eek ... I have ants

Does anyone have a suggestion regarding how to get rid of ants without harming my kitties? Are there any pet-friendly sprays on the market?

The ants are in my laundry room (where there are no windows) and have now migrated to the hall. I guess I could confine my cats to one of the bedrooms if I have to (although they will hate it). If that's my only option, how long before I can let them out again?

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks,
D

I called my vet (Duh! ... don't know why I didn't think of that before). FYI, she suggested I use ant baits (she mentioned Black Flag). From what I gather, they're like little roach motels except the ants enter and feed and then carry the stuff back to the nest, thus killing the whole ant colony. My vet says they are non-toxic.

I talked to an Orkin guy who frequents our restaurant and he says that you can use that orange stuff(oh what is it called?? it's that stuff that guy advertises on late night tv for wood I'd know the name if I saw it, I have some at the our store) anyway you can use it on the outside of your house and they don't like it so they don't go past it, but he (of course) doesn't guarantee that. He says the only real way to get rid of them is to call them(Orkin) out to do the job right( yeah right I'd rather not poison my cats thanks anyway and the little bait traps are cheaper if I buy them myself) He's such a goofball. He knows I'd never call him because of my cats.

I looked this up in my trusty book about how to clean and fix everything! This is what it says word for word:
For Ants on the counter, wipe the counter down with undiluted white vinegar. To prevent ants from coming in the house or getting into cupboards, sprinkle dried mint or red pepper where they are entering the house and in the cupboards.
To get rid of anthills, pour 3 gallons of boiling water down them. This is best done when the ants are active and near the surface. Do not do this close to flowers or they will die too.
Another way to kill ants is to mix a combination of 50% borax and 50% confectioners sugar. Place this on cardboard or a piece of board near the ant hill. The ants are attracted by the sugar and carry the fatal borax/sugar combo back to the nest to feed the queen and other ants. Soon all are dead. A note of caution: Do not place this where children or pet my ingest this mixture. Borax is sold in the laundry aisle at the grocery store as a laundry additive, not as a pesticide.

Hope this might help you!

Try baking soda or baking powder. I've used both, and they seem to work fairly well. Just sprinkle liberally where the ants are coming in.

Thank you to all who posted on how to get rid of ants without hurting kitties. I have tried the red pepper flakes, but unfortunately I used them in the house and it stained. I just bought some ant traps which I put out on the deck. But I"m too afraid my cats would think it was a toy if I had them inside the house. I think the ants are coming in from the deck.

Just be glad they haven't brought along the Uncles yet!


(Ducking for cover...I just coouldn't resist!)

My Mom has used the Vinegar trick and says it works pretty good. She only has noticed them on the kitchen counters. Last year we got an exterminator to come to the house and we have yet to see one bug in this house yet.
It's an expensive way to treat them, but it most likely would work.
Good luck!

Grants Ant Stakes

You can buy them at Home Depot/Lowes

The pest control guy told me to use these they are pet friendly