Natural Remedies for Getting Rid of Fleas on Cats

Keeping fleas off cats is a constant battle for feline guardians. Some pet owners choose to use natural weapons in their war against the blood-sucking parasites, preferring not to use chemicals, insecticides and pharmaceuticals on their cats. There are many different ways in which you can protect cats from fleas naturally.

  1. Health

    • The primary means of keeping cats flea-free naturally is to ensure that their overall health is good. Parasites are less likely to infect cats who are healthy and have strong immune systems. Keeping cats healthy involves feeding them a high-quality diet, ensuring they get proper exercise, helping them maintain an optimal weight and keeping them free of intestinal parasites.

    Grooming

    • If you are using natural methods for flea control, then it's vital that you invest time in grooming your cat. Particularly during flea season, comb your cat each day with a flea comb. Put a dab of petroleum jelly onto the comb so that fleas will adhere to it, and dip the comb into a bowl of soapy water to remove, and drown, the fleas.

    Dietary Additives

    • Various dietary additives may aid in natural flea control for cats. Nutritional brewer's yeast is one of the most commonly used additives in pet flea repellents. One teaspoon of nutritional brewer's yeast can be added daily to a cat's food. B-complex vitamins, 50 mg daily, are also popular additives in natural flea control. Others include omega 3 fatty acids, apple cider vinegar, safflower oil, powdered kelp and garlic.

    Environment

    • To keep cats flea-free, you must also treat their environment. Vacuum your house daily to keep flea populations under control. Once you have vacuumed, place the vacuum bag in a sealed plastic bag and store in the freezer for 24 hours. Set all around your house pots of eucalyptus leaves, which naturally repel fleas. Wash your cat's bedding in hot, soapy water at least once a week. You can also set a bowl of soapy water under a light and place it near your cat's bed each night. The light will attract fleas, and they will drown in the bowl of water.