Adult fleas lay their eggs on the cat within a few days of their first blood meal. These eggs are non-sticky and will drop off onto surrounding carpets and bedding waiting to hatch. From here, the eggs will hatch to produce larvae that feed on flea faeces and organic matter found in the environment. The larvae dislike light and will tend to live deep in the carpets and in soil.
An adult flea will lay up to 50 eggs per day, about 2,000 in her lifetime. The adults come out of their cocoons when they detect a host is nearby. Once they hop onto a host, the adults mate and begin the life-cycle all over again. The newly emerged flea may bite humans before jumping off to find a more suitable host. The entire life cycle can be as short as three to four weeks.