Preventing Fleas

Preventing fleas When You Have A Cat

Fleas are a huge problem in areas where the temperatures are between 65 and 80 degrees Fahrenheit and the humidity levels are between 75% and 85%. Typically for most regions this is summertime. Fleas are a huge problem for cats as they can bit and cause itching for the cat. Some cats can even be sensitive or flea-allergic. In severe cases this can cause hair-loss, inflammation of the skin and even skin infections. Even indoor cats can get fleas because fleas can be brought into our homes on our socks and on animals that go outside and then come inside such as dogs.

Flea prevention products are commercially available in any pet store, department store and also can be obtained right at your vet's office. There are many different kinds of commercial flea product including cat flea collars, flea powder, and liquid in capsules that can be applied in between the cat's shoulder blades.

Regular grooming can also help to rid any fleas that are in your cat's coat. You can purchase a nit comb and groom your cat daily with this.

Most cats’ object to the flea powder and it can also make your cat sick.

The best way to combat fleas is with cleanliness. Vacuum the floor and carpets daily, applying flea powder or spray if necessary. Juniper oil is a natural method of flea control that can be applied to the filter on the vacuum. Fleas do not like the Juniper oil, as the scent will be spread throughout the carpet as you vacuum.

There are other systems of killing adult fleas such as a lamp and sticky paper or a sonic system using electricity that takes approximately two weeks to work.

Another method is to apply lemongrass essential oil to your cat's collar. This works because fleas to do like the scent of this oil (use one to two drops on the back of the collar as cats have a sensitive sense of smell).

If your cat has been bitten by fleas and has been scratching, you can bath the cat with tea tree essential oil in a non-fragranced pet shampoo. Some cats do not like bathing, though so you may have to have help.

In order to control fleas, you must treat the host cat and the indoor and outdoor environment in order to really rid the cat and your home of fleas. To rid your home, you must kill the adult fleas, the larvae and the eggs.

Flea prevention should start in the spring before the flea season starts. In areas where the weather is warm year-round, flea prevention should also be year-round.