot fathom a vet like yours. Sounds like they don't love animals at all or value you as a customer.

Just please do not blame yourself. It does not help at all. Just remember that you gave your kitty a great home and she was getting up there in years at 15 yrs old. Sometimes there is just nothing you can do to help them.

Nope. Carpet beetles for sure!! Vets do NOT know anything about carpet beetles and cats... ZERO!!!!

 

[Pantherprincess]

Omg ESSENTIAL OILS ARE DEADLY TOXIC TO CATS!!! I have carpet beetle problems too and at a loss as to what to do. Already had exterminators in 3wks ago. I foster and my new foster is acting like a mop I think and bringing them into my bed. I think its the larvae and I must be allergic because of horrible itchy rash all over my torso (where kitten was on my bed) What do I do to get rid of them or I won't be able to foster again.
But ALL ESSENTIAL OILS ARE DEADLY TOXIC TO CATS they will lick and it can shut down their kidneys and liver and kill them. DON'T USE!!!!

Please do not foster any other kitties w this issue you’ve got... it’s torture on cats. Horror for them....

 

[Alphie]

My cat had ear problems. I thought it was mites but my vet said it was yeast. Anyways the day after I took my cat to the vet I noticed he was missing a small patch of fur on his side. I thought it might be ringworm but since then he has pulled his hair out of one whole side. I suspect carpet beetles to be the cause. I'll be tossing everything I can & cleaning the rest & I'll be putting DE ( diatomaceous earth) everywhere!

 

[Calypsocat]

Yes. I had carpet beetles for years in my apartment, they came from outside and I saw larvae. I have two cats, very healthy, but one had bald patches on back legs/feet. Very irritated, pink inflamed skin. Other had some slightly bald patches. For years! Vet gave me cream, then said it could be fleas (which was doubtful) and gave medicine for that. I changed their diet Nothing worked. I just looked at my cat’s feet and OMG, after years, finally fur has grown back. It’s a miracle. What’s different? Seven weeks ago, I moved to another apartment in my building, fully gutted and renovated, brand new everything. And didn’t bring my carpets. I can’t think of anything else it could have been but the carpet beetles (which also made me sneeze). My only problem now is one keeps escaping and running down the hall to the door of the old place, meowing mournfully, trying to go “home.” Poor thing.

 

[DeetallyT]

Yes. I had carpet beetles for years in my apartment, they came from outside and I saw larvae. I have two cats, very healthy, but one had bald patches on back legs/feet. Very irritated, pink inflamed skin. Other had some slightly bald patches. For years! Vet gave me cream, then said it could be fleas (which was doubtful) and gave medicine for that. I changed their diet Nothing worked. I just looked at my cat’s feet and OMG, after years, finally fur has grown back. It’s a miracle. What’s different? Seven weeks ago, I moved to another apartment in my building, fully gutted and renovated, brand new everything. And didn’t bring my carpets. I can’t think of anything else it could have been but the carpet beetles (which also made me sneeze). My only problem now is one keeps escaping and running down the hall to the door of the old place, meowing mournfully, trying to go “home.” Poor thing.

I’m dealing with something like that, but I also have whitish dots all in their fur?! Brush is covered with balls or whatever all over brush! Flea meds are for fleas, ticks, worms and mites! My 15 yr old has dandruff so I know what that looks like. If I just pick it out of thier fur it’s stuck so tug alittle and you get hair and whitish to grey thing holding hairs together?! It actually looks like a junky piece litter got stuck to some hair and it gets All over them, bedding and sometimes me!! Did carpet beetles do that?!?

 

[Joxer]

I’m dealing with something like that, but I also have whitish dots all in their fur?! Brush is covered with balls or whatever all over brush! Flea meds are for fleas, ticks, worms and mites! My 15 yr old has dandruff so I know what that looks like. If I just pick it out of thier fur it’s stuck so tug alittle and you get hair and whitish to grey thing holding hairs together?! It actually looks like a junky piece litter got stuck to some hair and it gets All over them, bedding and sometimes me!! Did carpet beetles do that?!?

Flea eggs look like tiny white dots. Like grains of white sand, only much smaller. They tend to be seen alongside "flea dirt", which looks like tiny reddish brown dots, and is dried cat blood that adult fleas excrete as a food source for flea larvae.

I think that fleas are the cause of feline irritation and misery far more often than carpet beetles. Both species benefit from the same environment -- carpets and cat beds that are seldom vacuumed -- but fleas cause far more damage since they actually bite cats. Carpet beetles have no interest in actually living on a cat; they would only end up on a cat's body by accident, and leave as soon as they could.

One of my cats, Casper, once experienced a two-week long nightmare of near-constant ear twitching. His vet at the time was suggesting a neurological consultation. Then one day, while I was holding and petting him, a flea ran out of one ear. I grabbed it and flushed it down the toilet. After that, Casper's ear twitching stopped.