Ant Problem In Studio Apartment

[EspiKvlt]

Hey, I'm having a bit of a problem.

I live in a studio apartment and we recently discovered an ant problem. They were just in the bathroom before, which is where they're coming from, (there's a hole in the wall) but then one night I dropped some wet cat food and they swarmed on it, and ever since then, the problem has tripled.

So my question is: what product can I use that will be the most safe to kill the ants and make sure my cats won't be harmed?

The fact that I live in a studio apartment is important here because obviously there isn't anywhere to temporarily move my cats to, like another room.

I did try looking for diatomaceous earth but I can't find any stores that carry it in food grade in my area.

I've also been reading a lot about how Windex is a great way to kill them, but would that be safe around my cats?

Any solutions very much appreciated, thank you.

 

[Kieka]

Ants In Apartment?
Cat-safe ant killer/repellent?

These threads may help... My vote is for Terro Ant Baits. They are basically borax and sugar water. While you wouldn't want you cat to get into it; there is generally minimal side effects if cats do. You can easily set up a trap in some sort of plastic container with holes cut into it to give the ants access to reduce chances of cats getting to it.

 

[Furballsmom]

Hi! I've used dried coffee grounds sprinkled around entry areas with some success

 

[catlover73]

There is a pet safe product that is a mint spray. I get it at Home Depot. You have to let it dry to be cat safe but it lasts 3 months. I use this product in my bathroom where the food is. I move the food/water and spray down the entire floor. It works quickly too.

 

[Caspers Human]

I live in an area where ants can become a problem during the summer.

Getting rid of ants is not a one step process. You have to attack the problem on several fronts and you have to keep at it all summer long.

First things first... Clean! Clean! Clean!
Get rid of all food sources for the ants... Crumbs, drips, spills, leftovers, etc. Keep your garbage cans clean and empty them often. Keep your kitchen & bathroom super clean so you don't give ants any reason to invade.

Second, destroy the ants' scent trails.
Ants lay down invisible pheromone/scent trails wherever they go and, when they find food, they leave scent trails to lead other ants to the food source(s). When one ant finds food, they will ALL eventually find it and you'll be swarmed.

Use "Formula 409" to spray and wipe your counters, bathroom vanities and any other areas like floors and window ledges. Spray until well wet, let soak for a minute then wipe clean and dry. "Formula 409" is okay to use around cats as long as you keep them out of the area where you've sprayed until it's completely dry.

Formula 409 will simultaneously clean away all traces of food and it will destroy the ants' scent trails.

Third, use a deterrent.
Ants don't like certain scents/substances. They especially don't like strong aromatics like peppermint, eucalyptus or tea tree. Wipe a THIN coating of deterrent around the edges of counters, window ledges, door sills, floors or anywhere you have seen ants. The strong scent will repel ants and, hopefully, make them go some place else.

I like to use Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap. Not only does it have a strong scent that ants don't like, I believe that the soap also repels ants.

Squirt some on a cloth and wipe it around the edges of all the places where you want to repel ants. You can also mix it 50/50 with water and wash out your trash cans. (Don't rinse... just let them dry.)

BTW: Eucalyptus isn't good for cats but, in the small amounts we're using, it's probably nothing to worry about... I just prefer peppermint, anyway.

Fourth, ant killers.
You can use ant sprays and stuff but it's hard to tell if they are safe to use around cats. If you can find a good one that works and it's not harmful to cats, go ahead and use it but I just don't use sprays on principle.

Borax is the main ingredient in those ant baits you can buy at the store.
The idea is that the borax is mixed with some sweet foodstuff that ants like and they will carry it back to the nest where the other ants will eat it and, over time, the whole colony will die out.

I don't bother buying ant baits. They are expensive and you have to keep using them until the ants are all gone. This can take weeks. Instead, I mix some "20 Mule Team Borax" with honey then pour small amounts into plastic bottle caps and leave them in areas where ants are seen. Keep your bait stations replenished and, eventually, the ants will die off. You can get rid of spills and leftovers by wiping it up and washing it down the drain.

Fifth, look for where they are getting in.
Follow the ants' trails back to the place where they are coming into the house and plug they holes to stop them from coming in. You can use bathroom calk for small holes. You might have to make repairs to fix bigger holes.

