Although there are several different types of fleas in southern California, the cat flea is the most common. As its name suggests, this insect will most likely be found on pets. Cat fleas tend to latch on to pets and use them as a food source and nesting area.

Once fleas are indoors, they can settle on pet beds, within the fibers of carpet, inside the upholstery of furniture, or other hidden spots near pet activity. Outdoor living locations include grassy areas where pets frequently rest or in moist soil that is shaded by trees or shrubbery.

Warm temperatures and high humidity are ideal conditions for cat fleas.

The eggs of this flea can develop indoors or outdoors, with an adult female cat flea being capable of producing up to 20-25 eggs per day. That’s more than 800 in an expected flea life cycle.

In 2-5 days after being laid, the eggs, with the help of high temperatures and humidity, will hatch and develop within three larval stages. Vibrations (ground or mechanical) or carbon dioxide released from a passing warm blooded host help stimulate the emergence of a flea pupa into an adult.

The mild climate in southern California allows cat fleas to reproduce all year long

Blood meals are the sole diet of a cat flea. While cat fleas usually feed on warm-blooded animals, humans are susceptible to being a food source for this blood-sucking bug.

Fleas use the carbon dioxide emitted from a human or animal to determine passing meal opportunities. A cat flea will hop up to 12 inches to land on a passing host. Once a flea has found a food source, they will continue to feed on the host daily - usually 10-15 blood meals per day.

Bites usually occur on pets during an infestation, but bites on humans are common as well. Ankles and calves are the most likely spot for a flea to bite people. The flea will jump launch from the ground or off a pet on to the lower legs of a person.

Flea bites look like small, red spots and can become extremely itchy and cause discomfort. In some cases, the bites can result in skin irritation or allergic reactions to medicine. Cat scratch disease is transmitted to cats by fleas and can infect humans from bites or scratches from a cat’s fur or claw with disease-ridden flea droppings.