Fleas: How to Get Rid of Fleas on Pets, in the House and in the Yard

Your dog or cat will not stop scratching, or you have itchy red bites and tiny dark insects jumping off the carpet. Fleas are frustrating because the adults you see are only a small part of the problem: most of the population is hidden in your floors and furniture as eggs, larvae and cocoons. This guide explains how the flea life cycle works and how to treat the pet, the house and the yard so the problem actually ends.

How to identify fleas

Adult fleas are tiny (about 1/8 inch or less), reddish brown, wingless insects flattened from side to side, so they look like they are walking on edge. The species you are most likely dealing with is the cat flea. It is the most common flea on both cats and dogs, and it will bite people.

If the bites show up mainly after you sleep and you find no fleas or flea dirt on your pets, read our bed bug guide instead.

Signs of fleas

• Pets scratching, chewing or licking, especially around the lower back and the base of the tail.
• Flea dirt in fur and on pet bedding.
• Itchy bites on people. A flea bite is usually a small red spot with a red halo. Some people and pets are allergic, and even one bite can set off a reaction.
• Fleas jumping onto white socks when you walk through areas where pets sleep.
• Tapeworm segments (like grains of rice) near your pet’s tail. Pets pick up tapeworms by swallowing infected fleas while grooming. Talk to your vet.

The flea life cycle and why it matters

You cannot clear fleas without understanding where they spend their time.

1. Adults live on the pet, feed on blood, mate and lay eggs in the fur.
2. Eggs are not sticky. They fall off wherever the pet rests, sleeps or grooms, and hatch in a few days.
3. Larvae develop in protected spots: deep in carpet, under furniture cushions, in pet bedding and in shaded outdoor spots. They feed on flea dirt and other debris for one to two weeks.
4. Pupae develop inside a silk cocoon camouflaged with pet hair, skin flakes and carpet fibers. Fully formed fleas can wait inside the cocoon for weeks, and for months in cool conditions or an empty house. They emerge when they sense warmth, pressure or movement, such as footsteps or a vacuum passing over.

In a warm house, the whole cycle can take as little as about 18 days. The cocoon stage is the hard part: it resists insecticides, which is why fleas keep appearing for a while even after a good treatment. It also explains why fleas can turn up in a house that has stood empty for a while: the pupae simply wait.

Where fleas come from

• Your own pets, usually after they pick up adults outdoors or from another animal.
• Wildlife and stray animals. Opossums, raccoons, squirrels, skunks, feral cats and coyotes can carry cat fleas and drop eggs in your yard, crawlspace or under the deck. If you have fleas but no pets, look for wildlife nesting in or around the house.
• A previous occupant’s pets, with cocoons waiting in the carpet.

How to get rid of fleas, step by step

Treat the pets, the house and (if needed) the yard at the same time. Treating only one of them is the most common reason flea control fails.

1. Treat every pet with your veterinarian’s help. See the next section. Treat all dogs and cats in the household, not just the one that scratches.
2. Wash bedding. Launder pet bedding, throw blankets and small rugs in hot, soapy water. Keep washing pet bedding at least once a week.
3. Vacuum thoroughly. Focus on where pets rest: carpets, under furniture, upholstered cushions, along baseboards and in cracks. Vacuuming removes eggs, larvae and some pupae, and the vibration coaxes adults out of their cocoons so treatments can reach them. Seal the bag or empty the canister into an outdoor trash can. During a heavy infestation, vacuum daily or every other day.
4. Keep vacuuming after treatment. Continue for at least 10 days to 2 weeks to pick up newly emerging fleas.
5. Treat the home if the infestation is heavy. Use a product labeled for indoor flea control that contains an insect growth regulator (IGR) such as methoprene or pyriproxyfen. IGRs stop eggs and larvae from developing into biting adults. Treat where pets rest, and keep people and pets off treated surfaces until they are dry. Read and follow the label.
6. Check the yard (see below).
7. Be patient. Do not re-treat the house right away just because you still see some fleas.

Never use a dog flea product on a cat. Some ingredients, including permethrin, are far more toxic to cats than to dogs. Use only products labeled for the species, weight and age of your pet, and read and follow the label.

Treating your pets

Modern spot-on and oral flea products for pets are among the most effective tools available. Some are sold over the counter and some require a prescription.

• Ask your veterinarian which product fits your pet’s age, weight, health and the local flea situation. Fleas in some areas are resistant to certain older insecticides.
• Match the product to your pet’s weight. Using a product meant for a larger animal, or using extra, can overdose your pet.
• Watch your pet after the first dose. If you see signs of a reaction, bathe the pet with mild soap, rinse well, and call your veterinarian. Keep the packaging. The National Pesticide Information Center (1-800-858-7378) can also help.
• Keep kids from touching a treated pet until the product has dried.

Treating the yard

Most yards do not need treatment. Walk through pet resting areas in white socks: if fleas jump on, focus on those spots.

• Target shaded areas where pets rest or sleep: doghouses, kennels, under decks and porches, along the foundation and fence lines.
• Skip sunny open lawn. Flea larvae rarely survive in direct sun and heat.
• Let in sunlight by trimming dense plants over pet resting spots.
• Discourage wildlife. Secure trash, feed pets indoors, and close off openings under decks and into crawlspaces.

Why fleas take weeks to clear

Even with a perfect treatment, adults keep emerging from protected cocoons for a few weeks. Each new flea that jumps on a treated pet or crosses a treated carpet will die, but you will still see some. A severe infestation can take several weeks to clear. If you are still seeing adult fleas more than 4 weeks after treatment, you may need to treat the house or pets again. Check with your vet, and read using pesticides safely before applying anything else indoors.

When to call a professional

Many flea problems end with good pet treatment and steady vacuuming. Consider a licensed pest control company if:

• Fleas are still active after a month of treating pets and the house.
• The infestation is heavy across a large home, or you are moving into a home where the previous occupants had pets.
• You suspect wildlife is living under the house or in the attic. A pest control or nuisance wildlife professional can remove the animals and seal the entry points.
• You would rather not apply insecticides indoors yourself.

Our guide to choosing a pest control company explains what to ask. Vacuum and wash bedding before the visit so treatments reach the base of the carpet fibers.

Flea questions

Can fleas live on people? Cat fleas bite people, but their hosts are cats and dogs, where adults feed, mate and lay eggs. Treating your pets and the places they rest is what ends the problem.

I treated my pet. Why am I still seeing fleas? New adults are emerging from cocoons in the carpet. They will die after contact with the treated pet, but it takes a few weeks to get through the cocoons already in the house.

Do I need to throw away carpet or furniture? Usually not. Extension guidance relies on thorough vacuuming, washing bedding and a targeted home treatment where needed.