While we're vaguely on subject, FUBAR, how long after using permethrin before the room is safe for cats?
Spook has gone and picked up some little unwanted guests. I've not had any bites myself, but I've got to spray the carpets upstairs and the furniture to kill off any eggs that may be waiting to hatch.
What I don't want is to poison him .....
Are we talking dry powder or liquid formulation?
Either way, permethrin will not kill the eggs, only the adult stage of the life cycle.
First you need to give your moggy a good going over with a flea comb outside to remove as many eggs from the fur as possible.
Unfortunately, an adult female flea can lay up to 50 eggs per day and many drop off onto carpets, furnishings, clothing and bedding.
You need to hoover the fuck out of everything that won't fit in the washing machine. Throw the bag away, then hoover again and again.
The good news is that flea eggs don't survive temperatures over 60?C, so boil wash your clothing, bedding, cushion covers etc. then tumble dry on high heat setting if possible.
As for the permethrin, don't let your cat come into contact with the dry powder or wet spray. For some reason, cats are more susceptible to permethrin toxicity than many other mammals, though if using a liquid spray, it's much safer once dried and the residue is still effective as an insecticide.
Permethrin is a synthetic pyrethrin - the organic equivalent is pyrethrum (obtained from the chrysanthemum flower). Organic pyrethrins are safer for cats than permethrin, so you could consider using that as an alternative.
Repeated applications of the insecticide will be required at 2 - 3 week intervals to treat any adults arising from eggs you may have missed during vacuuming and washing.
The bad news is that fleas can lie dormant during the pupal phase for months until conditions are right for the adult to emerge.
Might be easier to just get rid of your cat
