How to quickly and effectively rid a cat of fleas using traditional methods

Many of us love to have pets. A fluffy ball purring touchingly near a baby’s crib is very cute, you might think. Indeed, this is true, but only if the animal is completely healthy. We must pay special attention to this point, bring the pet in time for vaccinations, feed it healthy food, and also regularly carry out preventive procedures to prevent infection with various parasites (worms, fleas). At the same time, it is not always necessary to use expensive pharmaceutical drugs, which also have a number of contraindications. Today we will talk about folk remedies for fleas in cats. Indeed, since nature gives us a ready-made solution to the problem, why refuse it.

If the animal is domestic

Why use pharmaceutical or folk remedies for fleas on cats if the animal does not leave the apartment. Even in this case, it is impossible to give a 100% guarantee that he will never get insects. They can come from neighbors, or the fluffy beauty can easily become infected while walking in the yard. Therefore, in any case, you need to regularly examine your pet. At the slightest sign, which we will talk about now, you need to start using folk remedies for fleas in cats. This is not dangerous for the pet, unlike fleas, which most often carry unpleasant diseases.

Does soap help against fleas? How does it work?

Tar soap effectively destroys fleas - this is confirmed by numerous reviews. The product treats the skin after parasite bites. Its main advantage is safety for the animal and the owner. Even pregnant cats and kittens can be treated with this substance. People use this drug to kill lice.

The principle of operation of the product is simple - the active components of the soap paralyze the nerve centers of parasites, stopping their vital functions. The main ingredients of the drug destroy fleas and have a healing effect on the skin after bites of harmful insects. Very rarely, the drug causes minor side effects.

After bathing an animal with tar soap, its skin and fur may dry out a little. By licking the remaining substance after a hygiene procedure, the cat or dog will not have any unwanted reactions. If your pet lives in an apartment, then the rooms must be treated against insects.

What to look for

First of all, this is the behavior of your pet. As soon as she gets fleas and starts biting her painfully, it will immediately become noticeable. The cat begins to itch and bite itself, and often jumps up while sleeping. If this behavior is present, then it’s time to proceed to inspection. When you part the fur, you will probably see scratched skin, and possibly small ulcers if the disease did not begin to progress today. On a light, not too thick coat, it is easy to find the insects themselves. They are elongated, shiny creatures that are difficult to catch and crush due to their chitinous coating.

Insects especially often gather along the ridge on the back. Where they not only feed, but also lay eggs. My second favorite place is the neck. By regularly inspecting these areas, you can be sure that not a single flea will pass by you.

Consequences of a flea attack

In addition to the fact that insects cause itching in animals, they can also lead to the development of skin diseases:

• Flea allergic dermatitis. The disease causes the insect's saliva to enter the cat's bloodstream. It manifests itself in the form of severe itching, the animal begins to scratch the bite site until it bleeds. The resulting wounds become infected and inflamed. Complications lead to hair loss and the appearance of eosinophilic granulomas. Without treatment, cats become aggressive and lose weight.
• Anemia in kittens. When infected with fleas, babies can die due to exhaustion and anemia. This must be prevented even during the cat’s pregnancy stage by taking preventive measures to get rid of pests.

First reaction

Of course, you need to save your pet. If you have ever been bitten by a blood-sucking insect (fly, horsefly), then you know how unpleasant it is. The cat experiences similar sensations all day long, which prevents them from sleeping peacefully. The animal becomes nervous and irritable, which is not surprising. Therefore, the first thing that comes to the owner’s mind is to run to the pharmacy for special medications. But their use is not always possible. If the cat is pregnant or too young, you will have to look for another option. In addition, there may simply be nowhere to buy insecticide. It is in such cases that folk remedies for fleas in cats will come to the rescue. They do not act as aggressively as pharmaceutical products, but in most cases they cope with their task no worse.

Applications of tar soap

Some difficulties in using tar soap against fleas can be caused by cats' eternal dislike of water. It is recommended to carry out the treatment together with someone, so that one person holds the cat, and the other does soaping and rinsing with water. This advice is especially relevant for large pets that are difficult to keep in place.

1. The cat is placed in a container of water.

   
   The water container should not be too deep so that the cat has the opportunity to hold on to its edge with its paws.

