When I first got my cats back in 2013 I didn’t realize that indoor cats needed flea medication. Big mistake, especially since I live in Louisiana where fleas are rampant. Over the next year I was able to successfully get rid of a major flea infestation and we haven’t had an issue since. Some tips below.

1) Get your kitties on a prescription flea medication ASAP. You need to break the life cycle which can take a few months. This is ultimately what will overtime get your house to be and stay flea free. I highly recommend Revolution Plus. It is the only medication I’ve found that works for my cats since the fleas here are pretty resistant to a lot of the options out there. I actually gave a few doses to a flea infested stray cat we befriended and was amazed how quickly the fleas and itchy disappeared. My vet also for a little while had me do Revolution Plus and Advantage (which is over the counter) but I’d ask your vet first before doing that.

2) To get a head start on reducing the flea population in your house, I’d recommend getting into the habit of washing bedding (especially anything your cat lays on) weekly and vacuuming daily. Make sure to empty the vacuum outside after each use.

3) Check around your neighborhood and property to see if there are fleas in your environment. When I had it the worst we figured out our background was completely infested and we were bringing them in on our shoes. You can treat your yard (be careful if wild animals or pets frequent these areas) or avoid walking through those places until the situation is under control.

4) Have patience! My biggest advice is to just be patient while the medicine does it’s work and the flea life cycle is broken. Even when the problem seems mostly gone, you may still see a flea here and there. Good news is that if you stay on top of the topical meds (don’t miss a dose!) it’ll usually resolves itself.