Natural Remedies for Fleas on Cats: What Works and What Doesn't More and more cat owners are opting for natural treatments for fleas on your pets. Although many home remedies are used on cats, some do not work and others should be avoided because they are toxic. For example, garlic, Nem oil and citronella are commonly suggested as natural parasite repellents but are poisonous to cats.
Diatomaceous earth can kill fleas in carpets and upholstery, but it is a dust that can cause respiratory irritation if inhaled by cats.
Ingesting blood allows a female flea to lay eggs, about 50 a day. Flea larvae burrow into dark spaces in the home, such as carpets, cracks in wood floors and furniture.
The flea larvae wait for the cat to step over to climb on it, and once they jump onto a cat, their life cycle begins.
Fleas are hard-shelled, fast and highly adaptable parasitic insects that can survive starvation conditions.
Thus, an adult flea can survive on just one blood meal for up to two months.
Natural flea remedies for cats work through repetition; therefore, the treatment must be repeated every day until there are no more fleas on your cat's body.
However, any topical flea treatment should be combined with home treatments such as daily house cleaning to remove adult fleas, eggs and larvae from the cat and its environment.
Below are some natural home remedies for fleas on cats:
2. Lemon – lemons contain an active substance called limonene, which is an effective natural flea killer.
Tatone is another compound with flea repellent properties. However, cats dislike the smell of citrus fruits almost as much as fleas do.
That's why I recommend using it only in the environment and not on your kitten's fur.
3. Apple Cider Vinegar: Apple cider vinegar is a popular home remedy for a variety of health issues in humans and can also be effective against fleas on cats.
The acetic acid in apple cider vinegar helps repel fleas and can also kill them. To use apple cider vinegar to treat fleas on cats, mix equal parts apple cider vinegar and water in a spray bottle. Spray your cat's coat with the solution, avoiding the eyes and nose.
Apple cider vinegar can also be added to the cat's bath water or applied to a cotton ball and rubbed into the cat's coat.
4. Tea tree oil: Tea tree oil is another natural remedy that can be effective against fleas on cats.
The oil contains a compound called terpinen-4-ol, which has insecticidal properties.
To use tea tree oil to treat fleas on cats, dilute 5 drops of tea tree oil in 1 cup of water and apply the solution to the cat's coat with a damp cloth.
Tea tree oil can also be added to the cat's bath water.
5. Coconut oil : Parasites, such as ticks, fleas and mites, hate the taste of lauric acid present in coconut oil, which suggests that they tend to avoid our furry ones that smell like coconut oil.
Many dog and cat owners report that regularly applying coconut oil to their pet's coat keeps parasites at bay.
However, for this to work, you need to rub coconut oil on the animal, which can be a challenge with cats.
It's important to note that if parasites are already present in your pet's fur, coconut oil will usually not be enough to ward them off.
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| Collar against fleas and ticks up to 5 months duration |
Natural Flea Treatments That Don't Work or May Hurt You
1. Citronella is an essential oil extracted from the leaves and stems of the Cymbopogon nardus plant, which is a natural insect repellent popularly used to ward off mosquitoes and other insects.
While it is effective at preventing mosquito bites on humans, some people consider using citronella as a treatment for fleas on cats.
However, citronella can be irritating to cats' skin and eyes, and can be toxic if inhaled or ingested.
The side effects of citronella outweigh its effectiveness against fleas in cats, so it is recommended to avoid using citronella on pets.
2. Pennyroyal oil is another natural product that can be used to fight fleas on cats.
However, even at recommended doses, pennyroyal oil can have toxic effects when used on pets.
Topical application can cause fatal liver damage, so it is important to avoid using pennyroyal oil in cats and dogs.
3. Brewer's Yeast: No Evidence of Efficacy: There is no evidence that adding brewer's yeast to your cat's food can control fleas.
The school of veterinary medicine found no difference in flea counts between animals that received active yeast and those that received inactive yeast.
4. Diatomaceous earth is a natural flour-like powder containing silica made from the fossilized remains of diatoms, which are aquatic organisms.
Diatomaceous earth can be used as a flea control substance in two ways: by applying it to the cat's skin, which is very harmful to health, or by applying it to carpets, which is potentially harmful to health, as the dust can cause breathing problems, fibrosis of the lungs and eye irritation.
5. Baby oil is a natural insect repellent used against parasitic insects such as fleas and mosquitoes.
Some owners may have had success using baby oil to treat fleas on dogs, but cats are more sensitive to the oil and may experience side effects. Although baby oil is not listed as a toxic plant for cats by the SPCA, it can lead to reactions such as excessive salivation.
To be safe, it should be avoided and never used.
While these natural treatments can be effective in treating fleas on cats, it's important to remember that they should be combined with home cleaning treatments such as regular vacuuming and washing bedding and rugs. Additionally, if your cat has a severe flea infestation, it is important to consult a veterinarian for more aggressive treatment.
In short, while many rnatural remedies for fleas on cats can be used to treat fleas on cats, some are toxic and ineffective. It is important to choose safe and effective natural treatments and combine them with a regular house cleaning routine to ensure complete flea elimination and your cat's health.
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