2. Carefully lather it with massaging movements so that the wool is saturated with tar foam.

   
   You need to lather thoroughly, but carefully so that the foam does not get into the eyes, nose and mouth of the animal.

3. Wrap in thick fabric, such as an old towel.

   
   The cat needs to be wrapped in a towel or other thick fabric so that the effect of tar on fleas is maximum.

4. After 10 minutes, wash off the foam, rinsing the wool well with water.

   
   The wool needs to be rinsed well, but do not do this with too strong a stream of water.

5. Dry your pet with a dry towel.

   
   You need to dry the cat well with a towel so that the fur dries immediately and he doesn’t catch a cold.

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6. After the coat has dried, you need to comb it well, combing out the remains of parasites.

   
   To comb out fleas, it is better to use a special metal comb with fine teeth and rounded blunt edges.

7. To achieve the best result, two to three treatments are carried out at intervals of four to five days.

After treatment, it is imperative to comb out parasites from the fur. This way, surviving and dead fleas, as well as larvae, will be destroyed, and the cat will not subsequently lick off the dead fleas. It is better to carry out combing in the bathtub, on newspaper or other bedding, which can then be thrown away along with the insects.

The author of the article had to bathe the cat several times. The result was her fright and scratches on the owner. Such a violent reaction is especially characteristic of some emotional cat breeds, for example, Siamese. But to one degree or another, almost all cats do not like water. As I noticed with my pet, it is better if the bathing container is shallow - my cat held the edge of the pelvis with her paws, probably feeling more secure in this position. It is advisable to pour water not to the brim, so that not the entire body is in it and the pet is less afraid. It is better to protect the hands of the person who bathes the animal with fabric household gloves - it may not be as comfortable, but the risk of scratches and bites will be reduced.

To reduce the cat's stress from bathing, some owners rub the foam into the dry fur without placing the cat in the basin. This way, the animal gets into the water only when it is necessary to wash off the product. If this method is chosen, it is worth taking care of the bedding during application. The disadvantage of this method is that it is difficult to rub foam into the dry fur of long-haired cats so that it reaches the skin.

Video: removing fleas from small kittens with tar soap

spring-cleaning

When talking about how to get rid of fleas from a cat using folk remedies, you need to immediately think about the room in which she lives. Parasites can be found not only on animals. They quite normally live for several days in wooden floor cracks, in bedding, and carpets. Therefore, in parallel with treating your pet, you need to disinfect the room. To do this, for a week you need to carefully vacuum carpets, upholstered furniture, rugs, that is, all possible places where fleas can remain and live long enough without an owner.

In addition, it is very useful to stock up on a spray bottle. With its help we will spray the rooms. Of all the available and natural remedies that nature generously shares with us, the most effective are solutions of essential oils of lavender, calamus and eucalyptus, as well as other aromatic plants. They do not have an unpleasant aroma, but are excellent at repelling fleas. Every day while performing preventive measures, spray them around the house. This can get on the floor, walls, carpets, and upholstered furniture. Place fresh wormwood around the area where the cat sleeps. All insects will try to immediately leave the room.

How to choose a dust-based product

Dust-based products most often come in two types:

1. powder.
2. Dust soap.

Dust soap is an ordinary laundry soap, to which a special toxic substance has been added that can penetrate the chitinous cover of insects. In addition, it accumulates in the shell of parasite eggs, preventing the spread of the population.

Anti-flea soap has a sharp, unpleasant odor that repels insects, causing them to leave their prey as soon as possible.

Dust powder has a white or grayish color, is sold in plastic packaging, and is practically odorless. It is diluted with water or scattered dry throughout the premises.

Advantages of the drug:

• low price for dust powders and soap;
• the drug affects both fleas and other insects;
• easy to use;
• widely available.

Disadvantages of the drug:

• the effect of the product appears after some time;
• poisonous to pets and people;
• Not all powders can be diluted with water; sometimes when wet, the dust loses its properties.

