Daily Pet Care
6 Ways to Control Flea-Infestation on Cats
Fleas can cause a variety of health problems to our pet cats, including anemia, hair loss, and itchy skin; and can even carry harmful tapeworms. Keep your feline friend free of fleas by keeping in mind these flea-control tips.
- Vacuum the Environment
Frequently vacuuming at home helps reduce environmental infestation. Even though it’s time-consuming, all soft furnishings such as carpets and couches should be vacuumed. Vacuum bags should be disposed properly as well to prevent collected flea from continuing to develop in the premises.
- Kill Remaining Fleas and Eggs
Use a product that will kill the remaining fleas and stop the development of larvae and eggs. You’ll need something that contains both an adulticide and an insect growth regulator like methoprene or Nylar. This usually comes in the form of sprays, foggers, or carpet powders.
- Give Your Cat Frequent Baths
Lather, rinse, repeat—your furry friend can benefit a lot from a simple and thorough wash to get rid of fleas from her body and hair. After bathing her, use a eucalyptus-, cedar-, citrus-, or lavender-infused shampoo to keep fleas at bay. Adding omega-3 supplements to your pet’s diet also helps improve the skin. This is especially helpful for her skin condition when using regular shampoo to get rid of fleas.
- Comb It Out
If your cat is among the majority who hates water, use a comb instead. You need to make sure that the comb gets really close to the skin, but you need to work gently and slowly so you won’t rip your cat’s hair. While combing, focus on areas where fleas like to stay such as the armpits, base of the tail, and the groin.
- Sprinkle Area With Salt
Fleas lay eggs in your cat’s bed, deep down the carpet, and almost everywhere your cat frequents, so it’s almost impossible to get rid of the entire population of these pests by simply combing and bathing your cat. Salt can be sprinkled into the carpet to serve as a drying agent to kill larvae and eggs deep down the fibres of the carpet.
- Treat the Yard
The yard must also be kept free of debris, such as piles of leaves and dried branches. Planting certain plants and herbs like fennel, lavender, eucalyptus, and marigold in the backyard can help direct fleas away from your place. Food-grade diatomaceous soil can also be utilized to treat your yard, though you will need to reapply it after heavy rain as it can be washed away.
Even in large numbers, fleas are pretty easy to kill. After a couple of weeks of thorough cleaning, these pests should stop bugging your furry pet—and you.
