Apple Cider Vinegar for fleas?

We've always used topicals for fleas but lately they don't seem to be working and we hate the idea of using chemicals. I've been googling natural flea remedies and have found a couple of suggestions.

The main one is to add a few drops of ACV to their water bowl everyday. But, on the flip side, some sites say not to add this to cats water. Thoughts? If it's safe for them, what dosage per cat? All of ours range from 4# to 10#.

Another suggestion was adding bach flower crab apple essence (not oil) to their water everyday. Thoughts?

We care for a large amount of cats on a daily basis so we're trying to figure out the most natural, safe, economic way to keep fleas under control.

Thanks!

Both of those ideas are sound.  ACV can be mixed 50% to water (50:50) and sprayed onto your cats' coats.  It does not kill the fleas, but rather the smell deters them and they will hop off to look for a more fragrant person to live off.  Veterinary prescribed flea medication, does not deter fleas, it only kills a flea if it happens to bite a treated cat.  So, you must vacuum your house thoroughly as 90% of fleas live in carpets, fabrics, in the grass outside, etc.  Empty the vacuum bag straight away, outside, away from the house.  You could then use the ACV & water mix to spray on your carpets.  And, buy a flea comb to find and squish individual fleas, you can dip the comb in soapy water to stun the fleas before killing them, if they are particularly bouncy.  You should probably deworm your cats too, as they can form a link in the egg, larvae, pupae, flea, egg chain.  Your cats won't necessarily have worms but you might want to do it to be on the safe side.  Because the life cycle of a flea takes several weeks to complete, you'll need to vacuum and spray often until you've got things under control:


ACV is also very good for skin and hair, so your cats' coats will benefit.  As for adding it to water, a teaspoon should be ample but it might take some getting used to by your cats.  It's a very good all-rounder, good for mouths, bad breath, and digestive complaints.  

Only buy ACV with MOTHER, which looks like floating ectoplasm and is the living, active part of the vinegar.  Shake the bottle before each use to mix up the mother.

Bach Flower Essence of crab apple works to rid oneself of a sense of being unclean, and is good for over-washing, itchiness from bites, dermatitis, cat acne, self-harming cats, etc.  This can be added to water bowls or diluted as per instructions and squirted into mouths.  It comes in a dropper bottle.

I am pleased that you are considering these options  

It will take some time and effort to eliminate the flea population but this is the case whichever method you chose.  

Good luck and happy hunting     

Brian007 said:

Both of those ideas are sound.  ACV can be mixed 50% to water (50:50) and sprayed onto your cats' coats.  It does not kill the fleas, but rather the smell deters them and they will hop off to look for a more fragrant person to live off.  Veterinary prescribed flea medication, does not deter fleas, it only kills a flea if it happens to bite a treated cat.  So, you must vacuum your house thoroughly as 90% of fleas live in carpets, fabrics, in the grass outside, etc.  Empty the vacuum bag straight away, outside, away from the house.  You could then use the ACV & water mix to spray on your carpets.  And, buy a flea comb to find and squish individual fleas, you can dip the comb in soapy water to stun the fleas before killing them, if they are particularly bouncy.  You should probably deworm your cats too, as they can form a link in the egg, larvae, pupae, flea, egg chain.  Your cats won't necessarily have worms but you might want to do it to be one the safe side.  Because the life cycle of a flea takes several weeks to complete, you'll need to vacuum and spray often until you've got things under control:

flea-life-cycle.png

• Brian007
• Mar 6, 2017

ACV is also very good for skin and hair, so your cats' coats will benefit.  As for adding it to water, a teaspoon should be ample but it might take some getting used to by your cats.  It's a very good all-rounder, good for mouths, bad breath, and digestive complaints.  

Only buy ACV with MOTHER, which looks like floating ectoplasm and is the living, active part of the vinegar.  Shake the bottle before each use to mix up the mother.

Bach Flower Essence of crab apple works to rid oneself of a sense of being unclean, and is good for over-washing, itchiness from bites, dermatitis, cat acne, self-harming cats, etc.  This can be added to water bowls or diluted as per instructions and squirted into mouths.  It comes in a dropper bottle.

I am pleased that you are considering these options  :Leaf:

It will take some time and effort to eliminate the flea population but this is the case whichever method you chose.  

Good luck and happy hunting   

 

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Thanks so much for replying!! As for deworming, we're using an ivomec mixed with cat milk replacer method.

With the ACV, you mentioned just adding a teaspoon to the water. Is that a teaspoon per cat or one teaspoon for all of the cats?

1 tsp per full bowl of water, it doesn't matter how many cats drink from the bowl.  The crab apple can be added to the same bowl.  Change the water daily.   

Brian007 said:

1 tsp per full bowl of water, it doesn't matter how many cats drink from the bowl.  The crab apple can be added to the same bowl.  Change the water daily.   

:catguy:

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Thanks! So, we have a few different water bowls in different places for all of the cats. Is it OK to put a teaspoon in each of them or will that be too much? There's 3 bowls total. Also, we usually have to fill their bowls full twice a day. Is it OK to add a tsp per bowl in the am and then again in the pm? And does this ACV method really work to completely repel fleas to the point where we no longer have to buy topicals, have flea outbreak problems anything?

What about beneficial nematodes? We're considering adding them to the yard where our cats and dogs are but we're worried about the cats eating all of them and defeating the purpose of getting them. Do you think as long as we go the ACV route and add some cedar shavings to their bedding areas then we won't need nematodes and won't have a flea problem?

Maybe try adding cedar shavings to their litter to make it smell nice, apparently cats like the smell very much.  And, you can get cedar balls, for putting in clothes drawers and wardrobes for moths, which maybe your cats would find fun to play with.     

Perhaps consider lavender bags for putting underneath their beds.  Dried lavender flower heads can be bought cheaply online.  To make bags, cut up squares of cotton fabric, put some lavender in the middle, bring the edges together then put an elastic band around to temporally secure the bag, then either bind the top with cotton/string or sew it together (remove the elastic band) - you don't want any lavender to escape.  Putting it under beds will deter fleas from laying their eggs there, and help your cats to drift off peacefully to sleep, as it has a mild calming action.  It is toxic to cats if they ingest it, however, but it's doubtful that they would as plenty of lavender bushes grow in gardens and cats are not attracted to them.  And it would be safely inside bags, hidden under beds.  You might also wish to put balls and bags in your wardrobe and drawers too.  

If you're considering nematodes for your garden, I doubt your cats would eat them.  I don't suppose they taste very nice.  And many gardeners use them.  Nematodes would keep other garden pests, like snails and aphids, in order too.

Ummm, I guess 1tsp ACV per bowl of water every time you change the bowl.  They would still be getting the same amount.  I'm erring on the side of caution here as well, in case someone comes along and tells me off for giving you off-side advice.  If you feel 1tsp isn't enough in their water (it would be a very mild mix), you could maybe try mixing 1tsp into each bowl of food once a day.  But I don't know if taking it internally will have any effect on fleas whatsoever, it's more for general good health.  The spray on their coats and on your carpets will be more effective. 

The main thing you must do to eliminate fleas, eggs, larvae, and pupae is frequent vacuuming and combing.  Be sure to get into all the flea loving nooks & crannies, gaps in skirting boards, and such like, and wash all their bedding frequently too.  This is the case regardless of flea treatment.  But once things are under control the methods discussed should deter fleas from entering your property, as the ACV on your animals' coats will put off fleas from hitching a ride, and if the odd one happens to jump in on its own uninvited, it is surely to find all these different smells overwhelmingly repugnant and quickly hop off to your next door neighbour's instead