Video

Anti-cockroach dust (Clean House), 50 g review 02-452 manufacturer Technoexport LLC (Russia)

First aid

So, we vacuumed the whole house well, sprayed it with disinfectant solutions, now we need to talk about how to rid a cat of fleas using folk remedies. If you have a lot of free time, you can arm yourself with a fine-toothed comb and simply comb out all the parasites. This will only give temporary relief, because within a few days new hungry insects will hatch from the eggs. Nits are attached to the fur so firmly that neither bathing nor combing will help against them. Provided that your pet does not roam freely on the street, you can completely rid it of fleas by methodically combing the animal at intervals of several days. It's easy, cheap and effective. However, there are reviews from owners who say that if there is a strong infestation of blood-sucking insects, even daily bathing and combing do not produce results.

How to remove fleas from a cat using folk remedies

To rid your pet of biting insects using folk remedies at home, two conditions must be met: a systematic approach and a careful choice of remedy. Only with constant treatment of the wool will it be possible to remove parasites and prevent their return. You should pay attention to the components included in the product; some of them may be more toxic than the insecticide.

In addition to caring for the cat, it is necessary to treat all cat objects: house, bedding, toys, rug, since they can contain both adults and their offspring. If you ignore this point, you will not be able to remove fleas completely. If there are several cats living in the house, treatment should be carried out simultaneously on all pets, even if only one of them is infected. Treatment with folk remedies demonstrates a high effect with little infection and is used in the following cases:

• cat pregnancy;
• allergic reactions of animals to components of insecticidal agents;
• illness of the animal and the use of traditional household remedies can aggravate the disease;
• presence of a kitten in the house.

Essential oils

And again we remember about these amazing liquids, which have a number of useful properties. While their smell does not disturb humans and animals, they are very disliked by blood-sucking insects. It is this property that the effect is designed for. When choosing the safest folk remedies for removing fleas from cats, it is worth highlighting a mixture of cedar and lavender essential oils. A standard spray bottle (600 ml) will require literally 2-3 drops of one and the other. Shake well and the solution is ready. The cat needs to be treated thoroughly, once or twice a day. This method cannot be called fast, but within 2-3 weeks you can completely remove annoying insects.

Express method

If the infection is very strong, the surface of the body is scratched and covered with sores, then it is necessary to prepare a stronger decoction. To do this, take a little tansy and wormwood, add eucalyptus and pour boiling water. After an hour, the liquid can be strained. The treatment method is quite simple. Rub a small amount into the animal's skin daily, over the entire surface of the body. Since you can get rid of fleas from a cat using folk remedies yourself, it is not necessary to contact a veterinarian. For severe scratching, you can add a little mint oil to make the tingling less pronounced.

Anti-parasite application for dogs

Bathing dogs is much easier - they love water treatments. You can do this without an assistant.

Rules for bathing dogs with soap:

• Prepare a soap solution.
• Treat animal fur.
• Rub the substance into the skin.
• Leave the product on for 10 minutes.
• Rinse thoroughly with warm water.
• Dry with a towel.

When bathing a large dog, use enough water. Typically, water treatments for dogs take a little longer because 2-3 treatments are required.

Rules for processing premises

When destroying fleas from an animal, you need to do this in the room itself. If parasites were found on a pet, then they have already managed to hide in secluded places in the home. It is very difficult to catch these small insects, so careful treatment of the room is required.

Rules for processing the premises:

• Wear gloves and a respirator.
• Move furniture away from wallpaper and baseboards.
• Make a warm soap solution with thick foam.
• Apply the resulting mixture liberally to baseboards, door and window frames, window sills, radiators and openings.
• Leave the solution for 10 minutes.
• Rinse off the substance with warm water.
• Ventilate the room and do not enter the room until the smell disappears.

Attention! To achieve maximum effect, use thick soapy dust foam. Wallpaper can also be treated, but you need to wash off any remaining soap with a slightly damp cloth.

After treating the room, you can add a couple of drops of lavender oil to the aroma lamp. This will help further protect the room from fleas.

Pregnant women are not recommended to be present while the premises are being treated with soapy water to avoid chemical poisoning.

Animal litter

This is a place where your pet spends a lot of time. Therefore, getting rid of fleas in cats using folk remedies requires mandatory disinfection of the sleeping area. If it's winter outside, it's better to throw the litter outside for a few days. The frost does its job well and any insects or eggs left on it will die. You can replace the bed by slightly modernizing it. Fleas really don't like the smell of pine needles. Therefore, it is very useful to fill the bedding with pine sawdust. The second plant that has the most powerful effect against parasites is wormwood. Place a few branches inside and also near the sleeping area. Usually cats don't mind.

