Redditors Support Lady's Decision To Stop Her Friend From Coming Over Because She Brings Cat Fleas Into Her Apartment

"It’s getting very excessive and honestly draining"

Maryjane

• Published in Animal Stories
• June 13, 2024

The common cat flea doesn't have high standards for itself. It just needs the necessities: a cozy place to live, healthy food, the opportunity to start a family, and the companionship of other like-minded individuals.

All of these comforts can be found in your cat's warm, wet, fuzzy hide, which is why fleas will happily land on your pet and make themselves at home. Living in such luxurious surroundings can be ideal for the visitor, but it can be a nightmare for the host.

Of all the external feline parasites, fleas are the most prevalent. An infestation can cause extreme discomfort to most cats and, in rare cases, even pose a serious threat to their health.

Flea bites produce excruciating itching, and a hypersensitive cat's constant scratching can cause skin lesions that could get seriously infected. In fact, these microscopic, wingless animals frequently carry infectious pathogens on their own.

Not just the cats; you are also prone to flea bites once they invade your space. OP's best friend, Z, is 19 and still lives with her parents.

They have five cats, all of whom have fleas, and they’re struggling to get rid of them. Her mother refuses to take the cats to the vet because of a “lack of money."

The OP noticed that every time her friend comes over, she sees fleas for 24–48 hours after she leaves. OP wants to take a drastic step, but she also wants to know if she is doing the right thing.

The OP writes

Her mother refuses to take the cats to the vet because of “lack of money."

Seeing them makes the OP want to throw out all her furniture in fear of them being everywhere.

OP has offered the following explanation for why they think they might be the AH:

1.) I told my best friend she can’t come over until she fixes her flea problem at home. 2.) Telling my best friend who has a rough home life she can’t stay over at my apartment.

We've gathered some of the most upvoted comments from other Redditors for you to read through below

It's consistent with the vacuum and spray routine

She's an adult and not a helpless person

There is no reason the fleas should be so bad at her house

The OP has a genuine reason for her decision

Banning her until she is flea free is certainly the way to go

Flea collars are not expensive and she can get some

For this Redditor, it's simply not the AH

Some Redditors say that it's not really necessary for the cats to visit the vet as they only need intense cleanings and flea treatments. Even though fleas do not live on humans, they can still bite us and it's also possible that OP's friend could be carrying them in her clothes, pocketbook, or other belongings.

It's also likely that if the OP has seen them, they are still in her home, and she needs to treat it. She was declared not the AH eventually.

Maryjane