14 replies to this topic

[Cass]

Alright, we've been having a problem for a while now. We are absolutely pestered by the common housefly. We clean the house regularly and aren't hiding any corpses, but the house is completely riddled with flies, year-round. Obviously now with the warm summer weather, they're present in an abundance though. We have fly-tapes hanging and they fill up quickly, but they're still around in abundance.

 

Now the most annoying thing about the fuckers is the catfood. We feed them wet/canned food once a day, next to their dry food (which they can eat throughout the day because we have a foodtower we keep filled up. Contrary to what you might expect, the cats are skinny af, they get a lot of exercize outside). During these hot days, if the cats leave only a scrap of wet meat, within 6 hours they can be filled up with maggots. We wash their bowls everyday. We circulate catfoodbrands. We tried cutting out wet food, but our stubborn cats will just go without eating for the remainder of the day. They only eat dryfood when they absolutely need (they're VERY picky). We know our dog-owning neighbours are struggling with lots of flies as well. We haven't asked them about any maggots though.

 

Litterbox is gone, too. They only defecate outside. Haven't found a catturd in the house since they were kittens.

 

I'm with my hands in my hair with this problem. I've had loads of cats in the past, but never experienced such a pest. Anyone any experience with housefly-problems, or petfood-problems like these? We're now trying to switch to (much) smaller portions on more intervals of the day, but I'm just baffled by how quickly their leftovers are affected. Surely this shit can't be normal?

 

Anyone know any other solutions to flies? Even if they're oldwives remedies I want to try them D:

[Grumpy]

That is mind boggling. I sure wish I had an answer for you but I had no idea that it could get infested that swiftly.

 

How are the flies entering your home?  Do you keep windows open?  

[Cass]

That is mind boggling. I sure wish I had an answer for you but I had no idea that it could get infested that swiftly.

 

How are the flies entering your home?  Do you keep windows open?  

Yeah, it's really frustrating 9 out of 10 times they'll eat the bowls clean, but sometimes a nibble or two is left over. Fly eggs can hatch as fast as 4 hours after eggs have been laid up to 12 hours after. They're fast little buggers.

 

We keep all windows closed, and all windows we have opened are covered with insect screens. The only openings I can think of are ventilations and the cat doors.

 

I also did some reading up on the condition of maggots developing. Firstly, if their habitat (carcasses, meat) are dried up they'll have a hard time surviving. So clearly the wetness of the food is to blame, and probably also the cause of it spoiling so soon.

 

I'm glad though that maggots themselves aren't that bad should the cats (accidentally) consume them; they can be really healthy. It's just the conditions in which they pop up that concerns me so much, and the amount + frequency.

 

You have cats too, if I'm not mistaken? I believe I read that in your intro topic? How often do you feed your cat(s) wet food?

[stagsong]

As a cat owner, I would suggest ditching the dry food entirely and just feeding them the wet 1-2 times daily (depending on how big they are, etc). Wet and dry food can cause impaction problems in the intestines, requiring surgery. Something my vet was very keen to make sure I wasn't doing myself. Plus the food is the only way more cats get water - it's unusual for them to drink water unless they're eating dry food for that reason.

 

As for the fly problem, your best bet would be to get an exterminator in there to see if you've got places in the house that're fly breeding grounds. It's REALLY easy to have small spaces where they multiply, and that many is an infestation, not just summer problems. Here's a good guide to help as well.

 

As for the cat food, take it up after an hour has passed, and then too bad, so sad for them. Cats only eat til they're full, unless they have a problem. They don't gorge like dogs, it's not in their nature as they need to be able to move quickly in emergencies.

[Cass]

As a cat owner, I would suggest ditching the dry food entirely and just feeding them the wet 1-2 times daily (depending on how big they are, etc). Wet and dry food can cause impaction problems in the intestines, requiring surgery. Something my vet was very keen to make sure I wasn't doing myself. Plus the food is the only way more cats get water - it's unusual for them to drink water unless they're eating dry food for that reason.

 

As for the fly problem, your best bet would be to get an exterminator in there to see if you've got places in the house that're fly breeding grounds. It's REALLY easy to have small spaces where they multiply, and that many is an infestation, not just summer problems. Here's a good guide to help as well.

 

As for the cat food, take it up after an hour has passed, and then too bad, so sad for them. Cats only eat til they're full, unless they have a problem. They don't gorge like dogs, it's not in their nature as they need to be able to move quickly in emergencies.

Thanks! I had no idea a mixed diet would be bad for them. I was afraid a wet-food only diet wouldn't be nutritious enough.

 

We do have a crawlspace, and although I don't think it has an opening to the outside, you did give me the idea it might be good to check it out underneath. I don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier but that seems like a very logical place for them to breed. Plus there may be some dead rodents there I don't know of.

 

I'm taking this to a vet as well, if anyone was wondering by the way, because the tomcat does gorge and remains thin. I'll be leaving an update if the vet finds anything wrong with him.

Edited by cassiopeiic, 07 August 2015 - 01:36 PM.

