possibly unsafe conditions??

**Darling** · 12-07-2011 10:10 AM

Okay here is my problem, and it may not be a problem, it could be me over reacting. We are traveling to visit family. Our first stop is little less than half way to our big stop. We will be staying with my husbands mom for two days. I am very excited to see the family, they are very excited to see us and my growing belly. My concern for the stay... We have to bring our two cats with us on the trip. It's nearly over two weeks and we won't leave them at home. His family is more than excepting of the situation. But I know the last time I stayed with them they had a house full of fleas and those yucky little roaches... I have sensitive skin and get soars from flea bites.. I worry that staying there will be bad for my baby? And my cats. I'm nervous about safty around the little roaches as well. I am not sure if they still have them, the have moved, but every time they nice they seem to bring the roaches with them.

My other worry.
My cats do not have fleas and I know they will when we stay there. We have another 11 hour drive after our stay with his mom, until we make it to our big stay with everyone else. Here's my worry, my grandmother is taking in my cats during our stay. I worry that our cats are going to give her cats fleas.
Here is my question, if I put flea Meds on my cats before the trip will it kill the fleas picked up from his moms cats, and keep them off. Will it keep my grandmothers cats safe?
Also my boy cat always gets worms with fleas he doesn't even need to have fleas to get worms he is a chewer, if there is a flea he will eat it. So now I'm scared he will have fleas and worms on this trip,and I will be bit, and contact some weird illness from roaches!

My other worry
We will have to stay at a hotel on the way home. I like hamptons and other nice hotels bc the beds and showers and breakfasts. But we will have our cats. The last time we made this move it was cool weather but not cold, no where near hot, and we let the cats have free run of the van. They did great, ate used the box played, and we stayed in the hotel. But this time its going to be cold. Snowing, and no way would I feel comfortable doing that. But what hotels let you bring in cats???

Sorry that this is so long but I'm worried.
When should I put the flea Meds on the cats?
Will the flea bites be worse bc I'm pregnant and can it harm my baby, bc I think its an allergy?
I hear that roaches carry diseases, can this harm us?
What should I do with my cats and a hotel?
Am I just over reacting??

**KMonte85** · 12-07-2011 10:30 AM

These are not very good conditions for your cats OR for you to stay in. Fleas and roaches have a whole HOST of infections, parasites, and diseases that they carry. You are not at all overreacting. I would be nervous staying there too, and I don't even have the added precautions to take as you do being pregnant..

Fleas carry tapeworms (among other infections and diseases), which is why your male cat is getting worms. People (ie YOU) can also get this infection from fleas, so niether you, nor your pets are safe. I don't know where your MIL lives, but it would be best if you found other acommodations, either with friends/family or a hotel. Do a google search for "pets welcome" which will yield you a website that gives a national list of pet-friendly hotels in the state/metro area you will be visiting.

If you absolutely MUST stay in the inlaws home and they have a flea infestation, look into Advantage or Frontline for cats. This is a topical treatment that you can put on a couple days before the trip and will protect your pets from fleas, although I don't know about it's effectiveness for tapeworm should an infected flea bite your cat before the chemical can work its magic. No luck for you

**Darling** · 12-07-2011 10:45 AM

Ohh thank you for your reply I'm so worried about this, I hoped I was over reacting, I wanted an easy solution. But I feel that this is some what UN avoidable. Do you think if we ask them to do a flea treatment on their cats before we come will it be safer...
I don't no what to do? They are going to be heart broken if I refuse to go. But I worry for our health. They live in these conditions daily they don't see it as harmful they way I do.

**KMonte85** · 12-07-2011 10:58 AM

It will be moderately safer if their cats are also treated in that SOME of the fleas will die, but not all of them, and the treatment on the cats also won't kill the eggs in the house that will hatch by the time you get there. So, any improvement on the flea situation will be slightly better than "moderate" It also won't kill the roaches, which are another problem due to the viruses and diseases they carry, and their potential to cause breathing problems for people with allergies.

The real kicker is, at this point the only way they will be able to kill the infestation 100% by the time you visit is with chemical treatment. And honestly, the chemicals are even worse for you (and your pets) than the insects are themselves, unless they have an exterimator in the area that has a very effective non-toxic treatment (but I doubt it).

Are you able to visit your MIL, but stay at someone else's home? Perhaps a close friend or another family member? Are you able to find a hotel close to her home that also allows pets?

**rosekitten** · 12-07-2011 11:33 AM

Flea meds will help some, but the won't solve the problem. I second the idea of staying elsewhere. Perhaps even a hotel. I've always had good luck with Best Western (most allow animals) and Holiday Inn (not sure about pets). They've always been clean and served breakfast.

**Little** · 12-07-2011 11:36 AM

If you can't find a good hotel that takes pets, sneak your kitties in the back door. I've done it in dire situations (like having to stop for a blizzard and having no choice of hotel,) and though it's probably rude, you have to do what you have to do!

