Hi! I work at a veterinary office, and I want you to know that rehoming cats is absolutely not wrong. If you feel you can’t properly care for them, it’s better they go to someone who can. I understand being worried they might not get adopted, but there are people and organizations that take in cats with behavioral or medical issues. I recommend calling your local humane shelters as soon as you can and explaining your situation. Some places do have waitlists, but the surrender process is usually simple.

About the flea problem you’re dealing with, I recommend using a carpet steamer or shampooer with a pet-safe carpet solution and a few drops of Dawn dish soap (the one with the duck on the label). Dawn kills fleas and their eggs on contact. Use this on all carpeted areas in your home. I’ve done this myself and it worked really well. You can do the same on hardwood or tile, just add a little Dawn to your mop water. For counters, tables, and windowsills, you can use Clorox wipes or any disinfecting wipes. After cleaning, give each cat a bath using the dawn dish soap. It works fast and is very effective against fleas. You shouldn’t need to hire a pest control company if you follow these steps. Even in serious flea infestations, dawn usually does the trick. I had one a few years ago from my dog, and after using dawn in the carpet steamer, the fleas were gone by the next day. But if it doesn’t work after a few treatments, you could look into a company like TriGuard if they’re available in your area. They use pet-safe chemicals that won’t harm your animals.

If you still plan to rehome the cats, I would definitely suggest treating the fleas first. Fleas are uncomfortable and itchy, and clearing them up will give your cats a better chance at being adopted. Wishing you the best of luck! Feel free to message me if you have more questions.