Since getting back from holiday a week ago I'm absolutely covered in bites.

I have a cat who has had fleas once years ago, but I dealt with them and know exactly what to look for, so I'm sure that she is still free of them now.

I was fine before I left and while I was away, it only started after I got home, and the only thing I can think is that my neighbour who has a dog, has bought in dog fleas or something, as she was coming in twice a day to feed the cat while I was away for 2 weeks.

I know that it is possible for fleas to hitch rides on people, but I have 30+ bites in the space of a week, is it possible for fleas to infest a house that quickly, even without a dog?

I used Frontline with my cat which worked amazingly, but as I don't even have a dog, I'm not sure what to do about it. I know that hoovering often will help, but I know that dog fleas won't live on a cat so maybe they won't last very long anyway without a host? Although, they seem to be getting plenty of nourishment just from me at the moment.

A flea infestation could happen as a result of many things, possibly your neighbour, possibly you brought them back from holiday or your cat has caught them from wildlife so I'd be careful before you accuse your neighbour!

Flea eggs can remain dormant & in carpets, bedding etc for a long time & then suddenly you're infested. You will have to get flea powder to treat your house & hoovering can probably help but will not remove all the eggs. I suggest that you have a chat with pest control at your local council to see what they recommend. You will also have to treat your cat as well.

My house was infested with fleas when I first moved into it. Ah, the memories are all coming back to me now.

I'd quietly treat the carpets with flea powder and not mention it to the neighbour. The neighbour might get offended and any hard feelings will linger longer than any of your doomed fleas.

Dog fleas will live on cats and vica versa and both will bite people and it takes an expert and a magnifying glass to tell them apart.
Hatching of flea eggs and adult fleas from pupae is triggered by carbon dioxide, movement and warmth so it is not impossible that it is your return, after the house has been quieter due to your not living there for a couple of weeks, that has triggerd a mass hatch out.
Even if you do know exactly what to look for it is not at all easy to see every flea that your cat picks up, especially as they do not stay on the cat and one flea can lay hundreds of eggs.
It is very much more likely to have been your cat bringing fleas in that your neighbour.

It is by no means impossible that your neighbour got bitten while feeding your cat in your house and doesn't like to mention it to you!

I remember coming back from holiday one year and the white hearth rug in the living room was hoaching with fleas - never saw a single one before then, but the rug was jumping! The cats had been at the cattery while we were away, so I guess it must have been hatching flea eggs. We treated the whole carpet and rug, washed the rug, treated the cats again, and problem solved pretty quickly.