Holistic/Natural flea remedies?

bubblpopelectrc

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Anyone know of any holistic and natural flea remedies for cats? I am going to start adding lavender (or another essential oil) into their shampoo in addition to using it in a spray (basically water and a few drops of essential oil. Can I use these methods on a kitten? I've read a few sites that have said to avoid using essential oils, but I am unsure if that means just using pure essential oil or any at all (including diluted).

Also, I am thinking about adding yeast to my dogs food. Coud I do the same with cats?

Thanks! Any other suggestions would be great! I hate using the chemical stuff!
 

zissou'smom

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Essential oils are toxic, dangerous, and bad for cats. Basically a poison.

You should not use essential oils even in the environment of cats, and definitely never on them.

The reason is that their bodies are completely incapable of metabolizing the structure of the oils and they just build up in their bodies until it makes their organs unable to work.

If you don't want to use a prescription flea treatment, use diatomaceous earth to fix the problem you have now, then keep them inside.

The newer prescriptions are safer than letting the cats have fleas. They also need to be treated for worms now anyway. Essential oil type things are not only dangerous but also pretty ineffective.

Good luck, fleas stink!
 

momto3cats

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I agree that you should not use essential oils on or around your cats. This method works for dogs, but is very dangerous to cats and kittens.

The brewer's yeast is a good idea, and it does work. I used to give my cats brewer's yeast every day, until they got tired of eating it
. It's the B vitamins in the yeast that keeps fleas away. You can also buy treats with B vitamins in them for that purpose.

ETA: If you already have fleas in the house, you need to treat the environment as well as the cats. In that case putting anything on or in the cats is not going to be enough by itself.
 

cmoc

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I read that rubbing diluted lemon juice on the cat makes the fleas jump off!!
Thought I would try it although I have read that cats dont like lemon, well Dillon does, he licked it off (the fleas were still there!) I stick to the advantage. Garlic is supposed to help, but when I think how much stomach ache garlic gives me, I wouldnt give it to my cat. Read somewhere about a combe that zaps them (can you imagine this buzzing zapping noise, how much would your cat enjoy that!!)
Chris
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by cmoc

I read that rubbing diluted lemon juice on the cat makes the fleas jump off!!
Thought I would try it although I have read that cats dont like lemon, well Dillon does, he licked it off (the fleas were still there!) I stick to the advantage. Garlic is supposed to help, but when I think how much stomach ache garlic gives me, I wouldnt give it to my cat. Read somewhere about a combe that zaps them (can you imagine this buzzing zapping noise, how much would your cat enjoy that!!)
Chris
Cats normally don't like citrus and I really doubt it would do much to get rid of a flea problem.

Garlic is very BAD for cats. Please do not give garlic to your cat.

Zapping them would be cruel to your cat IMO.

One of the above posters mentioned diatomaceous earth. I recently got some and it has completely solved my ant problem. The only word of caution is to ensure that you get the human grade. I also plan to add about a half teaspoon to their food once a week to rid them of any internal parasites. My hubby is really surprised at how effective the d-earth really is.
 

ping

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I plan to get some d-earth food/human grade here soon. We have several feed and seed stores so I am gonna check there before buying online. But I do hear very good things about it. Also someone mentioned Brewers Yeast as a way to combat fleas. I did some looking online about this. Looks promising as long as you don't have an infestation going on. Which we don't so I am looking into adding that to one of his wet meals a day. Does anyone know where I can get some that is not in tab form?
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by Ping

Does anyone know where I can get some that is not in tab form?
Most health food stores have the powder in a small can. I just got some the other day (for a different reason) but...anyway, my cats LOVE it. It's like kitty crack!
 

ping

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Originally Posted by beandip

Most health food stores have the powder in a small can. I just got some the other day (for a different reason) but...anyway, my cats LOVE it. It's like kitty crack!
Next week I am gonna stop by the health store for the brewers yeast and then one of the mills for the d-earth. I just talked to a friend of mine that is a farmer (cattle) and she said she has never heard of it. But she is now interested in it after talking with me. She said one mill in town (the one she goes to) will order some if they do not carry it. So looks like one way or another I will get some in the coming weeks.
 

kisabre

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Some holistic vets say the best way to control or prevent fleas is through proper nutrition. Further stating only weak or unhealthy animals attract fleas. Saying fleas are parasites that prey on animals with low immune systems. – But this may be all theoretical – But it also makes a lot of sense to me. Why does it seem that fleas (parasites) are a normal part of life for cats or dogs? That just doesn’t seem right.