Composition and properties of the product

The main component of tar soap is birch tar. Its content in soap is only 8-10%. However, despite the low concentration of tar, its smell is clearly felt even through the packaging.

Birch tar is a natural antiseptic. It helps remove fleas and other external parasites from cats. In addition, tar destroys harmful microorganisms and heals small wounds on the skin.

In addition to birch tar, tar soap contains the following ingredients:

Carbolic acid (phenol) and hydroxytoluene (cresol) have an antiseptic effect. In fleas and other external parasites, they cause burns to the body;

Alkalis, like acids, are excellent at fighting external parasites of cats. They also enhance the effect of birch tar;

Sodium salts restore the water-salt balance of the skin. That is why after using tar soap, the cat’s skin does not peel off.

Tar soap has the following properties:

• eliminates itching from insect bites during scabies and other skin diseases;
• has a healing effect;
• prevents the growth of fungi and other harmful microorganisms on the skin and coat;
• has a characteristic brown color and a pungent odor;
• does not foam well;
• environmentally friendly;
• Safe for kittens and pregnant cats.

Bathing your pet

Folk remedies for treating fleas in cats can be quite radical. If the infestation is severe and you do not want to wait a long time for the herbs and oils to take effect, then use the following recipe. Take one part each of camphor alcohol, 3% vinegar and any cologne. This mixture should be applied to the surface of the cat's body, and then put a plastic bag on it. There is no need to tie it, just hold it in the neck area for about 5 minutes. Don't forget that your head should always be outside. After this, you need to comb the wool well over a basin filled with water.

Treatment of cat wounds after flea bites

No less important when carrying out anti-flea treatment is caring for the resulting wounds. Insects often carry infections; when they enter the bloodstream, ulcers appear at the site of the bite. The inevitable scratching of wounds by the animal itself contributes to the deterioration of the condition. Depending on the severity of the situation, an ointment with hydrocortisone (relieves itching) and chloramphenicol is used for the cat. Veterinarians recommend an aluminum-based cream; this drug promotes accelerated regeneration of the epithelium and healing of injured areas.

In conclusion, here are some basic recommendations for those who want to rid their pet of fleas with minimal consequences. You will always have time to use chemistry - it will be a backup option if the traditional method turns out to be ineffective (you don’t like it).

The huge advantage of a green pharmacy is that these products are of natural origin, which means their effect on the animal’s body is insignificant in comparison with the reaction of bloodsuckers. You don’t have to read the instructions when choosing whether the drug is suitable for a nursing cat or kittens under 3 months. Natural components are non-toxic and do not cause irritation or chemical burns. With their help, you can quickly restore your pet’s health and remove uninvited aliens from their fur and skin.

And you won’t have to look for remedies for long: many of the folk remedies grow literally under your feet or in the house, are affordable, and can be easily found in any pharmacy. In return, you will receive a guarantee of cure, no side effects, and the gratitude of your pet, who has been freed from parasites.

Garlic protects not only from vampires

Indeed, blood-sucking insects cannot stand its smell. It is known that lice do not affect people who eat it. Essential oils enter the bloodstream, preventing the parasite from feeding on it. It is unlikely that you will be able to persuade a cat to eat garlic, but it can be used as a deterrent. To do this, crush a few cloves into porridge, add half a glass of water and let it brew for 10 hours. After this, the tincture can be rubbed into the animal’s skin. These are not all folk remedies for fleas in cats, but they are quite enough to ensure a normal existence for your pet.

Anti-flea folk recipes

Preventive and therapeutic anti-flea measures in cats using folk remedies are complicated by the low toxicity of the products, which reduces their effectiveness; for this reason, such procedures require more persistence and a long time. Many tools stop working after the smell of the substance disappears or is washed off the animal’s fur. Before starting treatment, the cat should be bathed, and only then sprayed or applied to its skin with active substances.

Even folk recipes should be treated with caution and use only those that will definitely not harm your pet. Thus, you can often find recommendations for creating a composition of ammonia and apple cider vinegar, which supposedly allows you to quickly get rid of parasites. However, this combination can be fatal for the cat itself, causing severe poisoning, so you should not use it.

