HELP- Fruit/Flies Gnats in cat fountain

littleraven7726

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I am having major league problems with gnats/fruit flies in the cat fountain. I have been washing it more than regularly. Bleaching it each time. But after a few days there are gnats in it. Well really after a day they are in it.
We know they are coming in through the screens we tried to get sealed for months (maintenance wouldn't, and now the building owner is doing maintenance but of course still haven't repaired them
).

Any tips for getting rid of them or trapping them? They are just gross, and we started finding them/seeing them flying around the bathroom too. We're moving in a few months, so just something to survive until then...Last night I dumped the kitty fountain and left out a bowl. It was late, but dang the water fountain was nasty.
 

enuja

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Are you sure the fruit flies are coming in through the screens? I've had fruit fly problems caused by a trash can I forgot about that I hadn't taken out, and at work (with a lab that has fruit flies next door) we have more when someone next door lets them out, but we really, really have more when there is standing water somewhere, like in the sink or under the drain-board.

I don't know how cat-safe it is, but have you tried fly paper?

I hope someone else has more advice.
 

yosemite

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I get fruit flies when my fruit starts getting too ripe. Take a bowl, put some vinegar in it, put saran (plastic) wrap over the dish, punch a couple tiny holes in it and place it near the fountain. The flies should go to that and not be able to get back out.
 
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littleraven7726

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Originally Posted by Enuja

Are you sure the fruit flies are coming in through the screens?
I don't have any trash anywhere that they would be in.
All food trash is in the kitchen (where surprisingly there is no problem). I take out the upstairs trash every couple days. The kitchen trash goes out daily.

I suspect they are coming from outside because there are clouds of gnats outside. It's a really bad year for them. Plus our screens don't keep bugs out. We've tried to get the LL to fix them for months, and have gotten nowhere.


I don't know how cat-safe it is, but have you tried fly paper?

I hope someone else has more advice.
I got a window fly trap for "all house flies" that is supposed to last 3 months (no pesticides). I also hung a fly paper from the ceiling near the fountain (there was a plant hook from previous tenants there).

Originally Posted by Yosemite

I get fruit flies when my fruit starts getting too ripe. Take a bowl, put some vinegar in it, put saran (plastic) wrap over the dish, punch a couple tiny holes in it and place it near the fountain. The flies should go to that and not be able to get back out.
I'll move one of them next to the fountain. I made traps with apple cider vinegar and white vinegar. I read recommendations of traps using either one.


Thanks guys!
 

buzbyjlc10

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I will have to try the vinegar thing... Oliver has a pot of oat grass by the back sliding door and there tend to be gnats around it (not a huge amount though) I had tried putting a glass custard dish with some soapy sugar water near it and it captures a few, but I think that's more by chance... will have to change it to vinegar and see what happens
 

yosemite

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Originally Posted by BuzbyJLC10

I will have to try the vinegar thing... Oliver has a pot of oat grass by the back sliding door and there tend to be gnats around it (not a huge amount though) I had tried putting a glass custard dish with some soapy sugar water near it and it captures a few, but I think that's more by chance... will have to change it to vinegar and see what happens
Don't forget to put the plastic wrap over it - that's so they cannot escape once they are in.
 
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littleraven7726

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