Fleas

[YourLife]

Hi,

I recently went to a friends house a week ago who has a cat. Not knowing this at the time, but the cat had fleas. I stayed there for one night and slept on the sofa. A week later and now I'm waking up with bite marks all over my back and feel really itchy. Is it possible that I got fleas on me? I have now got rid of my duvet / pillows / bed & pillow covers but feel this may not be enough, although most reviews say fleas can live in the carpets, but I have no bite marks around my ankles and I have no pets of my own.

Am I just being really paranoid and possibly been bitten by something else or am I going to need to defumigate my whole place, if so what with and how do I get them off my body. Also would I be able to see them on my body and can I pass them on to anybody?

[tiggerblue10]

Don't panic!

I've got 2 cats and sometimes they get fleas but it can be easlily sorted out using a carpet spray from the vets. That should kill any fleas and eggs there may be in your carpet. You might want to suggest that your friend gets their cat de-flead with some Frontline.

I think it was a bit drastic to throw away your bed items. You should have just washed them on 60 degree wash and they would be fine. I don't think you're being paranoid but when something like this happens your mind goes into overdrive. Just calm down and do some fumigating if it makes you feel better. Get your carpet steam-cleaned as well before you spary it with the carpet spray.

[mad4music]

And as for getting rid of the itch you only have to go to a chemist and they can give you a cream or something like that which can get rid of the itch and a hot bath will help to.....like really hot!!

[jules77]

antihistamine tablets like zirtek will stop the itching.

[brachiopod]

So, you slept on a "flea-infested" sofa, yet received no bites - but then a week ater you receive bites on your back.

It's extremely unlikely that you 'carried' fleas, eggs or larvae back with you.

Your bites are most likely to have come from a flying insect (midge or mossie) - was it a warm and muggy night?

[RATTER15]

You have not got fleas on your body, should these bites be from fleas they will not live on you or stay on you, like Brachiopod suggests its not likely to be fleas!!

[amylovelace]

Yeah - you would have got bitten straight away as the fleas only stay on cats. They might bite humans but then they're off.