I discovered a few fleas on my cats. They hate baths so I am thinking of getting some advance or something along those lines we can both spare our sanity and avoid a bath. I also noticed some fleas in the house. I would like to get rid of them without pesticides which can harm my cats. I cant bomb the house because I have no where to put my cats or myself while the house is being bombed. the problem isnt severe but I want to get the fleas gone. Is their some natural way to do this without chemicals? Someone told me that all cats have fleas but I dont believe that to be true but then again I dont know. I imagine if they are outdoor cats it is possible but mine are indoor cats. I think the problem started when i brought in a throw rug from my front porch because that seems to be where most of the probelm was so I threw it out. my cats are smart though, they are avoiding the floor. Instead they are hanging out on my shelf, the computer desk and the fridge. Smart kitties!!
2007-09-21 05:31:09 · 10 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
Always keep your kitties up to date with flea treatment: Advantage, Frontline, etc.
I've always gotten rid of fleas in the house by putting a little bit of lemon juice or dish soap in a bowl of water and putting the bowls around the house, especially in more prominent areas.
ALSO! I find if a put some flea powder/spray in my vacuum bag and then vacuum you can pick a lot up that way. If you vacuum without powder/spray there's a chance they can jump right back out.
Hope this helps!
2007-09-21 05:39:55 · answer #1 · answered by IveyPivey 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Get your kitties medicated ASAP. I just had the same problem...my Maddie is an indoor cat and they just magically appeared one day.
I picked up a CapStar from the vet (one pill). It will kill the fleas in a matter of minutes or hours (can't remember which) and then, as others suggested - make sure that your cat is up to date with either Frontline or Advantage.
Now, the house. I also didn't want to bomb the house or use pungent aerosoles around my cat. I looked on Y!A and found some cool suggestions. This one worked for me:
Treat your carpets with baking soda and salt. It sounds strange, but here is what it does: the baking soda brings the fleas to the surface of the carpet. The salt dries them up and kills them. Put those two down and let it set overnight. Then vaccum the carpet the next day, paying close attention to corners, baseboards and crevices. Throw away the vac bag outside immediately. If you happen to pick up some live ones, they can crawl back out.
For your upholstry, douse them with Lysol. It will kill them instantly. You might have to do this routine a few times over the period of a few weeks. The fleas' life cycle is two weeks. Most likely some will be in the egg stage when you first attack the house. The flea eggs are air and water-tight. Nothing can penetrate them...you will have another outbreak and then you should be able to catch the remaining ones.
Good luck to you!
(and sorry that you're going through this...been there, hated that!)
2007-09-21 06:58:32 · answer #2 · answered by YSIC 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
All cats and dogs do not have fleas. None of mine have fleas and I do not use Frontline, Advantage, etc., flea dips, powders, collars, sprays, etc. Indoor cats, outdoor cats, dogs that go to the dog park, etc. it doesn't matter, they do not have fleas.
The best way to get rid of fleas is to get rid of the wall-to-wall carpeting or, in your case, a throw rug. I like rugs that are thin enough to go into the wash on a regular basis. You can use borax powder and work it into the carpeting although some people think that is toxic as well. A little bit of garlic in their food may help but it isn't clear.
Fleas are easily drowned in water so a bath is the most natural way to get rid of them. They need a good combing with a flea comb to physically get them into the water and a bath is better for this than a shower in the sink.
If this is a light infestation, getting rid of the rug and cleaning the fleas off of your cats may be enough especially as the weather turns colder. If it becomes worse or doesn't go away, you may have to use some of the less toxic monthly preventatives until the problem is solved. I would then stop them at that point.
2007-09-21 07:15:05 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes cats and dogs like most furred animals carry fleas. Yes even indoor ones. To bring a flea into a house is no big deal They can come on a person's clothing or hop in throw a window from the garden those pests can jump 50 feet.
No way you can get rid of them without using pesticides. Take your cats to a shelter for a day or two because if you don't nip this thing in the bud you'll have an infestation ion your hands. Believe me I had that once and I'm more scared of them then I am of roaches or rats.
Their bites are awful - they itch for days and leave red marks that last for weeks. Call the exterminator - fleas breed very quickly and infest your furnishings in no time at all.
Their preferred hosts are cats and dogs - furred animals but if deprived of a natural host they will bite humans. They are completely blind with very strong hind legs. They look like monsters from another planet. it's a good thing they're minute. Another thing - most of the time you can't see them but if you've spotted a couple that means you have many more and no amount of washing will get rid of them or of their eggs. trust me I now what I'm saying
2007-09-21 05:50:08 · answer #4 · answered by Scarlet 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
-Nails At your local Pet Smart or Pet co they have cat nail covers. They glue on to the cats nails and keeps the tips soft. So no more holes or scratching. -Now for the fleas. Fleas are a pain to get rid of. Since they are through out your apartment you need to flea bomb. You and your pets must leave the place for at least four hours. Covering all electronics and putting away all food and sealing of cabinets. YES it is a pain but so are the fleas. Follow the directions on the bottle and how to clean afterwords. I would recommend making your cat a grooming appointment on this day and have her get a flea dip. It will save you the hassle of doing this yourself. I would also recommend getting some front-line from your vet and putting that on her 3 days after her flea dip. GOOD LUCK! -Also so you know you may have to bomb more then once if the fleas are really bad!
2016-03-13 05:15:06 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
there are products that you can apply on their necks once a month available at pet store. u may have to get rid of the fleas on your pets before u can use it. unfortunately for the rest, you will have to wash everything that came into contact with the fleas and vacuum a lot. maybe call an exterminator if its really bad.
2007-09-21 05:57:30 · answer #6 · answered by LINDSEY S 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Advantage will kill the fleas on the cat and in the house.
2007-09-21 06:31:45 · answer #7 · answered by flamingbichon 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Check this out for natural, safe ways to rid your home and pet of fleas http://pests.in/fleas.html
2007-09-21 23:06:38 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Borax we used it in our house to get rid of fleas and it works great! its safe so you can put it on the cat(s)!
2007-09-21 05:40:04 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
collars dip an bug spray but keep pets at the dip till the spray clears.
2007-09-21 05:37:40 · answer #10 · answered by ? 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