How to prevent fleas and natural remedies for cat and home.

Once you notice your cat becoming restless, chews its skin and scratches it is more likely that it has fleas. This means you have to control the fleas before they harm your pet and your house.

The first thing you need to do is perform a flea check. Find out if these bugs have already settled in on your pet. Check if there are movements of bugs in her fur. Once you see the sign of movements, you can start by combing your cat’s fur with flea comb multiple times in a day to remove adult fleas. Combine liquid dish detergent and water and dip the comb in this mixture to kill fleas. If this doesn’t work try any of the following remedies:

Preventing Fleas:

1. Spot-on Treatments:

Fleas thrive on your pet because of its warm fur and blood. You can help put a barrier to stop them from settling-in by using flea products for the cat. Spot-on product treatments are more convenient, more effective and also safer compared to sprays and shampoos. You can get these online and from your own vet, just make sure to ask important details like where to put, how often you will use it and how much of it you can apply. The common ingredients that you can see on these products are Selamectin, Imidaclprid, Fluralaner, and Fipronil. 

2. Pills:

Pills that can be eaten like nitenpyram can stop adult fleas in just 30 minutes, however, their effects do not last for a long time. Spinosad is a chewable pill that works fast. It kills the fleas before they even lay eggs and it gives your pet protection for a month in order to control hatchings.

3. Flea Collar:

This flea collar has imidacloprid and flumethrin to help control fleas.

Natural Flea Remedies:

If you do not want to use commercial flea treatments there are also natural flea remedies that you can try to get rid of your cat fleas.

1. Lemon:

One effective flea product for a cat is citric acid.  Cut the lemon into two and boil it. Let it steep for hours and then drain it and transfer it into a spray bottle. Just spray this to your cat’s fur. Try to check if there is redness or irritation. Use it every day until the fleas are gone completely.

2. Cedar Chips:

Fleas do not like the scent of cedar chips and your cat may hate it too. Try to put some cedar chips on your pet’s beddings or in the garden. Spraying cedar oil to your cat’s fur may help keep these bugs away. You can also just put some on the cat’s collar.

3. Spices:

Spice up your pet’s life using natural ingredients that you can find at home. Oregano oil is one good herb that helps remove fleas. Make a mixture by combining oregano oil and olive oil. Apply it to the areas where fleas usually stay such as the neck, tail, ears, and stomach. You may also mix half a teaspoon of cumin to your pet’s food. The spice in cumin will make fleas stay away from your cat. If you do not have any of these spices, use table salt. Salt aids in dehydrating and killing the fleas and their eggs. You can even sprinkle it in your carpet or better yet, mixed it with water so that you can reach surfaces.

4. Dish Soap:

Yes, that’s right; dish soap can also be a very good flea product for cat. Dish soap can crush exoskeleton and exterminate them in just a few minutes. Wet your pet’s fur using a spray bottle and make the soap lather into its fur, concentrating more in the area where fleas hide and then rinse.

5. Apple Cider Vinegar:

Fleas do not like the smell of apple cider vinegar. It won’t kill these bugs but it will cause them to stay away from your cat. Mix the apple cider vinegar with water and spray it to onto his fur. If you use this, make sure that you also vacuum your carpet, floor, and other furniture. Use hot water in washing your beddings.

6. Lavender:

This is one effective way to help soothe your cat’s skin. It will even help him to relax and take some nap. Chamomile is very powerful and acts fast in removing fleas. Formulas that include lavender are as effective as using commercial treatment. To use it just use fresh lavender and steep it in water. Let it stay overnight before using it. Put it into a spray bottle and put some on your pet’s coat, you do not need to rinse it.

Make Your Home Flea Free:

Do you know that a single female flea can produce 50 eggs in a day? These bugs can crawl from your cat, to your couch, and to your carpet fast. It is best that you get rid of them before they even hatch or else you will be faced with huge flea infestation. Make sure that you clean your home thoroughly. Using a vacuum, clean all cushioned furniture, carpets and do not miss any single crevices and cracks on your floor. Get rid of fleas by throwing away the vacuum bag and rinse canister using soap and warm water once done. Make sure you remove and wash sofa covers, bedding and other fabrics that your cat may have touched, do this weekly.  Use hot water in washing them to kill the bugs.

There are times that fleas are just really stubborn and they stick as much even with using different types of treatments. Then why not clear your home first. Make all your family members get out of the house and take your pet out too and then use a flea spray to your carpets and surfaces. Choose a flea spray that has pyriproxyfen or methoprene. If you do not like to use these chemicals then you may opt for natural spray like citrus. Keep family members and pets away until everything has dried. Another thing that you can do is to bring your pet to a vet and get treatment. You may also call a bug expert, in case there are still fleas crawling around. Bug exterminator can help you solve the problem. Any one of these flea products for a cat is effective, you just need to choose the one flea product for cat that is effective in your situation.