Is Terro safe to use around cats?

hannahgirl

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I'm dealing with ants coming into my kitchen, I think they are pavement ants...their trails and piles of dirt can be seen in cracks outside. I tried the diatomaceous earth, and if it killed any, it did not kill all. Then I tried some of the other natural suggestions, but nothing seems to be working.

They are congregating right outside my front door and I would like to try the Terro liquid bait. They should take that right into their underground trails without bringing it into the house, right? So it should be safe to use outside, when my cat stays inside?

The natural things I tried distracted them for awhile, but now they are coming back into my home...and I fear by morning there may be a lot in my kitchen...

Thanks so much.
 

Willowy

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I have used it, but you have to be REALLY careful. It's sweet, so cats will lick it if given the chance, and it can be deadly to cats.
 

strange_wings

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If you're using it outside either get a really heavy old ceramic mixing bowl to put on top of it - stick a penny under the rim of it, or stick some wire around it - an spare tomato cage works. Two reasons for this: the wind and other animals.

However, my experience with that brand is that Terro traps are next to useless. It did not make any dent in the ant population and just gave them a regular source of food to snack at. The only ants killed were the ones that got stuck in it and a cup of water is just as effective at that.


Did you ever try the Ortho barrier spray outside? I finally got mine pushed back with a combination of forcing DE into some cracks in the brick mortar on the east side of the house and a good layer of the Ortho.
 
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hannahgirl

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I appreciate any suggestions. I have hesitated using anything that could be dangerous to any animals...even though the ants are really invading now, I still insist on being as careful as possible...

Thanks so much.
 

otto

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I just read an interesting thing...a chalk line will stop ants cold, apparently they don't like the chalk on their feet. Get a thick piece of sidewalk chalk and give it a try. Let me know if it works! (or if you have a chalk line, the kind carpenters use, I'm sure that would work, too)
 
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hannahgirl

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Thanks for the reminder about chalk! I know that works because my Dad once drew a circle around an ant to see if it would cross it and it stayed in the circle until we blotted it away. I will try that - as soon as I figure out where they are coming in from.

At first they were coming into the kitchen from the edge of the carpet in the livingroom...but then I tried wiping vinegar water to wipe away their scent. Now they aren't coming in there, and I can't figure out where they are coming in from...but there are fewer of them now...
 

stephanietx

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Orange oil diluted in some water in a spray bottle will stop 'em and it's safe. Also, there's a cleaning solution called Simple Green that is safe and will kill them. The added bonus is that they smell good, too!
 
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hannahgirl

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Thanks everyone, so much. These are awesome ideas...I will definitely try them out!
 

snickerdoodle

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Feel free to disregard this since you are trying to be as safe as possible, I Totally understand that.. but I use Ortho Home Defense, it comes in a big jug with a spray handle attached. It's AWESOME. I use it around the entire outside of the house, on the foundation (Not on the yard) around windows, up beneath the siding and the house, gutters, porch columns. But be warned, if they find one little spot without it they'll cross right through it. I'm not sure what pavement ants are, but I see google image brought up the big black ones. We call those (Here in this part of NC anyway) "piss ants" if you'll excuse the term. When you squoosh them they smell stinky. I am blessed with only teeny tiny sugar ants and they are easy to chase away with the Ortho. I use it inside but only in areas like baseboards in the kitchen and I do one area at a time to keep the cats out of that area (if no door) and let it dry. It SAYS it is safe after it dries, but I am very careful with it. Works like a charm outside, until a heavy rain, then I have to do it again.

Hope you find something that works, those big piss ants are a PITA!!!
 

9357m

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Along the line of using chalk, I have used baby powder indoors. They will walk through it but it kills them somehow when it gets on their feet. We found the little brown ones in our kitchen cabinets shortly after getting the cats. I figured it was left out dry food attracting them. I emptied the cabinets, dusted all the corner cracks with powder and left some pcs of dry food in close by. The next day the food was gone. I figured those must be some hungry ants to leave none behind. Some small white footprints and a quick look at Luckys paws told me who found the food. Apparently, it didn't bother her. As far as the ants, I found the starting point outside the kitchen wall - little fine dirt piles. I blasted it with the Ortho HD and kept the dog away from it for a few days. The ants disappeared. Outdoor cats will be harder to restrict.
 

stephanietx

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Also about the orange oil, when not in use to kill the ants, you can use it to clean your stove, oven, and greasy spills!
 

taryn

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I did use the Terro traps when we had a bad ant problem. I hid 2 on the computer desk under papers and put one in their entry point covered my 2 rugs. They worked less than a week later we were ant free. Now if they only worked for fruit flies, we've been invaded.

Taryn
 

stephanietx

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For fruit flies, just put some apple cider vinegar in a very shallow container like a jar lid or something like that. Put a couple of drops of liquid dish soap (like Dawn) in the liquid. Place the lids on the counter throughout the kitchen. Rinse out and replace the mixture daily until the flies are gone.
 

ginawillis4

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I just read an interesting thing...a chalk line will stop ants cold, apparently they don't like the chalk on their feet. Get a thick piece of sidewalk chalk and give it a try. Let me know if it works! (or if you have a chalk line, the kind carpenters use, I'm sure that would work, too)
No, it really doesn't work. I had tried that, along with many other environmentally, pet-friendly home remedies, but chalk did not work.
 

ginawillis4

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Along the line of using chalk, I have used baby powder indoors. They will walk through it but it kills them somehow when it gets on their feet. We found the little brown ones in our kitchen cabinets shortly after getting the cats. I figured it was left out dry food attracting them. I emptied the cabinets, dusted all the corner cracks with powder and left some pcs of dry food in close by. The next day the food was gone. I figured those must be some hungry ants to leave none behind. Some small white footprints and a quick look at Luckys paws told me who found the food. Apparently, it didn't bother her. As far as the ants, I found the starting point outside the kitchen wall - little fine dirt piles. I blasted it with the Ortho HD and kept the dog away from it for a few days. The ants disappeared. Outdoor cats will be harder to restrict.
Yep, it isn't good for ants' respiratory system, which is why it kills them. :-)
 

ninlives

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I have tried several of these natural suggestions and the only one that seemed to work was the orange cleaner. I did the line chalk, the baby powder and neither did the first thing to get rid of them. The orange cleaner works on the kitchen counter, but not the walls. I have them coming in at the ceiling and crawling along the corner between the wall and ceiling, have doused them with the cleaner, wiped down the walls with the cleaner all to no avail. My neighbor that has a ton of cats suggested the Terro, but was trying to find out how safe it is to use with my one cat. I know that borax is deadly to cats and when I found the Terro contains borax was trying to find out if it could actually be safely used with animals around.
 
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