Cats And Natural Pesticides/ Cleaners

[MaddyBee]

Hi All!
I am having an ant problem and have been trying to naturally combat it in a way that is safe for my cat Luna.

Found a lot of info online but a lot of it is conflicting so was hoping someone might have some first hand experience with this.

We found a natural and according to the packaging "pet safe" pest killer called EcoSmart. I am confused because it uses peppermint and clove essential oils to kill the ants which I had always read are bad/poisonous to cats. Maybe its okay diluted in a cleaner but not diffused into the air she breathes? Obviously I will keep her away from the areas while I am spraying. Has anyone used this?

Also was considering using Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Floor cleaner (1/2 c soap diluted in 3 gal of water) as a preventative measure for the ants but won't if people think it could potentially hurt Luna.

Please share any cat friendly pest control advice you know! Thanks!!

 

[Talien]

The fumes from Peppermint oil can cause a form of pneumonia in Cats so I wouldn't recommend using anything with Peppermint in it.

Diatomaceous Earth (make sure it is food grade) works well at getting rid of most Insect/Arachnids including fleas and ticks by sprinkling it in areas you see them often, and around doors or anywhere they are getting into your house. It can even be applied directly to a Cat's fur to kill external parasites provided you make sure it doesn't get in their eyes.

 

[darg]

We've had pretty good success with the ant baits. The Terro liquid baits work well for us. They can be placed completely out of reach of pets and kids but they are really meant to be placed where you see ant trails. I think they are basically borax and a sugar solution (but not sure) but either way, you don't want your cats getting to them. Also, they have snap tops, and sometimes some of the gel oozes out, so again, if you try them, keep them under cabinets and such where the cats cant get them. They also can take a while to work. Usually a few days but sometimes longer. But if you have ants all over the counters and well away from an area where the baits are hidden away, they may not find the baits.

If you ever get ants coming up from the sink drains, dump a good bit of baking soda in the sink and down the drain and follow up with a cup of vinegar. The foaming action will kill them quick. If I see an ant trail on the countertop or window sill, spraying them with a fairly strong solution of simple green seems to kill them but it will only take care of the ants that get directly sprayed.

I know you asked about totally natural and safe ant killers, but I'm not sure what there is available that may fit the bill. I wouldnt want my cat getting to any of the natural oil products. There is an ant killer that contains Rosemary oil and I know that is definitely not cat friendly.

Unfortunately, the best ant killer (works on lots of pests) I've ever used is an insecticide called Demon WP (wetable powder). It's mixed with water and sprayed with a sprayer. BUT again ... it's an insecticide. I haven't used it in many, many years.

 

[MezzanineSoprano]

Hi All!
I am having an ant problem and have been trying to naturally combat it in a way that is safe for my cat Luna.

Found a lot of info online but a lot of it is conflicting so was hoping someone might have some first hand experience with this.

We found a natural and according to the packaging "pet safe" pest killer called EcoSmart. I am confused because it uses peppermint and clove essential oils to kill the ants which I had always read are bad/poisonous to cats. Maybe its okay diluted in a cleaner but not diffused into the air she breathes? Obviously I will keep her away from the areas while I am spraying. Has anyone used this?

Also was considering using Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Floor cleaner (1/2 c soap diluted in 3 gal of water) as a preventative measure for the ants but won't if people think it could potentially hurt Luna.

Please share any cat friendly pest control advice you know! Thanks!!

Rose Geranium oil is considered to be safe to use, carefully, around cats. I would still suggest diluting it before wiping the floor or surfaces with it in the areas where you see ants. Insects will be repelled by it. Also, keep the cats away while it dries.

You should also move their food to an area where the ants are not visiting, and clean up any food or crumbs from the floor.

If you can find where they get into the house, draw a line of peppermint oil on the outside where cats will not encounter it.

 

[tabbytom]

I am having an ant problem and have been trying to naturally combat it in a way that is safe for my cat Luna.