Many times flea infestations will become resistant to a certain kind of flea med. Talk to your MIL and see if she has tried either Frontline or Advantage and had them not work. (You can veil this conversation by saying you're asking around to anybody with pets, in case she may be offended.) The fleas in my area are resistant to Frontline (it might as well be candy!) but Advantage works as advertised. I know others with the opposite result. Both of these medications have a certain window before they advertise to have killed all the fleas, so check the box. If it says it kills all fleas within 24 hrs, give it 24 hrs before arriving at your MIL's house. There's also a product called Advantage Multi, which protects against worms too - ask your vet about it, as I think it's only available by prescription. Make sure that either you wear gloves while applying these products or let your husband apply them - remember that your immune system is compromised as a pregnant woman.
If you're close enough with your MIL to ask her to treat the cats, DO IT! You should not have to stay in nasty conditions, and leaving her cats to the fleas is really bad for them - it's practically torture to allow them to scratch themselves constantly, as well as opening them up for tapeworm infestation. Understand that you're asking her to do something rather expensive, depending on the number of cats she owns (suppose $10-15 per cat.)
The roaches sound really nasty, and like something to nip in the bud now. Remember that in the future, you will have a baby at their house - and then a toddler. You won't want him crawling around on the floor with roaches, and it's unlikely you can avoid seeing them for his entire crawling/toddler phase. Hold your ground with your baby in mind!

**Darling** · 12-07-2011 11:42 AM

Thank you,
I highly doubt there is another family member we can stay with. Either they r in the same situation, or won't be able to have cats. I wish we could stay in a hotel but its just so much money to stay two nights. And then another night on the way home. I feel so bad bc my husband wants to see his mom and I have already had him shorten our stay. How can I tell him that I don't want to stay at all. I love his family but I find the living conditions to be disgusting!

**Darling** · 12-07-2011 12:02 PM

I will talk to my husband about this tonight and see what our possibilitys are. I'm also going to talk to my doctor on friday and see what he says. That way I have back up. If we still go I will insist on flee Meds for her cats, and I pray they have already fixed the roach problem. But I doubt that they have. I might end up sneaking the cats in a hotel....
Thank you all for your replys

**BabyGirl** · 12-07-2011 09:10 PM

There is a 3rd Option.

It's a Pet Boarding place or a " Pet Sitter ".

It is an ideal choice, there are Licensed/ Bonded people that could come to your home and Feed, Water, Play with, clean litter boxes, even Check your mail and make sure lights are on or off, no newspapers in yard. So Burglars can't get in .

Seriously taking your Cats ( even though Family Members ) on a trip, in a kennel, in and out of the car for Motels or rest stops, Taking them out for food and water breaks, Potty Breaks , Is going to be more " Torturous " to them than finding someone to "Sit " with them, or a Loving " Cattery Motel " for them to stay in.

The constant hum of the Car/Road/Semi trucks,Radio, will not set well with them. Not to mention, sudden Stops or Go's ( motion ) on their bodies, while in the travel kennel.
Even if you do stop for lunch or at a road stop, you cat may or may not need to Pee or Poop. You will have to get out a litter box, put in Fresh litter, give them a " Private " place to do the " duty ".
Then get them back in the Travel kennel.
Letting them go near a Bush or in Grass, will put them at risk from many " diseases" other pest, pesticides.

After that Trauma, to them , putting them in a Home with Roaches ( Possibly ) or Fleas (Possible ) or Other Cats or Dogs ( Possibly ), will be an extreme assault on them and their Senses.

Most cats, though not all, hate riding in cars when not in a kennel and hate it even more when in one ( This means VET TIME ) lol.

They hate not being at home, they hate not having " Their Corner, Litter pan, lap or Couch or Window sill ". But they can adjust to missing you, they can adjust to a " new " caretaker. As long as that person feeds them and makes sure they feel Comfortable, without Pressure .

Then the " Introduction " to the MIL's Cats and whatever " Big Stop " and the Grandmothers cats. With Risking your cats, MIL's Cats, Grandmothers Cats. The Emotions of You and All Cats , will be Extreme. Then consider the Trip Back Home .

Fleas, Disease, Stress ( on all ).. Please think of finding a Family,Friend or Neighbor or Co~worker you can Trust for that 2 weeks. Even a Vet Assistant or Trainee can be " Trusted " if you research on a site like Angie's list, or even ask your Vet for a " Sitter ".

On Being in others homes that are Not Flea or Roach free., If Your DR , OBGYN, says it's ok, eat a bit of Garlic, every day, it repels fleas/tic's and mosquitoes. Also ask about using one of those newer " OFF REPELLENT " ones they show on TV, the one that attaches to your pocket.

Another thing is to keep a pyrethrin ( Chrysanthemum ) plant or oil near you,it is a natural pesticide, keep away from the Citronella ones as they can be toxic, the fumes can give you headaches.

There you go, A Novel of the " I've Been There Done That " Old Lady .. lol

By the Way , I moved 3000 mile in a 28 ft Moving Truck, had 2 Birds, 3 Snakes, a Hedge Hog, 1 Cat and 3 Kids. The Snakes survived, the Cat Survived, The Hedgehog Survived.
My Bird's passed away, 2 of the Snakes passed soon after and the hedgehog also, all within a month of Moving them..

The kids are still alive and we moved back to the State we now live in .

But I'd Seriously Pay a Neighbor or have a FRIEND, that would be able to Not have us Transfer and put them Pets and Self.. through 3 weeks of Fleas . Or Roaches or even what we call " Pizz Ants " or Lady Bug infestation. Trust me, it was an infestation of Lady Bugs when I lived in KY ..

**Darling** · 12-17-2011 06:48 AM

Thank your for your reply babygirl. However I didn't see it u.til today and we are in Kentucky now. Luckily no bugs, and fleas are under control

The cats did a great job on the trip we have a large cat kenel big enough for both cats a rug and a small liter box. They have a room to themselves and are very active and trying to venture out to meet the other cats. Hope the next two days goes well for them.

However I have a knew problem with staying here.
I forgot that both his parents smoke! They have a small house and its winter and no open windows. They smoke inside! I felt like I was going to suffocate. How much second hand smoke can I be exposed too? This is starting to upset me.