Finally, find the ants' nest and destroy it.
If you can find the nest and destroy it, you can often get rid of ants for good or, at least, long-term. You can use a store bought product if it's outdoors where cats can't go. You can also sprinkle borax around the nest if it's on the ground.

If you have a large infestation or there are multiple colonies in/around the house, you might be better off calling an exterminator.

Most of the time, ants aren't harmful unless they are fire ants or carpenter ants. Of course, they are unsightly and dirty but, unless you have a large infestation, a few ants won't hurt you or your cat. (Fire ants being the obvious exception.)

If you want to get rid of ants, you'll need to develop a concrete action plan and keep at it for the entire ant season.

But, if you've only got a few ants in your kitchen, they aren't harmful. (Unless they are fire ants or carpenter ants.)

Besides, they can be good entertainment for the cat.

 

[Tobermory]

I’m having ant problems, too. One of my kitties threw up behind the kitchen table and the first we were aware of it was when we saw a whole army of ants coming from beneath the baseboard and marching toward and covering the dried vomit. I use what Kieka suggests: Terro Ant Bait. And here’s how I make doubly sure the kitties are safe:

 

[Caspers Human]

The active ingredient in Terro Ant Bait is borax.

In small amounts, borax is not harmful to humans or pets.
However, I like your idea of putting the ant baits under cover. It can keep people and other things from getting into the stuff and making a mess.

If you want to make your own ant bait, you can mix a couple of spoons full of "20 Mule Team Borax" into a dish of honey or Karo Syrup.

Put a dollop of your borax mixture in plastic bottle caps and place it out where you find ants.

Borax is something that I keep around the house for laundry and general cleaning. I'd rather use the things that I have instead of running out to buy a special purpose product.

 

[Tobermory]

In small amounts, borax is not harmful to humans or pets.
However, I like your idea of putting the ant baits under cover. It can keep people and other things from getting into the stuff and making a mess.

I’m just hyper careful. One of mine likes to lick weird things like plastic. Also, I had ants on the kitchen counters and wanted to keep the bait well away from food prep.

 

[RajaNMizu]

My sister and I were having a conversation about ants tonight coincidentally. This is the first year I have passed through a Spring season without seeing more than three or four ants. My sister thinks the cats are taking care of them. I don't usually have a large problem but at least once during the season I'll see a bunch, spray, set traps and that will be it for the year. This is the first year that hasn't happened and it's the first year I've had cats.

 

[xcourtney3]

I'm actually having an ant problem in my bathroom now. I put a powdered cinnamon line across the entry area and they're gone now. You can use baby powder too.

 

[Caspers Human]

The chemicals in cinnamon mess up the ants' ability to smell their pheromone trails and makes them get lost so they can't find their way back to the nest.

Couple that with a good cleaning, using "Formula 409" and some borax mixed with honey and you won't have ants for the rest of the summer.

 

[silkenpaw]

I have seen the borax and sugar mixture put into drinking straws so the cats can’t get at it. My problem is, my Zyngi thinks straws are the greatest toy. But if your cats leave straws alone, that might be the easiest way to hide the ant bait.

 

[Caspers Human]

Borax should not be harmful to cats in small amounts.

I simply put a drop or two of the mixture in a bottle cap and leave it where ants have been seen. The only problem I have ever had is the mess that happens when somebody steps on one. That problem is easily solved by covering the bottle cap with the bait inside with some kind of plastic cover with holes in it.

A soda straw would work well.

 

[gailuvscats]

My ants come in through the back door, where there are two litter boxes. They were terrible last year, and the terro, which works great usually, did not help but continued to bring in more. It is the back door, so baiting them doesn't work, I can't kill every ant that lives in the yard. I want to prevent this from happening this summer, and don't know what to do. I scoop several times a day, and they are not in the littler, but in that area, there is nothing else there that could attract them. Last year I tried the terro, and borax, and finally just sucked them up with the handy vac every day. I will try the cinnamon, I did spray with lemon eucalyptus, but I did not know that was bad for cats. I cannot have them again this summer, I will go mad.

 

[tabbytom]

We have an article here :- how-to-keep-ants-out-of-cat-food.33931