Keeping things au naturale, is ideal for a fur baby. Natural flea treatments can be a life saver, for allergy sufferers, with two or four legs, alike. These natural flea treatments for cats or dogs, or whatever pet you chose, are great for keeping those pesky fleas in check!
Diatomaceous Earth
My personal favorite, for natural flea control is diatomaceous earth. Sounds fancy, right? This is a very effective method of ending a flea infestation, (I speak from personal experience, here).
Diatomaceous earth can be applied directly to your cat or dog, home, and yard, making it an awesome choice for any household with pets.
The only downside to using D. E. is that, it makes a mess. It comes in the form of a finely ground powder.
Please don’t let that deter you from trying this, however, as vacuum cleaners and masks make the task at hand, totally doable.
Simply sprinkle the D.E. directly onto dry pets, household surfaces (carpet, furniture, bedding, etc.), and around the outside of your home and allow to remain for at least an hour.
Dusting your home should not be done, while people are present, as inhaling powder of any kind is terrible for you respiratory system.
While wearing a breathing mask, thoroughly sprinkle spread the D.E. with a broom around every floor surface, so that it is completely saturated.
Do this before heading to the grocery store, or any other activity that will last at least an hour.
When you return home, get out the vacuum cleaner! Be sure to have multiple vacuum bags on hand, if your vacuum is not the bag-less variety.
Vacuum the diatomaceous earth thoroughly from your entire home. This should eradicate any flea infestation.
Dawn Dish Soap Bath
When you have a baby animal around that is suffering, from those blood sucking vermin, you want to help them immediately. Flea shampoo is FAR too harsh for a fur baby.
In case you haven’t noticed, simply bathing a kitten or puppy, will not kill fleas. Not in the traditional way, that is.
Our instinct when bathing ourselves, or anything else, for that matter, is to first get it wet.
You have been doing it wrong!(at least when it comes to flea control)
Fleas cannot be drowned, because they are naturally covered by a protective barrier. Dawn dish detergent, on dry fur, can break down the fleas protective coating, and allow the water to effectively drown the insect.
Apply Dawn Dish Detergent to dry fur and allow to sit for at least 10 minutes. Then rinse your pet as usual. Notice the lifeless fleas are rinsing away!
Dry your four legged friend as usual.
This method is great for very young pets, since it is, extremely, safe.
This, however, will not prevent more fleas from attaching themselves to your pet. But it can help prevent them from infesting your home.
Dawn Dish Soap Trap
This is a method that a friend of mine showed us to control fleas in the yard. It can be used indoors as well, but if you have a toddler, this may not be your best choice for inside the home, as it could spill.
You will need a large shallow pan, or something similar. I like to use a paint tray, like the ones you use with a paint roller.
About a half cup of Dawn Dish liquid, and a small adjustable lamp, (reading light) and a little water are the only additional supplies needed.
Simply fill the tray or pan with enough water that the surface is completely covered by water. Next add about a half cup of dawn dish soap.
Set the lamp so that the light is centered directly over the water and dawn solution in the pan.
Do this at night, if using as an outdoor treatment. Simply keep the lights off, if doing this an indoor treatment.
Check the container the next morning. It will surprise you, to see the number of fleas floating lifelessly in this simple, dish soap, solution.
Brewers Yeast
Brewers yeast is sold in many pet supply, and “feed and grain” stores that cater primarily to livestock. Brewers yeast smells like garlic. Please know that actual garlic is a no no for cats. The garlic flavoring in brewers yeast, however, is not harmful to them.
Simply add about a half teaspoon to your kitty’s meals. The same dose is appropriate for a small dog. For every 30 lbs a dog weighs 1 full teaspoon is recommended, so calculate the appropriate serving size for your pooch.
Beneficial Nematodes
Beneficial nematodes are a microscopic organism used for controlling creepy crawlies in the garden.
Luckily, beneficial nematodes can be used all over your yard, or any outside space, for widespread fleas control.
Beneficial nematodes can be found at lawn and garden shops, as well as feed and grain stores. Just put on a pair of gloves and follow the package directions, for insect control.
Naturally Flea Free
These 4 methods of flea treatment are being shared with you, due to personal success using them.
Don’t be intimidated by the notion that, more work is required to control fleas naturally, than using the typical methods. Keeping your furry family members safe from unnecessary chemical treatments, is just as important for them, as it is for their human counterparts.
Our pets depend on us, and trust is completely to meet their needs. I saw a meme recently about, how a dog loves you more than it loves itself.
Being loved so well, is a gift. A gift, that we should honor by giving our fur babies that little bit of extra effort, to keep them flea free, naturally.
Put simply, if you don’t want it on your skin, don’t put it on their skin! Take care of yourself, and your for legged friend. And as always! Happy healing.
I did not know about these flea treatments I can do at home. I found 3 ticks on my dog yesterday and I am afraid that they had laid eggs on my dog’s skin. I am not even sure if he has fleas too. Would the dawn dish soap trick also work on ticks?
They may work, but I would try olive oil to get a tick to loosen itself from your pet.