Natural Ways To Get Rid Of And KILL Kitten and Cat Fleas And Ticks In Your Home
Fleas of ANY kind are NEVER pretty.
They’re invasive.
Intrusive.
Irritating.
And an outright pain in the ‘you-know-what’.
They’re like the ‘thousand year itch’. They never quit and are never satisfied. Once they’ve had a taste of fresh blood, these miniature vampires will keep coming back for more until something is done about it.
Fortunately, there are natural flea medicines and treatments that goes beyond curing the symptoms and tackles the root of the real issue.
But before we dive into natural remedies to destroy feline fleas, first we must diagnose the symptoms to determine if cat fleas is the most probable cause of your woes beginning with a single question:
How Do I KNOW If My Cat Has Flea Problems?!
(Uncommon Signs Your Cat May Have Fleas)
The best (and perhaps most obvious) way to know with certainty if you’re cat has fleas is to stay on top of regular check-ups. However, due to busy schedules and lack of insurance it’s not always easy to arrange save dire emergencies.
The second most practical method is to look for signs of excessive scratching and or biting.
Some felines, depending on sensitivity to flea bite saliva, scratch relentlessly to the point of obvious irritation, moodiness, aggressiveness, and frustration. You’d be, too, if you were covered in fleas from head to toe!
Third, inspect his or her bedding.
Food, hair, and other foreign debris makes it the ideal breeding ground for fleas. If you notice small, almost ‘pearly white’ dots, and dark red dots, the white dots are flea eggs, the red dots are droppings. It’s easier to spot on all black bedding to provide enough contrast to spot these tell-tell signs with the naked eye.
Lastly, inspect your cat’s fur yourself. Doesn’t take a vet bill to do this simple check-up alone. Pay special attention to the base of the tail and neck area. Cat fleas are distinctively brown with a flat body, roughly 2mm in length. We suggest wearing gloves and other body coverings to prevent the likelihood of fleas migrating on your person.
Can Cat Fleas Transfer To Us (Humans)?
Getting fleas for us is about as traumatizing as squaring up with Big Foot in a boxing ring in a fight to the death, except with fleas there’s nowhere to run; nowhere to hide. At least with Big Foot you know who you’re facing face-to-face, with fleas there are thousands hidden in plain sight.
Fortunately, getting ‘cat fleas’ is so uncommon, you may have better odds of getting struck by lightning.
If you were to catch your felines fleas (extremely rare) it’s primarily because they’ve ran out of space on your cat or kittens body and needs another host to satisfy its appetite, at least temporarily. You’ll notice bite marks around your ankles and feet primarily. In general, cat fleas would much prefer to stay on cats.
So What’s The Solution, Doc?!
For starters there is more than ‘one’.
Killing cat fleas is NOT just about treating your cat, but also your HOME. In fact, it’s impossible to treat one without the other. Treat the home alone and your cat will re-infest it. Treat the cat alone and your home will re-infest him or her. When you do this you MUST do BOTH at the same time. No shortcuts. Either you go all in or nothing.
Though there are several methods to treat your kitten flea problem holistically, there are even FEWER that will work best for you, your cat and home. One cat may respond better to one natural remedy over the others. What they are comes down to experimentation and finding out first hand what works best for you and what doesn’t.
Below’s a short list of ‘quick n’ easy’ cures you can try out on your cat or kitten today:
Apple Cider Vinegar
Apple Cider Vinegar (ACV) is an old household natural remedy favorite for aiding in overall holistic cat flea treatment.
For temporary relief mix ACV (Bragg’s WITH the mother) with water (2 to 1 dilution), stir, fill a small spray bottle, and spray infected areas.
This solution won’t kill fleas but will instead force them to ‘abandon ship’ and leave.
Alternatively you may ‘soak’ your pet in this solution while combing its hair gently with a ‘flea comb’ for maximum effect.
Speaking of flea combs…
Flea Comb
Use a flea comb by slowly dragging it across the hairs as close as possible to its skin.
Give special attention to areas where fleas gather most such as the base of the tail, armpits and groin. Whilst doing so keep a small bowl of soapy water by your side to drown them in water. They can be purchased at any local pet store.
Diatomaceous Earth
Diatomaceous Earth (or D.E. for short) is a natural rock composed of ancient tough shelled algae typically crushed into fine powder to be coated on your cat or kittens exoskeleton.
It’s harmless to your pet yet effective at naturally dehydrating your pets skin suffocating the fleas until they eventually die.
But, a word of warning. Avoid human eye and nose contact at all costs. Sport a pair of safety goggles and a surgical mask when dealing with this substance. Use once daily and once weekly on your cats bedding, too.
Soapy Water Flea Trap
Fleas are drawn to light like moths are to a flame. With this uncommon knowledge you can use this natural phenomenon to kill hundreds.
Here’s what you do:
First, take a petri dish filled with warm, soapy water.
Second, place it under a night light. When they jump towards the light, they’ll drown in the water.
Third, check the dish next morning. There should be many dead fleas swarming lifeless.
Finally, empty the dirty water, rinse, wash, and repeat.
Flea Collar
Flea collars were designed are fairly effective at helping to get rid of fleas from bedding areas by cutting a collar into four sections and laying it underneath.
They have insect growth regulators that prevent flea larvae and eggs from reaching full maturation.
Chances are you will need to incorporate more than two into your overall cat flea removal plan for best results. There is no ‘one-cure’ solution, but an ‘all-cure’ solution.
Just as there are toxic elements in unnatural remedies used to destroy cat fleas, so, too, are there toxic elements in natural remedies.
Take heed of the following:
WARNING! THIS IS HARMFUL TO YOUR CAT!
Some internet circles suggest garlic or onions as a natural solution, but in reality they’re TOXIC and potentially DEADLY.
Tea Tree oil, though harmless to felines externally, when cats self-groom they ingest it internally which is where the problems manifest from.
In Conclusion…
Fleas are clever buggers. It’ll require more than a one-off pet cleaning to get rid of them, and even so you may still deal with occasional recurring issues in the house unless professionally exhumed.
We hope this article provides a little more insight into how to naturally fix your cat flea issues without having to resort to the chemical route unless absolutely necessary. In many cases, you don’t, but if it’s really bad, you may.
BONUS: Best Flea Remedies For Cats: Do’s and Don’ts
DO…
…vacuum your carpets regularly
DO…
…clean floors and walls with lemon water daily
DO…
…use borax powder to clean.
DO…
…use hot water to scrub household fabrics
DO…
…water your yard consistently (don’t allow to get dry and barren)
DO…
…maintain your yard to avoid flea problems in the future
DO…
…give your cat regular baths and check for fleas for early detection
DO…
…consult a vet regularly
DON’T…
…feed your cats garlic (big NO NO!)
DON’T…
…plant trees that attract deer (they’re known carriers)
DON’T…
…use typical flea treatments usually meant for dogs
DON’T…
…use excessive citrus sprays