We are going to get treatment for bedbugs and have had some
exterminators tell us our pet cats will only need to be out of the
home for 6 hours, while others say they should be kept away for two
weeks after the treatment.  We have five cats, so it would be
extremely expensive for us to board them somewhere, but we also don't
want to risk their being poisoned.  In my initial search on the
internet, I couldn't find any links specificially addressing this
question.  I would like to be provided with links to internet sites or
information from other resources that specifically address the
question of what should be done with
pets when having bedbugs exterminated.  I need answers by Monday, September 11.

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Request for Question Clarification by pinkfreud-ga on 07 Sep 2006 18:04 PDT

Do you know the name of the insecticide that is going to be used?

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Clarification of Question by laurie88-ga on 08 Sep 2006 14:37 PDT

The pesticide that will be used is Deltamethrin.

As Pink asks, the particular pesticide(s) used are crucial to making a
recommendation. For instance, there are some pesticides that have
essentially zero effect on mammals while others (especially organic
ones) are cery dangerous to everything living.

If you use FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH to dust the bedding and your
cats, you will have no issues with poison and will not have to
quarantine them. It works by microscopically cutting into the
exoskeleton of the bedbugs (or other insects) and they "bleed" to
death (dehydrate).

Please note that pool filter DE will NOT work for insect control.

You can read more about DE at 
http://www.internet-grocer.net/diatome.htm

Deltamethrin?long-term toxicity to cats or dogs is not significant 

1.General population:  The exposure of the general population to 
deltamethrin is expected to be very low and is not likely to 
present a hazard under recommended conditions of use. 

 Occupational exposure:  With good work practices, measures of 
hygiene, and safety precautions, deltamethrin is unlikely to 
present a hazard for those occupationally exposed. 

 Environment:  It is unlikely that deltamethrin or its degradation 
products will attain levels of adverse environmental significance 
with recommended rates of application.  Under laboratory 
conditions, deltamethrin is highly toxic for fish, aquatic 

arthropods, and honey-bees.  However, under field conditions, 
lasting adverse effects are not likely to occur under recommended 
conditions of use. 


2.
ENVIRONMENTAL FATE:
Breakdown in Soil and Groundwater
In soil, degradation occurs within 1-2 weeks 

Breakdown in Surface Water
Deltamethrin in pond water was rapidly adsorbed, mostly by sediment,
in addition to uptake by plants and evaporation into the air

Breakdown in Vegetation
About 10 days after use, there are no deltamethrin residues observed
on plants. There is no known phytotoxicity to crops

3.
  Deltamethrin was degraded in cotton plants, under glasshouse 
conditions, with an initial half-life of 1.1 weeks, and the time 
needed for 90% loss was 4.6 weeks.  

    The major metabolites were free and conjugated Br2CA,  trans-
hydroxymethyl-Br2CA, and 3-(4-hydroxyphenoxy)benzoic acid formed by 
ester cleavage, oxidation, and conjugation.  

    Deltamethrin was incubated in sand and organic soil at 28 °C 
under laboratory conditions.  Approximately 52% and 74% of the 
applied deltamethrin was recovered from sand and organic soil, 
respectively, 8 weeks after treatment.  

    Deltamethrin is not mobile in the environment because of its 
strong adsorption on particles, its insolubility in water, and very 
low rates of application.  

    No data are available on actual levels in the environment, but 
with the current use pattern and under normal conditions of use, 
environmental exposure is expected to be very low.  Degradation to 
less toxic products is rapid. 



you can find more informations to the toxicity and degradation period
of Deltamethrin.(The first link ,I think ,is the most useful to you.

http://www.inchem.org/documents/ehc/ehc/ehc97.htm#SubSectionNumber:7.3.2

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/deltamethrin-ext.html

http://pmep.cce.cornell.edu/profiles/extoxnet/carbaryl-dicrotophos/deltamethrin-ext.html

the conclusion:

I suggest you should keep your cats away for three to four days.