Cat-Safe Household Insecticides?

[Caspers Human]

It's the beginning of "Ant Season" here in these parts of Pennsyltucky.
Ants are just a fact of life in these parts. We just have to deal with them.

The first line of defense is to keep the kitchen and dining areas scrupulously clean.
Don't leave food out. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink. Always rinse dishes and empty glasses then put them into the dishwasher. Take the garbage out regularly and keep the bins clean.

If you don't do those things, there's no medication or preparation that will keep ants away.

Once we've done those things, we use "Formula 409" to thoroughly clean the counters in order to obliterate all the ant trails. (Ants leave scent trails that other ants follow to find food.)

After that, we use some sort of aromatic like eucalyptus or peppermint oil to act as a repellant. If you mix some eucalyptus with some Castile soap and water it does a good job of "fouling up the ants' radar" to keep them away for a while. You just have to refresh it once or twice a week.

In the days before we adopted Casper, I would have also sprayed some household insecticide around the baseboards and doorways. However, with the cat in the house, I have second thoughts about the usual household sprays.

So... The question is... Does anybody out there know about cat-safe insect sprays that actually work?

T.I.A.

 

[parisinthe30sx]

If there is no way for the cats to come in contact with it, I wonder if boric(sp?) Acid would work. I've been having this problem as well. I've been chauking every hole in my walls/Windows I come across. It's a war I'm afraid to say I'm losing.the little buggers keep breaking in.I finally rid them from coming through my window,thought I finally did it, only to see them sneak in through a light socket. I thought of putting ant traps high up on my walls or other places my cats can't get to. I'll win eventually I hope,whether or not I retain my sanity remains to be seen good luck! I hope someone on here has advice to give

 

[Caspers Human]

I don't see a problem with boric acid while cats are around.  The thing I don't like about it is that it's not used to keep ants away, per se.  It's a long term solution.  The ants carry it back to the nest and feed it to the others until it slowly kills the entire nest.  That's fine but I want the ants out from my kitchen today, not two months from now.  Furthermore, those "bait" style products work by drawing ants to a source of food which slowly does them in.  That means that you have to draw MORE ants to the area that you are trying to keep them out of in the first place.

At the house where I used to live, I used one of those barrier insecticides that comes in granules that you pour around the outside of the house.  They work well if you use them conscientiously.  The problem is that I now live in an apartment building.  I can't put ant block around the entire complex.  I don't have the right to do that because I only rent.

In the end, I am left to using only "interior" solutions:  Keep the kitchen clean.  Wipe down the counters regularly to disrupt ant trails.  Use repellents to keep ants away from food areas.

If I didn't have a cat, I'd use insecticide sprays but I need to find a good product that works and is safe around cats.

Typically, I just spray some insecticide around the bases of the cabinets where the ants crawl up from the ground then I spray around the baseboards, doorways and under window ledges to keep them from coming into the kitchen in the first place.

As I understand, there are some indoor insecticides that are okay for pets once they dry.  I don't see a problem with putting Casper in the bedroom for a few hours.  He often naps on the bed, anyhow.  I'd just wait until he goes in for a cat nap then close the bedroom door.  He probably wouldn't be any the wiser. 

 

[cocobutterfly]

It's the beginning of "Ant Season" here in these parts of Pennsyltucky.
Ants are just a fact of life in these parts. We just have to deal with them.

The first line of defense is to keep the kitchen and dining areas scrupulously clean.
Don't leave food out. Don't leave dirty dishes in the sink. Always rinse dishes and empty glasses then put them into the dishwasher. Take the garbage out regularly and keep the bins clean.

If you don't do those things, there's no medication or preparation that will keep ants away.

Once we've done those things, we use "Formula 409" to thoroughly clean the counters in order to obliterate all the ant trails. (Ants leave scent trails that other ants follow to find food.)

After that, we use some sort of aromatic like eucalyptus or peppermint oil to act as a repellant. If you mix some eucalyptus with some Castile soap and water it does a good job of "fouling up the ants' radar" to keep them away for a while. You just have to refresh it once or twice a week.

In the days before we adopted Casper, I would have also sprayed some household insecticide around the baseboards and doorways. However, with the cat in the house, I have second thoughts about the usual household sprays.

So... The question is... Does anybody out there know about cat-safe insect sprays that actually work?

T.I.A.

HI Caspers Human! I used to have a big ant infestation in the summer months also, and I've used just about everything you mentioned including peppermint oils. HOWEVER, once we got our cat, I realized I do not want to bother or compromise her respiratory system - their noses are so sensitive, and I also didn't want her to ingest any trace of soaps, oils or chemicals. As a matter-of-fact, we dumped all our household cleaners and we now only use vinegar and baking soda to clean. 

The best product for ants I've ever used was Terro ant bait. Hands Down THEE best! We haven't had a single ant in our house since we used these three years ago. If I remember correctly, I think one box comes with 6 little bait containers, and they're dirt cheap. You can stick them high on the walls where it's totally out of reach for your cat. Then just watch and wait for a day or two. You'll see all the ants go into the baits - swarms of them. You'll be tempted to swat them, but DON'T! You have to let them freely go into the bait then take it back to their nests. After a day, you'll see significantly less ants. Then by day two or three, you should see maybe a few. Then ZERO. And you wouldn't have had to lift a finger to kill a single ant. 

You can buy two packs (12 baits) for less than $12. Here's the link: 
I've recommended it to all my friend and family having the same problem, and it's worked every time. They're so cheap, and it's totally worth a shot. Let me know if you have any questions, and GOOD LUCK!