What´s the best way to get rid of fleas in an open environment?

Question

I live in a house among tall trees in a large area, almost like a tropical forest. I like it this way because it became a safe refuge for wild animals around, like small monkeys, racoons, birds etc. Still my ex wife left me with a cat and 3 dogs. Now there are 8 cats. I know, they should have been spayed, my budget won´t allow me to do all at once. Fleas are the main problem. Somebody please help me!

Answer 1

Oh dear, that is a lot to take care of.

Outside, there are a number of aromatic herbs that fleas don't like. Among them are sages, tansy, and fennel. You'll need to check what will grow well where you live because where I do is considerably cooler.

Inside, you'll need to treat your house with Borax and a vacuum cleaner. And get your pets dipped to kill the fleas hiding on them.

Sprinkle your carpet and furniture liberally with borax, wait about 20 minutes, then vacuum. While you're doing that, wash everything that's washable. And keep vacuuming every day for at least 2 weeks, which is about the life cycle of a flea.

Good luck!

Answer 2

Even if not all done at once, start having your females spayed one at a time. Neuter Scooter is a mobile lab that spays and gives rabies vac for a very reasonable price. www.NeuterScooter.com lists the schedule; they visit most places once a month, often locating at an animal shelter or a pet store. Here it costs $50 at the door and $40 if paid at least two days early online. It really costs $10 more at the door - an optional extra pain shot costs that and I always get it. You take the cat about 9 am and pick it up at 6.

2nd: PLANT MINT around your house. Fleas will jump off and run away when your cat walks through mint. Pennyroyal is best; peppermint and spearmint next. They grow and spread very much. It's also a wonderful air freshener !

When I could keep animals away until everything dries (quickly) I get Dursban (think it was maybe discontinued and used something else last time) and mix it as instructed, then spray my porch, yard, driveway and sidewalks to get rid of fleas from strays. That worked great, and usually used it just once each summer.

I also use Advantage, Frontline or Revolution on all. My vet had me get a very large bottle of Frontline and spray the cats. 2 sprays per pound of cat weight. $60 bottle does 8 cats three times through the year; much cheaper than the little tubes. A different vet here also says all the solutions are the same, and gives it out in little syringes with just the amount for your cat (as with the "kits" sold on ebay now - which work great).

Answer 3

Then you better keep them apart until you can neuter them all! Otherwise 8 cats will become 20, then 50, then 100...I saw an article in a newspaper recently about a man who'd got himself in to this trouble, he had about 50 cats and was living in squallor, working every hour of they day just to try to feed them. Most of the cats were put to sleep when he was discovered because they were in such a bad way, and he was prosecuted - don't become like this!! I would get in contact with a shelter for some support if I were you, and get some of the cats rehomed. 8 is too many.

The fleas are the easy part, although not especially cheap when you have that many animals. You need to keep all of your animals, and your house treated, and then fleas should not trouble you. If you use the correct, effective products then you should not actually need to spray outside.

Get some Frontline from a vets, or online, it's the cheapest effective treatment. You may also need to get a spray from your house. Stores do sell flea treatments for cheap, but please don't waste your money because they don't work - be saving up for the neuter ops!!

Chalice

Answer 4

I can't think of the different brand names, right off, but there are many available at any store which sells pet products. It's the kind that you apply a tiny stip to the animal's backbone near the neck and is good for 30 days. It actually works very well and my wife, who is severely sensitive to flea bites, hasn't been bothered at all. It costs a bit more than flea collars but is so much more effective.

For any fleas that have already taken up residence in your home, you'll need to deal with them on a separate basis. The time that it happened to me, I had to use a flea bomb that required the house to be emptied of all animals for 6 hours while the house was effectively fumigated. But it did work well.

But like unpaid fines, the longer you wait, the more they multiply, just like un-neutered animals and the costs keep increasing.

Answer 5

keep the cats indoors.. you cannot get rid of them outside...
you can keep your lawn mowed short but this really wont make that much of a difference...keeping the cats in and removing fleas by using a flea comb will help...

spay your cats - females first.. then neuter the males as your budget allows...

if you have to take the youngest ones (these would be most adoptable) to the local SPCA or animal shelter - leave yourself with 1-3 cats only as this is more manageable..
get your budget under control -eat more soup - no coffee to go (restaurant coffee is the biggest rip off.. I know because I used to be a waitress)...

talk to the vet about a solution such as revolution or advantage...

birds, monkeys and raccoons will not spread cat or dog fleas.. they come from cats or dogs only..

dont use flea collars - these are actually dangerous to pets
wash all pet bedding...

Answer 6

Try to reduce the contact between your pets and wild animals which may carry fleas. Vacuum clean carpets, bedding and other areas where the fleas are likely to lay eggs. Wash pet bedding and other furnishings once a week in hot soapy water to kill eggs and larvae.