How do i stop my neighbors from bringing fleas!?

Question

i moved into this house 4 years ago and we suffer from fleas! yuck!

my dogs have never had fleas, but once we moved into our house we have been infested with them!!!

the reason is that our neighbors feed stray cats and these cats just dont eat and leave they stay in our front yard p**p in our backyard, and its just gross. not only does feeding the cats harm us with the fleas and the excess of stray cats but since they always leave the food out then skunks always come at night to eat it too!!

this is getting out of hand, we have spent alot of money to get rid of the fleas but nothing works because the cats are still here!

im sorry i wrote so much but i feel so incopetent at my own home!

i should have to risk my health and my dogs for their stinky stray cats!

give me any advice and if its legal ill take it since i know they wont stop feeding them, the 4 year h**l has to stop!

Answer 1

Contact your local animal control and ask them to talk to your neighbors.   You have a legal right to use your yard undisturbed.   You could also consider a fence with the top slanted in a way to make it difficult for cats to climb or jump on it.  However if the fleas etc are coming from a common area that you and your neighbor have equal rights to you may need to just keep your dogs away from it.    

Answer 2

Getting rid of fleas is expensive. I had a similar problem and I didn't even own a pet! My home became infested with fleas because of the neighbors. The best thing is Borax and baking soda. Take a box of Borax and mix it with a small box of baking soda and spread it around generously. Also use the mixture when you wash you clothes. Here is another tip. It's weird but it also works. Fill a shallow dish with hot water and a drop of soap or oil. Place the dish on the floor in a sunny spot or at night place near a night light. The fleas will jump into the solution and die.  

Answer 3

Check with Animal Control.  Laws for cats in most areas allow them to run loose and be fed outside.  If they feed them, the cats are no longer stray, they are owned by whoever feeds them.

Once fleas are established in an area, even getting rid of the cats would not have any impact on the flea population for years.  Unless you own the house, move.  If you own the house, and if Animal Control allows it, you may be able to use a humane trap and take the cats you catch to the pound.

Answer 4

Assuming that you live in a town, start by contacting your municipal, or county, public health agency.  Explain this to them as you have to us here.  

Your neighbor's probably mean well by feeding stray cats, but this is a public health nuisance.  Public Health is made to deal with problems like this.

Answer 5

If you have carpets, the fleas are living inside, & the only way to semi-control them is to have a monthly professionsal flea control service (it's actually cheaper than those ineffective bug bombs).  As a landlord, I never install carpet, only hard-surface floors to help keep down the flea population.

If your dogs go outside, they are going to pick up fleas, regardless of your neighbor's feeding habits.  Most folks don't realize their own pets have them.

Work w/your neighbors, animal control & the health dept. to rectify the situation.  If the neighbors are tenants, I'd involve the owners, too.  Perhaps you could help the neighbors to channel their food & good intentions into a more socially acceptable form of animal welfare.  Good luck!