Prevention
- As the saying goes, "prevention is the best medicine." And it’s no different here. Fleas can be incredibly difficult to get rid of and not every treatment is 100% effective on every cat. In fact, owners may need to use different treatments for the home, yard and the cat’s body.
- Fleas are yet another reason that experts recommend that owners limit their cats’ exposure to the outdoors. Once fleas decide to settle somewhere, their establishment becomes very strong, which tracks into the home and, even, onto the owner.
Natural Treatments for When a Cat Gets Fleas
- Bathing the cat in cool water with shampoo infused with natural flea-repelling agents, such as eucalyptus, lavender, cedar or citrus can be effective. Adding some Omega-3 fatty acids to the cat’s diet at this time is helpful in protecting its skin from drying out due to the shampoo.
- For cats that absolutely hate bathing, using a flea comb with a bowl of soapy water could do the trick. However, it can take more time than bathing and owners should be careful to get as close as possible to the skin, while not pulling on the cat’s hair.
- When a cat has had fleas, owners need to be very thorough in vacuuming and cleaning the house. It’s also recommended to get the carpet professionally cleaned, wash all of the bedding that the cat has used and empty the vacuum at least weekly.
- Cat owners need to keep the yard clean of excessive dirt and debris, as this type of environment is typically a flea breeding ground. Planting herbs, including marigolds and eucalyptus may be helpful. Food grade diatomaceous can also help to keep fleas at bay naturally. However, it needs to be reapplied after rain. Heavy rains can actually help wash flea eggs away.
What Home Remedy Kills Fleas on Cats?
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Cedar chips
Fleas hate the smell of cedar. Cats may not appreciate owners putting chips around or in their bedding, but a spray on a cat’s fur or collar may be just as effective.
Lemons
Lemon sprays are pretty easy to make. Simply boil a cut lemon or two and then drain the excess liquid before transferring it into a bottle. However, owners need to watch for any redness. For cats that hate to be sprayed, using a flea comb with the solution is often just as effective. A cup of lemon juice to the laundry and pet’s bedding may be effective.
Table Salt
Table salt can help to dehydrate the fleas and dry out their eggs. It’s particularly effective on hard surfaces.
Spices
Combining olive oil with a spice, such as oregano, and applying it to the problem areas on the cat’s fur is often effective. If the cat doesn’t like that, adding cumin to the cat’s food is a good alternative—just make sure it’s less than a teaspoon at a time.
Cedar Vinegar
Adding cedar vinegar to your cat’s water may not actually kill fleas. However, fleas hate the smell so much that it can make them jump off your cat’s body like a frog out of boiling water. A thorough home cleaning will probably be needed afterward. Just ensure to thoroughly dilute the cedar vinegar properly for your size of cat.
