Do Fleas Die in the Winter?

As a pet parent, it’s normal to wonder and ask yourself, “Do fleas die in the winter?” Many pet parents assume that winter completely wipes out fleas. And while that sounds logical, it’s not true.

Here’s the quick answer you need to know: No, fleas do not reliably die in the winter — many survive indoors and re-emerge quickly.

Many owners share this common belief of no presence of fleas in winter, which is a reason why winter flea infestations catch them by surprise. In this guide, we’ll teach you how fleas survive the winter, their hiding spots, and why it’s important to provide year-round flea prevention for your pets.

Short Answer: Do Fleas Die in the Winter?

Fleas don’t disappear when the temperatures drop; they just change their strategies. Let’s break this down into some quick facts:

• Fleas are affected by the cold, but most winters are neither cold nor long enough to kill them.

• They hide in protected places.

• Heated homes allow them to survive through the year.

• Stopping flea prevention in the winter gives them a head start in the spring.

Some fleas can die outdoors when it's freezing cold, but those that are indoors survive quietly. Winter is typically when environmental infestations begin, often without host even noticing until spring. This can be backed up by a study conducted in Turkey during the winter months, which found that, between December and February, nearly half of the tested animals were infested with fleas, despite the low temperatures. This clearly demonstrated that flea prevention shouldn’t stop in the winter.

How Fleas Survive Cold Weather

One of the reasons why fleas are so tough and survive harsh conditions is because of their life cycle. The flea life cycle consists of four stages - egg, larva, pupa, and adult. The most important stage in winter is the third one - the pupa.

Flea pupae are wrapped in a sticky coccon, which protects them from different factors, like the cold and even some cleaning products. This stage can last for weeks or months, as the pupae waits for warmth or movement to exit the coccon.

Adult fleas, on the other hand, benefit from hiding in your pet's fur and their body heat, as well as warmer indoor temperatures. Even outdoors, fleas in winter can benefit from the snow, as it can insulate their hiding spaces.  We can determine now that the cold doesn’t eliminate fleas, only slows them down.

Where Fleas Hide During Winter

You might not see fleas in winter, but that doesn’t mean they’re gone. Fleas and even ticks can continue to infest animals and environments year‑round.

Indoors

We already mentioned that flea eggs, larvae, and pupae hide and accumulate in indoor environments where there's warmth and humidity. Common hiding spots include:

• Carpets and rugs

• Bedding

• Cracks in the furniture and baseboards

• Upholstery

The ideal temperatures for fleas to thrive are around 75°F/24°C. Meaning that if your home is heated, the fleas can continue without interruption, as the temperature falls within the optimal range for their development.

Outdoors

In the winter, there is a decline in the outdoor flea population, but they don’t disappear entirely. They find places where the microclimate isn’t affected as much by the low temperatures, in places like:

• Garages and sheds

• Under decks and porches

• Leaf piles

• Soil near foundations

Even if outside time is more limited for your pet in the winter, fleas can be hiding nearby, waiting to re‑infect them when conditions improve.

Can Dogs and Cats Get Fleas in Winter? 

Now that we know the answer to whether fleas and ticks die in the winter, let’s answer another question: Can our pets catch fleas in the winter? The quick answer here is yes, and it happens all the time.

Did you know that flea infestations make up only 5% of what you see in your pet's fur? The other 95% are in the pets enviroment. Outdoor pets aren’t the only ones at risk here - indoor pets can get infested too if there is an environmental infestation in their living quarters or if a visiting human or pet exposes them.

Other possible ways to get infested in the winter, as an indoor pet, are during walks, while visiting the groomer, or vet. Keep in mind that it takes one flea to start an infestation, and most infestations are dominated by the immature stages of their life cycles, not the adult form. This is why veterinarians always recommend investing in a year-round prevention plan. 

Why Stopping Flea Prevention in Winter Is a Mistake 

Veterinarians and parasitologists are aiming to advise pet parents that stopping flea prevention in winter leads to a quiet build-up of fleas in the environment, with pupae (and eggs) being dormant for months waiting for conditions to improve. And then, when spring comes, the infestations explode all of a sudden.

Until the first signs of an infestation, like scratching, occur, the fleas have already been present for weeks. Active infestations take longer to treat, are stressful for both owner and pet, as they can put them through discomfort and cost more than yearly prevention. The longer an infestation isn’t taken care of, the bigger the chance of your pet developing FAD (Flea Allergy Dermatitis) and other more severe symptoms.

Prevention is always easier - Using environmental sprays like FurLife™ - All Natural Flea & Tick Spray for Dogs and Cats together with some sort of topical treatment on your pet helps in keeping them and the house flea-free.

Best Flea Prevention Options for Winter 

It is recommended that during the winter, flea prevention should be more gentle and low-maintenance, compared to treatment plans during the warmer months of the year. In this section of the article, we will recommend and elaborat ethe pros and cons of different types of treatments, to make it easier to choose the one most suitable to you and your pets' needs and lifestyle.

Flea Tags and Collars

Pendants and collars are ideal in the winter because of their low-maintenance and longevity. They offer consistent protection without the need for reapplication. One significant con of these types of products is that they are ideal for pets who have a know sensetivityto tropical treatment.

FurLife’s Tags and Pendants, available for both dogs and cats, are an ideal choice in owner who want almost year-long protection but without exposing their pet to harsh chemicals. Our products are made entirely from natural ingredients, but work the same and even better than the ones which synthetic ingredients.

Flea Sprays

Sprays are great to use alongside topical treatments, collars, or tags. Pet owners use them as a way to control the indoors in case a wandering flea somehow gets inside or as a spot treatment.

These types of products, including FurLifes Spray, are best used as a supplement, not a standalone solution. It is recommended to spray known flea hiding spots, like your pet's bedding or the carpets, during or after cleaning the house.

Flea Shampoo

On their own, flea shampoos don’t provide lasting winter protection. They can be used if you don’t take your pet outside, in situations where you suspect your pet might’ve been exposed at all, or as an occasional support method.

FurLife™ - Flea & Tick Shampoo for Dogs is a plant-powered product that kills fleas in just 24 hours and provides instant relief in cases where they are present in the pet's fur. It contains essential oils like Cedarwood or Rosemary Oil, which are known flea killers and deterents.

How to Protect Your Pet From Fleas All Winter Long 

We’ll wrap up this article by providing you with a checklist, where we’ve listed tips recommended by vets as a way to prevent and control fleas:

• Provide monthly (or yearly) flea prevention products

• Don’t discontinue treatment just because it’s cold outside

• Wash your pet's bedding and toys regularly

• Vacuum the carpets at least once a week

• Monitor your pet in case it begins or scrath or goom themselves excessively

• In a multipet household, treat all pets in the same consistent manner.

Final Takeaway

Fleas aren’t killed by winter and the cold weather; they adapt to the changes in temperature, hide, and wait to find a host. If you’ve been asking yourselves, “Do fleas die in the winter?”, the answer is clear — no, and that’s why it’s important to have a year-round prevention plan. Having a treatment plan ensures that your pet is comfortable, keeps your home clean, and saves time and stress.