Borax can be toxic to whatever kind of rugrats you have. Salt rots your carpeting, and pretty much does the same to your vacuum.

Use Diatomaceous Earth (DE) instead. Sift a light layer into your carpet. You can leave it there, it won't hurt anything. It's totally non-toxic, and you and your pets can eat it if you had the inclination. Some farmers feed it to their livestock. The one thing you don't want to do is stir up a cloud of it and stick your head into it and inhale.

If you have a vacuum that has a paper bag collector, toss it after vacuuming. You've just vacuumed up loads of flea eggs and flea larvae. Keep it around and they'll hatch and escape from the vacuum.

You can also use DE directly on your pets, but let me emphasize this: ONLY USE THE CODEX FOOD GRADE KIND. DE is used for lots of stuff, including pool filters and some is treated with insecticides for cockroaches. Get the food grade kind from animal feed stores. My 50# bag cost $15.

DE is made from the skeletons of diatoms, ground to a flour-like consistency. Under a microscope, it looks like shards of glass. It can be used against any insect-type creature that has a carapace. The DE works under the carapace, punctures the creature, and it dies of dehydration. It must be dry to work.

If you want to use a flea bomb, get enough of them to handle the size of your home. Get the kind that says it lasts from 4 to 7 months, as it has a growth hormone in it. When the eggs hatch (the bomb doesn't kill eggs), the hormone prevents the hatchlings from developing into fleas and they just die. If you're going to use a flea bomb, remove any creature that has any resemblance to lungs from the house, set the cans on newspapers in various parts of the house, press the lock down (they spray UP, not out, so don't get it in the face), and leave the house immediately, for the period of time directed (2 or 3 hours, usually). Return, run through house opening windows, leave for another half-hour.

From my vet: dog fleas usually get on the dog to feed, then jump off to breed and lay eggs. Cat fleas tend to stay on the cat. There is a product that will kill all the fleas currently on your cat in about 10 minutes. I think it starts with a C, and you have to get it from a vet.

Sue

Update? Inquiring minds are concerned.

After almost a week I can bend my finger again. Doing so causes large amounts of pus to squirt out which my doctor says is a good thing.

Wow, animal bites are no laughing matter. Had this occurred in some emergency situation I'd have been screwed. Being left handed and being denied use of my left index finger has been an eye-openning experience. Ever try and change a poopy diaper one-handed? Not fun.

-Blast

Been there, done that, got the scars to prove it. Seriously, good luck with the infection, took me several injections and a 21 day course of antibiotics to rid myself of it. No cats on my property, at least, not any live ones. If the German Sheperd dosen't get 'em, the Glock will.

Using Advantage on animals is supposed to care of house and yard infestations, not just just the fleas on the animals. At least that's the way it was marketed at the vet clinic where I used to work. The new generation of flea control is much better then the old washing with flea shampoo and spraying or sprinkling with permethrin or other insecticides. I've half considered getting the spray on Frontline for my lower legs in tick country. It's counter to the label to use on humans, but since it's not considered harmful to dogs or harmful to people petting those dogs I don't see the problem using it on my clothes.

Blast, you might pick up a box of cheapie non-zip-lock food storage bags (twist-tie type) and use one as a glove on your left hand when diapering. They're kind of slippery, but should help prevent contamination.

Of course, that's if you can move your fingers enough to do any good.

Sue

Sue,

That was the problem, for the last week my index finger hasn't been able to bend. It gets in the way. DW was at class, so I just had to cowboy through the diaper change.

Saturday I ended back at the doctor. He probed the punctures and "pumped" the finger a few times to force out pus. Then he told me I had to keep doing this to force drainage.

Sidenote: Sometimes I wonder if "forcing drainage" is just an excuse sadistic doctors/nurses use to inflict pain...

Anyway, last night was the first time I was able bend the finger without using my other hand (or sedatives!).

Stupid friggin cat.

Hopefully I'll have time tonight to post a series of pictures of the wound. It's been a real learning experience.

-Blast

"Sidenote: Sometimes I wonder if "forcing drainage" is just an excuse sadistic doctors/nurses use to inflict pain..."

Well, yeah! What on earth were you thinking??? People who keep their stethoscopes in the refrigerator think like that, you know.

Well, this was a learning experience wasn't it? Not gonna forget it soon.

Your new mantra: "Go to vet. Get Advantage or Frontline. Go to vet. Get Advantage or Frontline."

Cat: 1
Blast: 0

Sue

I can't help but think about all the cats I've owned, each of which has added its own signature to my scarred hide. In all those encounters over all those years I never got a bad infection. Now I know, courtesy of poor Blast's experience, that I was just plain lucky.

We are cat-less for the first time since 1985. That's partly due to the Border Collie now in residence, who does not like sharing us with other animals, but I'm thinking that if we end up with another cat, I'm going to be just a little more careful....

Hope all is well soon, Blast.

Frank2135

Front declawed cats are still well armed!

I've owned cats for 30 years, and have never had a cat bite. However, long leather gloves were been worn when trying to put 1 cat in a cat carier to go visit the Vet. The Vet gave it the rebies shot while the cat was still in the carier.