Salt

Ordinary table salt is the most effective and safest remedy for fleas, which is why it is used to treat kittens. To carry out the procedure, warm water is taken into a bathtub or basin, to which a small amount of salt is added (100 grams per liter of water). Next, the animal is placed in water so that only its head is above the surface. The kitten should sit in the saline solution for about 10 minutes, after which it is bathed using baby soap and washed with warm running water. After the procedure, the pet is wrapped in a towel and its fur is allowed to dry. You should not let your pet run around immediately after a bath, as he may catch a cold.

The saline solution causes fleas to quickly leave the animal's fur.

Garlic

Garlic contains substances that repel all blood-sucking insects. To prepare a pet treatment, you need:

1. Crush 6-7 medium cloves of garlic and pour half a liter of water over them. To increase its effectiveness, you can add two teaspoons of brewer's yeast to the solution.
2. Cover the container with the ingredients and leave to infuse in a dark, warm place for 12 hours.
3. After the allotted time, remove the cake and use the liquid component to treat the cat - 5-6 drops are carefully rubbed over the skin, spreading the fur.

The drug should be applied to those areas where the animal cannot reach with its tongue - on the withers, the area at the base of the skull, avoiding contact with other areas (if it penetrates inside, the composition is dangerous and can cause severe digestive dysfunction). The procedure is repeated 2-3 times with an interval of 5 days until the signs of fleas disappear - repetition is necessary due to the fact that the product does not kill insects, but repels them. After getting rid of parasites, the animal can be bathed to get rid of the pungent odor.

Garlic has a specific odor that is very unpleasant for cats, so the product must be used with extreme caution.

Tar soap

To treat a cat, you can purchase tar soap in solid or liquid form. The liquid composition is most convenient for use, and if you only have a bar of soap on hand, you will have to soak it in warm water to get a thick soap foam. This product can be used to repel fleas not only for adult animals, but also for pregnant cats and kittens over 5 weeks of age. Bathing with tar soap is carried out as follows:

1. Place the cat in the bath and thoroughly wet his fur with warm water.
2. Thoroughly soap the animal with liquid or soaked tar soap (you can purchase ready-made tar flea shampoo for cats), paying special attention to the folds of the pet’s legs, belly and withers.
3. Wrap the soapy cat in a dry towel and pick it up. The cat should sit wrapped up for at least 10 minutes, but no more than 40.
4. Rinse the cat's or kitten's fur with warm running water. After the towel has been removed, fleas may begin to jump off the animal - the tar does not kill them, but repels them, so you need to prepare for their active “evacuation” from the animal’s body.
5. Dry the fur with a dry towel and comb out any remaining fleas and their eggs.
6. If after treatment the insects do not disappear completely, the procedure can be repeated after 4–5 days.

Tar soap is one of the safest and most effective products against fleas

Video: how to remove fleas using tar soap

Pine sawdust

One of the most popular preventatives against fleas in cats is pine sawdust. The needles have a specific smell that effectively repels parasites. The method of application is simple: you need to measure the dimensions of the cat's bed and sew a pillow filled with pine sawdust on it (so that the animal does not refuse to sleep on it, it is better to layer the filling on top and bottom with sheets of padding polyester). Usually, it is cats' houses that are a breeding ground for fleas - once the insects get there, they begin to lay eggs, and when the animal returns to rest, re-infection occurs. A coniferous pillow will not only scare away parasites from the cat, but will also prevent them from settling in the cat bed itself. This way, the cat house will become a safe place for your furry pet to relax and will act as an element in the comprehensive treatment of the house against flea infestation.

The pine smell of sawdust repels fleas, forcing them to change their place of residence

Herbal infusions

Most often, pet owners looking for an alternative to commercial flea treatments resort to using herbal extracts. The effectiveness of infusions and decoctions from plants is due to their pronounced aroma, which causes fleas to leave the treated animal and the objects surrounding it. Concentrates are used as solutions for application to the skin. For effective anti-flea therapy, you need to pour the medicinal composition over your pet so that the liquid medium completely soaks all the fur (except for the area of ​​​​the eyes, mouth and nose) and gets on the skin. After treatment, the animal is wrapped in a towel for 10–15 minutes. After the allotted time, the cat is rinsed with running water and dried with a clean towel.