[stagsong]

Thanks! I had no idea a mixed diet would be bad for them. I was afraid a wet-food only diet wouldn't be nutritious enough.

 

We do have a crawlspace, and although I don't think it has an opening to the outside, you did give me the idea it might be good to check it out underneath. I don't know why it didn't occur to me earlier but that seems like a very logical place for them to breed. Plus there may be some dead rodents there I don't know of.

 

I'm taking this to a vet as well, if anyone was wondering by the way, because the tomcat does gorge and remains thin. I'll be leaving an update if the vet finds anything wrong with him.

 

As long as the tin says that it's a complete food and meets dietary guidelines then it's okay to feed them that. I would encourage you to give them some raw meat and chicken necks though to keep their teeth strong. I do a wet food/raw food diet combo with our cats, my vet always coos over their health, lol.

 

Great idea on the crawlspace. You might be able to find insect bombs or something to get in there taht might help, too? Also, flies can often go through tap/pipe areas and infest walls if there are holes somewhere, some more things to think about. (ick)

 

Your cat sounds like they might have worms. Don't worry if they're normal sized, but thin is no good! How's the coat? Glossy, or does it look dry?

[Cass]

Your cat sounds like they might have worms. Don't worry if they're normal sized, but thin is no good! How's the coat? Glossy, or does it look dry?

Glossy and softer than an Angora rabbit. I was thinking about that too, although they were both dewormed six months ago. But I'm still taking precautions. The tomcat is only a year old though (15 months, to be exact), so it may just be he isn't ready growing and just has a sort of cat-teenager's slender body. His mom is fattening up better.

[stagsong]

Glossy and softer than an Angora rabbit. I was thinking about that too, although they were both dewormed six months ago. But I'm still taking precautions. The tomcat is only a year old though (15 months, to be exact), so it may just be he isn't ready growing and just has a sort of cat-teenager's slender body. His mom is fattening up better.

 

I would say so given what you've said. Cats are meant to be fairly slender anyways. so I wouldn't stress too much. Your kitties sound like they're in great health!

[Cass]

I would say so given what you've said. Cats are meant to be fairly slender anyways. so I wouldn't stress too much. Your kitties sound like they're in great health!

They're my babies and most treasured thing in the world. So mommy gets a little worried sometimes haha. They're spoilt rotten with affection and care though, lol!

[Grumpy]

I just have one kitty right now; a year or so ago there were two, but our girl passed.  We had a big fat orange tabby who passed two years before that.  I leave dry food out for my boy and he gets a can of wet food every other day or so more as a treat than anything.  I didn't know there were issues with combo feeding like this, I will have to do some research, I sure don't want to cause him intestinal problems!  

 

I hope you can track down the source of the fly invasion!  It definitely sounds like you take great care of your furbabies.

[iKate]

Haha funny how you literally translated the Dutch saying to English

I feed my cats wet food once or twice a day (they can also eat dry food throughout the day), but they eat it all directly when I give it. Apparently the wet food is tastier than the dry food and they ask for it every day (they do tricks if they want wet food, smart cats ) and I give the same amount every day so it's always directly empty. Maybe when they want to eat you should just take the dry food away, so they can only eat the wet food? Or don't give too much at once, and you can buy other wet food that they like more than the dry food so they'll directly eat it all. (and give it as a treat, as Grumpy says)

[Padme]

I thought this would also relate to dogs but I've never had this issue even when I used to feed my dog wet food.

 

I don't anymore because it is hard on her teeth and she's a breed that suffers from bad teeth. 

 

I really want to know how you solve this though. I randomly got a bunch of fruit flies 2 days after I bought a flat of peaches. Maybe you are keeping something else out and then they also find the pet food? idek.

[Cass]

Haha funny how you literally translated the Dutch saying to English

Yolo amirite. Life's too short to find the english equivalents

 

I thought this would also relate to dogs but I've never had this issue even when I used to feed my dog wet food.

 

I don't anymore because it is hard on her teeth and she's a breed that suffers from bad teeth. 

 

I really want to know how you solve this though. I randomly got a bunch of fruit flies 2 days after I bought a flat of peaches. Maybe you are keeping something else out and then they also find the pet food? idek.

Well, we haven't found anything yet in the crawlspace, but we have been holding off the maggotproblem now by putting a lid on the bowls. My husband hangs around when they're eating and when they're done and they've left something, he just puts a tupperware lid big enough to cover both bowls over it. When they come back they just push off the lid and eat the remains of it.

 

Yeah, fruitflies are pretty annoying as well. We fend them off by storing fruit in the fridge. It spoils faster and my teeth hate it to eat fruit that cold, but it's either that or fruitfly apocalypse

[NapisaurusRex]

I solve this by standing in the kitchen 24/7 and killing them manually. I have different priorities than most people do though.

[Brat]

i have the same problem with flies getting in the house but its because i like to keep our sliding doors wide open but they usually dont like to stay in the house

as for the food bowl problem i usually clean /wash my dogs bowls immediately after use just like i would my plate after i ate