Hey out there! Just a quick note to praise a product I found that I actually love. And no, I am not being paid to talk about them (though I am not opposed to the practice)…With the advent of summer…well fleas just come alive.

My animals are indoor animals but this doesn’t make us immune. Flea control is an annual problem.  I do take the dogs for walks, I go outside myself, and the occasional outdoor cat brings other unwelcome visitors into the yard. I have used Natural Chemistry Natural Cat Flea Spray several times in the past (and present)as it is perfectly safe to use on kittens. And it works. It kills fleas. And it smells nice! Available at Petco and all kinds of places if you Google it. 🙂

Kittens I have brought inside to get ready for adoption always have to be wormed, and they always have fleas; sometimes a few, sometimes massive infestations. This spray is hands down the best product for getting rid of fleas quickly and easily. On some heavily infested kittens I have had to use twice; spread treatments out…this will kill the live fleas, but unless you are combining the spray with a Capstar or similar product, new fleas will emerge in a day or two. Always keep infected kitties separate from your other animals!

And I don’t have to tell you why ridding your pets of fleas is so important. Set aside that they are itchy and uncomfortable (mostly for the poor animal) – unless you are really infested most of them will stay on the pets. Fleas if left uncontrolled can sicken and even kill your pet. Tapeworms are common, though they tend to be gross rather than harmful…Fleas will weaken your animal through all the biting and draining of blood. Here is a helpful article about fleas and the problems they bring.

Some other natural tips for flea control in your house or yard:

Nematodes. Rid your yard of fleas by introducing helpful nematodes that will consume larvae and help reduce new generations. These should be available at local pet supply or garden supply stores.

Salt the earth. Or in this case, your carpeted areas. Reapply every few days to kill fleas in your home. I have used Borax (the 20 mule team variety) as well…and always add to laundry (pet bedding, clothes you wore while touching infested animals…)

Add apple cider vinegar to drinking water. Add one teaspoon of vinegar for every four cups of water in the dog’s water bowl. You have to keep adding to the water, but as vinegar-saturated blood tastes horrible to fleas and they will stop biting your dog. I have only heard this as a remedy for dogs…no word about cats, but my guess is it would be a cold day in Hell before any self-respecting cat sipped contaminated water. I have seen a few articles recommending using a vinegar spray to control fleas topically.Check out this awesome article on other natural flea prevention and control methods.