My cat currently doesn’t have fleas but summer is beginning. So it might be best of me to start looking in products that control/kill/ prevent fleas but I’m looking to maybe try the Mother Nature route.
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by Ping

Next week I am gonna stop by the health store for the brewers yeast and then one of the mills for the d-earth. I just talked to a friend of mine that is a farmer (cattle) and she said she has never heard of it. But she is now interested in it after talking with me. She said one mill in town (the one she goes to) will order some if they do not carry it. So looks like one way or another I will get some in the coming weeks.
I don't know anything about d-earth, but I did see that Yosemite mentioned getting the "human grade" type...I don't know if that's the type that they said they could order for you or not. Just a heads up, like I said I don't know much about it.


But the B.Y. - wow. They love it.
 

sharky

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I use dietanesous earth for bug control on my home permiter...

I use De flea for the cats ... it is natural OTC( ASK YOUR VET)... Not all vets will push an rx ... My dog uses an Rx now do to health issues...

Brewers yeast is often already in high end foods... and MORE IS NOT better and it commonly comes with garlic which in a dog will repel fleas but is NOT SAFE for a cat
 

ping

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Yeah I knew it had to be human or food grade d-earth.
 

ping

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Mine does not have brewers yeast in it.
 

roxie225

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Originally Posted by BubblPopElectrc

Anyone know of any holistic and natural flea remedies for cats? I am going to start adding lavender (or another essential oil) into their shampoo in addition to using it in a spray (basically water and a few drops of essential oil. Can I use these methods on a kitten? I've read a few sites that have said to avoid using essential oils, but I am unsure if that means just using pure essential oil or any at all (including diluted).

Also, I am thinking about adding yeast to my dogs food. Coud I do the same with cats?

Thanks! Any other suggestions would be great! I hate using the chemical stuff!
When Roxie had fleas I did some research and came across Natural Chemistry De Flea pet shampoo and room spray... Their products actually worked really good. The shampoo killed the fleas on contact. Only bummer is its not preventative.

Heres the link from the PetCo website for the shampoo:

http://www.petco.com/Shop/petco_Prod...yID_12133.aspx
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by sharky

Brewers yeast is often already in high end foods... and MORE IS NOT better and it commonly comes with garlic which in a dog will repel fleas but is NOT SAFE for a cat
Yeah, true...I was talking about plain brewer's yeast...but not for fleas - just a sprinkle for its tastiness.
 

ping

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I didn't know that it even came with garlic in it (depending on who makes it). I thought we were all talking about plain ol brewers yeast. Even the article I was reading (written by a vet) mentioned nothing of garlic being in it or using one with garlic in it. The way it was worded was that it had more to due with how it metabolizes in the body and an odor or something that fleas don't like repel them. She also mentioned using it in cunjunction with d-earth as a complete preventive. Oh and good nutriction. Which we have now. And we really don't have a big flea problem here but I wanna keep it that way.

This is what i read:
http://www.motherearthnews.com/Lives...a-Control.aspx
 

ping

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So I should be fine if I get it at a health food store? Just be sure to check the label. How much should you use for a 10-12lb cat? Also do you put it in one meal a day or just 2-3 times a week?
 

beandip

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Originally Posted by Ping

So I should be fine if I get it at a health food store? Just be sure to check the label. How much should you use for a 10-12lb cat? Also do you put it in one meal a day or just 2-3 times a week?
I got mine at a health food store - Brewer's yeast, not nutritional yeast. I haven't given them any significant amount. I just sprinkled it on some food for the taste factor. I'm not sure otherwise.
 
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