I seen your answer to someones question about fleas, and I was interested in your response about lavender and teatree oil. I was just wondering if you mixed it with shampoo or what? I have some teatree oil, but it's obviously very oily and strong smelling. Could you tell me how your administer it to your animals? Also, anyone else's suggestions on flea meds/remedies would be helpful :)
2007-07-24 21:39:12 · 4 answers · asked by ok 1 in Pets ➔ Cats
The answer is don't! I don't know about dogs, but you should never use any essential oil on a cat. It can be toxic. Eucalyptus and Pennyroyal are the worst, I believe, but none would be good.
Certainly not full strength, but to be safe I wouldn't even use a diluted form.
Below is my flea treatment plan from my blog:
1. Treat the cat. Go to your vet and get either Advantage or Frontline Plus (I went with Advantage).
2. Get yourself a "flea comb" and comb your cat at least once per day. Have a bucket with dish soap in it handy to dunk the comb in and to collect the hair. Fleas can't jump out of the slippery soap. No point in combing them out only to have them jump back on your cat. Flush this down the toilet, pour it down the sink, or dispose of it away from your house.
3. Treat your house. Options are a borate powder product or something that uses diatomaceous earth. Fleabusters (BP), Fleago Natural Flea Control (BP) or Flea Away Natural Flea Powder (DE). Put about a tablespoon of this in your vacuum cleaner bag (or you can cut up a flea collar to put in there. Just follow the directions which will vary by product, but in general you'll sprinkle on the carpet and vacuum up and also sprinkle into cracks and crevices. (I chose Fleago because it's less expensive than Fleabusters. I may also try Flea Away in time).
4. Vacuum as often as possible. Before vacuuming, stomp around the house. This will bring the fleas to life because they'll think there's a tasty morsel out there. Then vacuum those little bastards up. Be sure to use your attachments to vacuum as many cracks and crevices as you can - they love to hide out there.
5. Wash any pet bedding in hot water, and you'll want to be particularly diligent about vacuuming/treating areas where your cat hangs out.
6. Treat your yard. Even if your cat doesn't go outside, fleas may enter your home if they exist in your yard. There's a small chance that you or others may bring fleas in the house with you (although this is unlikely). Get hold of some nematodes to spray in your yard. I believe you only have to do this once per year. These little creatures will eat the flea larva. As one website put it, these critters are too small to hug, but they deserve it! (I had to order this online; I wasn't able to find a place that sells them in my area and didn't feel like calling every place in the phonebook).
Things not to do: Don't use any essential oils on your cat, particularly anything with pennyroyal or eucalyptus. They're toxic to cats. Don't use flea collars. Don't give your cat any garlic/yeast formulations. Don't give your cat lemon baths.
You're going to want to continue treating your home as directed, whether that be sprinkling once per week or once a month. Continue treating throughout flea season (when it's warm). You can stop during the winter months, but start up again in the spring. You'll nip them in the bud!
The key is to treat the environment, not the cat. If you do that, you may never have to apply another flea product directly on them again.
2007-07-25 01:51:06 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Hello, if it's for a dog then you could add a couple of drops of both lavender and tea tree oil to shampoo or you can use both tea tree oil and lavender oil neat, i put only 1 drop of each on the back of my cats necks so they can't lick it off, if you only have tee tree oil then just use 2 drops of that, it's very good and safe, i also use both oils neat on my daughters hair as a headlice repellent.
2007-07-25 06:48:19 · answer #2 · answered by ♥sandpaper kisses♥ >^..^< 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Do NOT use tea tree oil on cats, it's toxic. Dogs can handle it, but even small doses to a cat cause organ failure and will kill.
Ask your vet, there's an awful lot of stuff that is toxic to felines that don't affect dogs. Don't take chances.
2007-07-26 03:06:54 · answer #3 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
Tea tree oil is highly toxic for cats!
Go to the vet and get Revolution. It kills fleas, ticks, ear mites, worms, and protects against heartworms.
2007-07-25 08:57:55 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