After applying the product to the fur, you need to let it sit for 10–15 minutes, wrapping the cat in a towel

The most effective medicinal herbs and preparations from them:

1. Sagebrush. Bring two glasses of water to a boil, then add 20 grams of dry crushed grass or 40 grams of fresh shoots. The composition is boiled for 5 minutes, after which it is infused under the lid for 5–6 hours.
2. Geranium and lavender. Mix the herbs in equal proportions, then pour boiling water over the dry mixture in a ratio of 20 grams of herbs per glass of water. Place the container with the insecticide on low heat, cover with a lid and cook for 20 minutes. After the allotted time, remove the composition from the heat and leave to cool under the lid.
3. Tansy. Two tablespoons of chopped herbs are poured into a glass of boiling water and covered with a lid. The container with the composition must be left to infuse for a day, shaking the container with liquid every few hours.
4. Eucalyptus. Place 30 grams of fresh shoots in 2 cups of boiling water and cover with a lid. After 10 minutes, turn off the heat and leave the product to infuse for 12 hours.

Photo gallery: medicinal herbs for fleas in cats

Lavender has a pleasant smell that cats tolerate well, but fleas tend to stay away from it.

An infusion of tansy is used to rid a cat of fleas and eliminate the consequences of flea bites. Wormwood has an intoxicating odor that helps repel small insects and parasites.

Eucalyptus has a bright aroma that fleas cannot tolerate

Essential oils for fleas

Essential oils can be used as insecticides, since they have strong odors, and fleas, like all insects, cannot tolerate them. Plant esters contain volatile substances that repel pests. They do not contribute to death, but their use causes fleas to quickly leave the home. The product is effective as long as aromatic components remain in the air, so anti-flea warfare with oils requires a long time.

Here are some essential oil options that can be used to repel blood-sucking insects:

• anise;
• wormwood;
• peppermint;
• tea tree;
• pine trees;
• eucalyptus;
• lavender.

These products are effective for treating premises, but applying them to animal fur is strictly prohibited. The bright aromatic properties of oils can harm your pet, causing serious poisoning, damage to the nervous system, and impaired sense of smell. The most dangerous citrus oils for cats are:

• lemongrass;
• orange;
• lime;
• lemon.

When expelling fleas from the house, do not use concentrated formulations; the oils are diluted with water or an alcohol solution, after which the product is treated with the product on floors, furniture, curtains, shelves with shoes, carpets and animal bedding. It is important to remember that when spraying a room, fleas begin to jump and bite a person, for this reason it is necessary to protect yourself. To do this, pour 50 milliliters of running water, 5 milliliters of alcohol and 2-3 drops of essential oil into a spray bottle and stir.

Instructions for treating premises against fleas

To disinfect a room with liquid vegetable oils, you must adhere to the following algorithm of actions:

1. Conduct a general cleaning of the apartment, vacuum, wash the floors, wash textiles and be sure to clean and wash the animal’s bedding.
2. To wash floors, prepare a mixture of 5 liters of water and 25 drops of a suitable essential oil (oil components do not dissolve in water, so before use you need to mix the mixture thoroughly to break large drops into small ones - then the essential oil can be evenly distributed). Use the resulting product to wash the floor, wipe furniture, baseboards, the space under the bed and behind the cabinets. It is better to remove and wash all carpets in the house; if this is not possible, then they are also treated with the resulting solution.
3. To treat curtains and hard-to-reach places, use a spray bottle filled with the same composition. If after some time fleas are found again in the house, then cleaning and disinfection measures are carried out again.

To increase the effectiveness of anti-flea treatments, several oils are mixed at once, for example, lavender with mint or tea tree, clove and lavender oils. If small children or pregnant women live in the apartment, then this method should be abandoned . If, after spraying the products, one of the family members shows signs of intoxication or allergy symptoms, then you should ventilate the room well and resort to alternative tools to expel fleas from the house.

We have two cats and a small dog living in our private house, so we are no strangers to the problem of fleas. No store-bought drops, even the most expensive ones, helped - the parasites appeared again and again. The problem was solved only when we took comprehensive measures: we bathed the pets in a decoction of wormwood, treated them with insecticide from the store, and sprayed all the floors, furniture and curtains with water and lavender essential oil. After a couple of days, everyone stopped itching, and the effect has lasted for more than 4 months.