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Which bug spray is safe for cats?

post #1 of 16
4/27/11 at 5:04am
Thread Starter 
Hi all,

I am new to the forum. I am Draco, proud owner of a spoiled 2 year-old tuxedo kitty named Monet.

To stick to my question in topic, I am getting ants in my apartment. I live on second floor of a complex. Monet discovered them first in the bathroom, then I noticed they were traveling over his wet food dish. Monet stopped eating because of the ants.

So I moved the dish to the other end of the room so he could eat. The ants eventually found their way there.

Then I picked up a product called "Hot Shot Natural Home Insect Control" which contains lemongrass oil. It clearly says safe around pets and children. It killed the ants on contact. I sprayed it into every crack around the woodwork. I removed his dishes and place mat and sprayed around his eating area and let it dry before putting his dishes back down.
However, it gives off a strong bengay odor.

But alas, the odor prevented Monet from eating. It's been 3 days and he only ate his kibbles which is in my bedroom, ant free (for now.).

I've also been cleaning his wet food dish and his mat after he eats, and I no longer leave the food out for more than 30 minutes if he doesn't eat it all.

Can anyone suggest a safe way to get rid of these ants? please and thank you
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post #2 of 16
4/27/11 at 7:31am
I spray orange oil on the baseboards and such to keep ants away. You need to find where they're coming from though to really eradicate the problem.
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post #3 of 16
4/27/11 at 7:52am
Thread Starter 
I have no idea where they're coming from. its an old apartment, so there's a lot of cracks in the baseboard and flooring. I am finding them mostly around the bathroom area and close to his original food dish location, so I am assuming its in that area.

I'll look into Orange Oil, maybe it'll smell better? Where would I find it?
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post #4 of 16
4/27/11 at 8:12am
I get it at Lowe's or Home Depot. Most garden centers will have it as well.
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post #5 of 16
4/27/11 at 8:19am
Thread Starter 
thanks! I will look into it
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post #6 of 16
4/27/11 at 8:23am
Complain to the landlord, it's their responsibility to take care of this. They can use a barrier spray outside and under the building
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post #7 of 16
4/27/11 at 9:22am
Thread Starter 
Quote:
Originally Posted by strange_wings View Post
Complain to the landlord, it's their responsibility to take care of this. They can use a barrier spray outside and under the building
I complained last year when I had the ants. A neighbor complained when she found a cockroach. They never did anything. They're currently in process of changing company management, so once that's finalized, I will try again.
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post #8 of 16
4/27/11 at 9:49am
Good luck. If you're dealing with carpenter ants (which love getting into food, too) then it's really in their best interests to treat against them since they're as destructive as termites are.

One roach doesn't mean that much. Depending on the time of year they'll accidentally wander inside just like other insects do. Depending on the area right around the apartments, this can happen fairly often (heavily planted against the building, use of mulches). There's only a few species that actually want to be inside your home.
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post #9 of 16
4/27/11 at 10:15am
Thread Starter 
I am not sure what kind of ants they are. they're very tiny, almost un-noticable and black
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post #10 of 16
4/27/11 at 6:24pm
We have used in past years when we had ants too and some spider probs downstairs (which sent Pipsqueak to the emergency hospital for two days when he was bite once) Home Defense (by ortho, I think) Got it at Home Depot. Once it is dry it is safe for pets, just read the label. Make certain that all pet bowls, mats and water bowls are safely put away. Take your cat out of the apartment first, in a carrier, then spray and go somewhere with your cat for at least two hours. After Pipsqueak's spider bite, we spray in the Fall when they come in and have never had any problems with the cats reacting after spraying and following the directions to a T. We live right near a heavily wooded area and seem to get this problem in the Fall. You can just read the labels as far as safety for the cats. The vet might have something for you to use as well, or suggestions.
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post #11 of 16
4/27/11 at 9:04pm
For many years I've used the plastic ant baits. They take a couple of weeks to work, but they do work really well. If I remember to put them out early enough in the spring, then I don't see any ants at all. I've used various brands, and they all work. I put them under furniture and appliances, between storm/screen doors and main door, in lower kitchen cabinets, in the bathroom, etc. They make these baits for roaches, also, I see.

I've never had cats that chew or eat strange things, and no kittens for many years. So, if you have that problem, these baits won't be for you. Then again, I've used ant baits outside, both the ones made for outside, and the indoor ones. The raccoons sometimes move them, and try to break into them, but they haven't been able to yet.

But I wouldn't risk it if I had a cat that chewed up odd things.

Wet food should not be left out for more than 30-60 minutes, depending on the air temperature. Cats can learn to eat it up in that time. Three meals a day helps with a lot of eating issues.

Robin
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post #12 of 16
4/27/11 at 9:24pm
Get yourself some Diatomaceous Earth (DE) FOOD GRADE only from a nursery or feed store. You can also get it online. DE is like a fine powder made up of ground diatoms which are a miniscule crustacean. DE (food grade) is completely safe for mammals including the kitties and if they did eat any it would only kill any parasites they have in their system.

But, DE is like sharp shards of glass to insects and will kill them.

I had ants coming into our house a few years ago, sprinkled DE around and within hours they were gone.

I love it because it is so safe. Some folks actually eat some of it themselves and others regularly give some to their animals for internal parasites.
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post #13 of 16
4/27/11 at 10:56pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Feralvr View Post
Once it is dry it is safe for pets, just read the label.
FYI: Pets means dogs and almost never cats. Pyrethroids and natural pyrethrins are always toxic to cats no matter what a labels claims. This is the reason why some OTC flea topicals can be deadly to cats.
The "once dry" doesn't work for cats either. The residue remains to kill the insects and cats are always licking their paws.
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post #14 of 16
4/28/11 at 12:04am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Yosemite View Post
Get yourself some Diatomaceous Earth (DE) FOOD GRADE only from a nursery or feed store. You can also get it online. DE is like a fine powder made up of ground diatoms which are a miniscule crustacean. DE (food grade) is completely safe for mammals including the kitties and if they did eat any it would only kill any parasites they have in their system.

But, DE is like sharp shards of glass to insects and will kill them.

I had ants coming into our house a few years ago, sprinkled DE around and within hours they were gone.

I love it because it is so safe. Some folks actually eat some of it themselves and others regularly give some to their animals for internal parasites.
I've also had success with DE. We sprinkle it in the yard, and around the house. Works great against ants.
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post #15 of 16
4/28/11 at 12:58am
While you're trying to get rid of the ants - the food issue is a big problem.

When I had the feral born cats and stray outside - I never used bug spray around the cats.

Instead, of spray, (I did use Windex to kill the ants, though.) I used a shallow dish as a mote. A flower pot saucer works nice. On the bottom and edges of the dish I put gobs of vaseline. I was careful not to get the vaseline where the cats would be touching as I didn't want the cats digesting the product or getting it on their fur and then digest it.

Then, inside the mote, I put a bowl with the food - this bowl also had some vaseline around the base, and depending on the bowl - on the sides of the bowl.

In the heat of the summer, I also found that ice not only helped keep the canned food cooler, but kept the ants out of the food.

Thankfully all our cats are completely inside now, and I have a pest service coming once a month - we no longer have the ants inside, for which I am so grateful.

I feel your "pain" - and I hope you get a resolution soon!
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post #16 of 16
4/28/11 at 5:26am
Thread Starter 
wow, thanks for the advice, everyone! I didn't expect such a response!

Lots of good ideas and suggestions here. I will have to access and try them
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