ant killer thats safe around kittens/cats ?

There are those who say that wet food shouldn't be left out more than about 15 minutes.

We've had the problem with ants this year, too. One problem is that these particular ants like both sweet and protein-rich meals, often alternating between them, so baits may not work.

I put down a bait that looks like a jelly in a place close to where the ants are entering the room. It's best if it's in a place a cat can't get at. It won't have any smell that the cat will like, but you don't want to take chances. An alternate choice would be one of the baits that comes enclosed in a small plastic container with openings for the ants to enter and exit. Usually the flow of ants will stop in a day.

If the ants are coming in from outside, I put a bait near that spot, too.

Safe killer: corn gluten. Just heard them talking about it on a gardening show, so off you go to the garden centre and get some.

For many years, I've been using the baits enclosed in plastic. They work well for me. They take 2-3 weeks to eliminate the ants. I put them down every year. If I remember to put them out early enough, I don't see any ants at all. I use various name brands. They all work.

I put them in the outside door jambs, in lower kitchen cupboards, in the bathroom, under the refrigerator, in the basement, etc.

If your cats have a tendency to chew on plastic, I wouldn't use these baits. Even if they don't, I'd monitor them carefully, at least for a while. There are some ant baits that are made of metal. They sell ant baits at the big box home/hardware stores, small hardware stores, grocery stores, etc.

None of my cats have ever shown any interest in them.


Robin

Make a mote - using something like a flowerpot saucer filled with water. Put vaseline on the bottom edges of the saucer or areas that touch the floor where the ants might climb into the mote.

Put the bowl (can also have vaseline around the bottom edges for extra prevention) into the saucer that has either ice, or water in it.

The cats should be able to get to the food without touching the saucer, water, or vaseline.

I leave my canned food out for hours, and my last feeding is around 11 pm - I leave the food out - then, in the morning (around 7 or 8 a.m.) most the food is gone - and no one has become ill because of it.

Also, putting the food up - like on a table, or even putting the food on something like a towel, or mat - helps delay the ants finding the food and invading before you see one of the ant scouts. You can kill him (or them) before they gets back to the Company to give them the news. YIKES!

As for the ants - I used Windex - and vaseline in the path or hole the ants traveled -- until we finally got a pest service to come - all he sprays is the outside areas of the house - now we no longer have ants inside.

So, I fear using the ant killer where the cats are - just me, I suppose - so, I tried everything else in order not to have them around the poison. I have used the ORTHO bug spray in areas where the cats can't get to - like under the stove, etc. I understand that once it's dry it's safe - but - I'd rather error on the safe side and not use it around my cats.

Hope you are able to resolve the ant problem before you get too crazy.

Diatomaceous earth or Sodium borate (Borax), both are safe, effective insecticides.
I have used both for ant and flea killers/preventatives.

The Thing I have been concerned about is what if the ants or bugs eat the borax or diatomaceous earth and the cats eat the bugs? Will that harm or poison the cats? I see I'm starting to get ants again as well and I want to get rid of them, but I'm scared to death of doing something that will hurt my babies.

Borax is definitely harmful. DE is perfect. Some folks feed their animals DE on a regular basis to get rid of internal parasites. DE is the chemical free way to get rid of insects. You must be absolutely sure to get the food/human grade DE and NOT the industrial grade. Some people actually take DE themselves to preclude internal parasites.

I've been using DE for a number of years now for insect control and nothing, but nothing is safer or better IMO.

Check out this thread:
http://www.thecatsite.com/forums/sho...d.php?t=230436