Killing ants

I saw saw the thread on killing cockroaches- good ideas. Fortunately, I've got no large bug problems, but do get wicked amounts of ants!

They're actually attracted to the cat food!

Anyone have any good, non-toxic ways of dealing with ants? I read about and tried like black pepper, cinnamon, a few other things, but nothing has worked.

I had a terrible ant problem at the last place I lived. My home was infested with them (hundreds) of carpenter ants. I also tried everything. What I ended up having to do was call an exterminator. He came in with this stuff that he sprayed outside and inside along the baseboards and entry ways. It took about 4 weeks and then they were completley gone.

I can't really think of any definite solutions to getting rid of the ants (I always just used commercial traps that the cat cant get into - they worked alright) but as far as keeping them out of kitty's food, I've seen things in petco that you set the dishes on.... I believe it basically creates a little moat around the dish to trap the ants.... just a suggestion - good luck!

I don't know if this will help, but I have those little red ants that bite!!!! I can always tell when they are in the cat food, cause my babies just sit and look at the food.

I have used Pam to kill them. Yep, Pam. If you spray the ants with Pam, it kills them dead.

I have had several infestations with ants, including very small ones that I actually can't see when I am standing up but as you say, I know there is a problem if the cats just stare at their food bowls! I bought a plastic tray to put the bowls on that acts as a barrier, and I also found some gel that I put in the cracks where they come from. If you work it into the cracks then the cats can't get at it and it kills the ants. Salt is supposed to act as a barrier too- they won't cross it.

Lavender essential oil sort of works........So does Borax with sugar, but I guess kitty might eat the Borax so that's not good.......

Best thing is to get the food out of the reach of the ants. I've put Spot's food on a box with high enough sides that they don't crawl up. I've also put bowls on top upside down bowls, or in other bowls with water, so the food bowl floats. Putting a line of cinnamon around the bowl can help sometimes. Unfortunately, if you have a messy eater who likes to "feed" the ants by dropping food on the ground, all you can do is clean it up. Windex/Glass Plus and Simple Green are useful in wiping out the trails that the ants leave so the other ants won't follow them.

Originally Posted by cloud_shade

Windex/Glass Plus and Simple Green are useful in wiping out the trails that the ants leave so the other ants won't follow them.

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Agree! I use normal dishwashing stuff when cleaning the kithcen, just wipe that where the ant walk and they get lost

To permanently get rid of them there are some natural smells they don't like (as they then can't smell their track anymore i guess). The green branches of a tomatoe or lavender...
If the ants are a bigger type you could put a bit of rice near their house... they will carry it inside and try to care for it as they think it's their eggs. With this they may neglect the real eggs (i really don't know if this works).

In Singapore we will never win the battle against the ants.... they are everywhere (and they are soooo tiny!!!).

I just did a post on this but I use Windex. It erases their tracks, kills the ones there immediately and if you wet a paper towel with it where they are entering the house, the will not try that point any more. It evaporates quickly so it hasn't bothered my pets a bit.

Originally Posted by iceover

I saw saw the thread on killing cockroaches- good ideas. Fortunately, I've got no large bug problems, but do get wicked amounts of ants!

They're actually attracted to the cat food!

Anyone have any good, non-toxic ways of dealing with ants? I read about and tried like black pepper, cinnamon, a few other things, but nothing has worked.

Click to expand...

I found that by taking a dish with a small amout of water in it, and sitting the dish of cat food on top of it, the ants won't get in the water to get to the cat food, just enough water to touch the bowel with the food, try that.
The ants here in So caifornia are the worst I have ever seen

Originally Posted by KittenKiya

I don't know if this will help, but I have those little red ants that bite!!!! I can always tell when they are in the cat food, cause my babies just sit and look at the food.

I have used Pam to kill them. Yep, Pam. If you spray the ants with Pam, it kills them dead.

Click to expand...

409 cleaner kills then also

i put cucumber slices in my cabinets. ants hate it and leave

My mother has always had problems with ants in the cat food. She gets traps (sorry I don't know the brand) that are roundish, white dome things, about 1.5" in diameter. The cat doesn't get in (although I think that my cat did bat them around a bit), and the poison is slow acting enough that the ants can get back to their colony, and feed it to their queen.

It's always worked, and my mother has the cat bowls next to the back door and garage doors.