Mysterious Pests Brought Home with New Kitten?

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We got a new kitten for our addopted kitten to play with, but this month old tyke brought a little annoyance with him. At first they only bugged the kittens, but after flea treatment (which works on more than just fleas) they started biting my family (me especially).

I looked up pictures of fleas, chiggers, chiggoes, mites, & ticks, but what we have doesn't look anything like them; they look just like gnats, but they hop. They attack day and night on the ankles, fingers, knees, wrists, waist, & neck. The bites are only slightly darker than skin color, but turn pink & expand when you scratch them. There's usually only one bite in each spot, occasionally 2. The itching is unbearable and normal lotion is more effective than Hydrocortisone, which just makes them itch MORE. The cats don't seem to even notice them, but they keep us up at night.

Allaiyah,
Lai-Lai, Washington (state, not DC)

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By Vic (Guest Post)

September 14, 20040 found this helpful

Are you able to catch any of them & take them to the vet?

Jo Bodey
Bronze Feedback Medal for All Time! 104 Feedbacks

September 14, 20040 found this helpful

These just sound like cat fleas which are smaller and blacker than human fleas.

Regards

Gill Ewing

September 14, 20040 found this helpful

These sound like harvest bugs to me - your description matches them perfectly. You'll need to clear everyone out and spray the whole place to get rid of them. For the bites - a strong anti-histamine cream will help calm them.

We had these years ago and our Dr said the itching will last for 14 days - he was right too. The worst thing I ever had!

Kim McGrantham

September 18, 20040 found this helpful

I know from experience this works on cat fleas: I sprinkled borax powder lightly all over my carpets, then sprinkled a little salt as well. This got rid of the fleas my cat brought it. I thought for sure I was going to have to call the exterminator (big $$$). Please give it a try, you have nothing to loose.

By Judy (Guest Post)

September 23, 20040 found this helpful

Sounds like Chiggers, they love Johnson grass and most tall grasses.
Pets and you can bring them in. They don't show up for a day or two after you go into the yard, woods, etc.

They eat their selfs to death, they burrow in so deep they kill themselves. ITCHING the whole time...
Usually they will be around any tight fitting clothes, socks, waist band, etc..
I've tried "bleach in bathwater", baking soda all over, fingernail polish, alcohol, (both internally and externally).
They are just mean little buggers and the best way to avoid them is: DON'T walk in Johnson grass!
IF you think you have been exposed, a real fast, hot soppy shower might help.
MOWING down the high grass, spraying with a mixture of kerosene and water.
JUST DON'T scratch for a week or two!!!!!!!!!!!

By (Guest Post)

November 10, 20040 found this helpful

Always bathe the little kitten sometime soon after you get him, and use dawn and warm water. Keep him submerged in the water, not his head, and pick off the fleas that crawl up to his head and try to get into his ears and eyes. I always lather on vaseline over the eyes and ears, it is easier to pick them off.

Put the picked off fleas into soapy water in a different container. Sprinkle cat coat with garlic or rosemary, or rubbing alcohal. I like garlic.
Keep up the bathing as long as needed and keep cat warm while it is drying, like putting it on a hot water bottle and covering it with a t shirt.

By bob (Guest Post)

January 2, 20050 found this helpful

I've been chasing these little monsters since 1996!

By Toni in Raleigh, NC. (Guest Post)

August 26, 20070 found this helpful

I've been fighting "pepper mites" (which I learned about on this site) with the protein dissolving contact lens cleaner from Walmart (which I also learned about on this site), plus constant vacuuming in my house, my car, and at work when I can. But I wonder: has anyone ever found anything that keeps them from being attracted to you? I used flaxseed oil capsules (about 11/day, I believe) for about a year and a half very successfully, but then that stopped working.

Other herbal oils I've tried only smell up the place, and don't work. I even got accused of being crazy and got fired from a temp job because they weren't bothering anyone but me at the time. (Although I have been told that my replacement quit after a few days because she couldn't take the bites.) It's miserable!

By OrahLee (Guest Post)

June 22, 20080 found this helpful

If they are chiggers, try lysol in your bath water to stop the crazy itching.

Nan Corpe

September 22, 20080 found this helpful

Bathe your pets with Neem pet shampoo. You can buy it at a health food store. It is a natural insecticide and good for the skin. I bathe my animals at least once a month with Neem. Also ask your vet to suggest a once a month flea treatment. That will do it.

These days no one need suffer from such things.

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