Home Remedies for Cats with Fleas

Treating your home for fleas can be both frustrating and complicated. You want to ensure that your pet is free of fleas, but you do not want to harm your pet in the process. Some pets are indoor/outdoor pets, while others spend their time in one space or the other. Even if you have a cat that lives primarily indoors, you can still have a problem with fleas. However, treating your cat does not have to be harmful nor fraught with harsh chemicals.

Sprays for Your Cat’s Coat

• Lemon Juice

  Citric acid is toxic to fleas but harmless to your cat. Rather than rub a lemon all over your cat’s fur, you can create a solution with water and boiled lemons. The Spruce pet details how to do this without annoying your cat too much. First, slice lemons and boil them to extract as much of the oils and juice as possible and strain the contents. Once the solution is cooled, you may put it in a spray bottle and apply a mist to your cat’s coat. Any citrus fruit should work for this as well. Watch your cat’s skin to make sure that the citric acid does not bother them. Most cats will not be bothered, but every pet is different.

• Lavender

  You can use lavender essential oil to treat bedding or your cat’s favorite spaces, but you can also make a homemade lavender tea to apply to the cat’s coat. You would boil the lavender leaves in water just as you did the lemon wedges. You can then spray it on the coat after the solution cools.

• Apple Cider Vinegar

  While ACV does not kill fleas, they do not like the smell and will avoid your cat. However, you do not have to dip your cat in enough apple cider vinegar to be smelly. You can simply add a little to a spray bottle with water and apply it to the coat.

• A Word of Precaution

  Many cats are simply not going to let you spray them with a water bottle, especially if they have been sprayed as part of a training agenda. In this case, brush on the solution with a comb. You do not want to risk life and limb to get rid of a few fleas. An angry cat is not a fun cat.

Behaviors

You can change some behaviors to prevent fleas, as well. These behaviors are simple to alter, but many people do not consider them.

• Vacuum Daily

  Cleaning regularly can help the situation a lot. While many pet owners vacuum frequently, once they get fleas, they need to vacuum daily. Fleas can thrive in carpet fibers, and the cycle will continue. If you are using apple cider vinegar, your cat may not be bothered by the fleas, but you will still have plenty in your carpet. Vacuum the carpet regularly to remove fleas from fibers. Adding baking soda or salt to your vacuuming regimen can also help remove pesky fleas from carpets. Both have been shown to remove fleas for various reasons.

• Wash blankets and pet belongings

  Frequent washing of pet beds, blankets, or materials that the pet naps or lounges on will minimize flea multiplication. Cleaning the bedding will remove fleas from those fibers as well. You can also spray some of the above solutions on their belongings to keep them from attracting fleas.

• Plant a Garden

  Planting lavender and rosemary in your garden can help prevent fleas. Prevention can be as important as removing fleas from your home. Planting lemon trees, lavender, rosemary, and other natural repellants can keep fleas out of your yard. If your cat wanders around the yard, consider planters placed in various locations to prevent them in all areas. Herb gardens do not have to take up much space, and you can even create a windowsill garden inside. Some other flea repellant plants may be spearmint, chamomile, chrysanthemums, and pennyroyal, according to JC Elrich[1].

Outdoor Solutions

In addition to the gardens mentioned above, you can also deploy other methods to rid your home of fleas by beginning with the outdoors.

• Cedar Chips

  Cedar chips repel fleas, and while you may put some cedar chips out in your home, you can also put them in the garden rather than mulch in some cases. You would not want to spend enough to cover your entire garden, but the areas nearest your home may be a good idea.

• Diatomaceous Earth

  Sprinkle Diatomaceous Earth around your yard to repel fleas. This solution can kill fleas without harming your pet. For particularly pesky fleas, you can rub a little onto your cat’s fur to kill any fleas present. However, mixing this and one of the above sprays can make for a muddy mess, so you might want to do one at a time.

Final Thoughts

There are many ways to repel and prevent fleas from attacking your beloved cat. However, you will need to rid your home of any fleas present before worrying about preventing them. Deploying a combination of the above tactics can help you to treat the area and prevent new outbreaks of fleas. Be sure that any option you choose is done carefully and with your pet’s comfort in mind. You will not want them to be further distressed by new concerns. While these things are natural, cats can be allergic to things just as humans can, so you want to use caution and monitor any areas where you put the sprays and compounds. You can avoid having a flea riddled home, but it will take effort and consideration to find what the best methods of treatment are for your family.