Ran across this and thought others might find it interesting. The only question is... how do you vacuum a cat? :)

Cat fleas' journey into the vacuum is a 'one-way trip' (http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2007-12/osu-cfj121707.php)

My cat won't be in the same house when a vacuum cleaner is running, but I can vacuum my dog.

Boing, boing, boing, boing... There goes my crap detector. Never hurts to share info. I am skeptical. For starters, too good to be true. While a good vacuuming is usually suggested as the first step in cleaning up a flea infestion, it seldom is enough, often requiring a flea bomb. I know of no studies showing fleas surviving vacuuming a room with nothing in it but the carpet. However, most rooms are filled with other places for the fleas ot hide. Hummm, a study showing something that seldom works is highly effective? What is that down there in the lower right hand corner? It was paid for by a vacuum cleaner company?

I might add I have gotten to know what I know by being willing to look at new ideas. I am also willing to label nonsense as nonsense.

Well, they are publishing the study results in a refereed journal, and the study authors were surprised by the results they got as well. Now, the difference between "ideal" and real-life conditions will affect this, as they do most research. But still, most people have vacuums, so it's an easy thing for people to use to help control a flea situation.

Vacuuming has long been one of the tools used in a flea infestation. It does not have the track record that study suggests it should, hence, my crap detector. I will wait for other studies not paid for by a vacuum cleaner company, to confirm the results.