Have you read this article? :- how-to-keep-ants-out-of-cat-food.33931

 

[Caspers Human]

The idea that one can simply spray some kind of liquid or sprinkle some kind of powder around the house to stop ants from invading is little more than fallacy.

If one wants to get rid of ants a comprehensive system of control is necessary.

First Things First: CLEAN!
Clean the entire kitchen, bathroom and everywhere there might be food for ants until they are spotless. Don't forget the garbage cans, too!
If ants find one tiny, little scrap of food in your house, they will invade in force. If there is nothing to eat, ants won't come.
Even if one does nothing else, keeping the house scrupulously clean will stop 90% of all ant invasions.

Phase Two: Disrupt.
Ants use invisible pheromone scent trails to guide other individuals to potential sources of food. If one ant finds food it leaves a scent trail back to the nest so that other ants can find the source. Soon, ants will be swarming the house as they follow scent trails to the food source.

One must remove those scent trails by using a good quality household cleaner (Formula 409 or similar) around any area where there might be a potential source of food. Clean your kitchen and bathroom counters. Clean the stove and refrigerator. Clean the garbage can. Clean the areas around these places, as well.

After cleaning, apply some kind of aromatic substance to the areas you just cleaned. It can be peppermint. It can be eucalyptus or tea tree oil. Actually, it can be almost anything. Coffee, citrus oil or cedar wood shavings might also work. Use what you think is best.

Anything with a strong, aromatic scent should work.

The goal is to place something in the ants' path that will disrupt their ability to detect their own scent trails. If one ant leaves a scent trail, it will be more difficult for others to follow it when a strong scent gets in the way.

Personally, I have used Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Castile Soap with good results. Dilute 50% with water and wipe on with a clean cloth. Wipe it all around the edges and boundaries of your kitchen counters, stove and bathroom sinks. Apply it to the floors around the bases of your kitchen counters, etc. Don't forget the garbage cans.

Some people worry that peppermint is bad for cats but when diluted it's not a problem. If you want to be extra safe, you can keep your cats out of the areas where you applied the soap until it has dried.

Phase Three: Barriers.
The next thing is to keep ants out of your house, in the first place.
Find any gaps around doors, walls and windows where insects can get in and seal them by repairing them or filling them with caulking compound, etc. It might be impossible to block every single entry but, the more difficult one makes it for ants to get through, the fewer problems there will be.

Phase Four: Pesticides.
This is the time when we try to kill any ants that have breached all the other defenses. It is often the first thing that most people think about when trying to control ants but, in reality, it should be farther down the list.

If the house is not clean and, if there are many places for ants to enter the house, pesticides will NOT work. They will be virtually useless.

Don't even bother trying to use pesticides unless the house has been cleaned first. Otherwise, it will be a waste of money.

When you do, finally, get around to using pesticides you can use whatever brand you decide is best as long as you don't use it inside the house. Sprinkle or spray your pesticide around the perimeter of your house, spray it around the exteriors of window frames and door jambs. Essentially, we are applying a chemical barrier to augment the physical barriers we have already erected.

There are some brands of pesticide that comes it granules which are meant to be sprinkled around the perimeter of the house. If you use them, you must make an unbroken ring that completely encircles the house. If there are any gaps it they will allow ants to come through. All your work and money will be for naught.

One "old timer's trick" is white lime that gardeners use. Apply it in an unbroken band, all around your house, approximately six inches wide. I have used this trick and it does work relatively well but, again, if you don't do the other things, you are wasting your time.

I personally don't use spray or powder pesticides inside my house. I keep my house clean in the first place so I have little need for them.

I will, occasionally place liquid ant baits in strategic locations around the kitchen like underneath the refrigerator or kitchen counters but they are strictly a last resort.

If you want to use liquid ant bait, you don't need to buy expensive stuff from the store. Use powdered borax mixed with honey or corn syrup.

You don't need to buy "Terro" or other similar products. They contain the exact, same ingredients.

Mix a few spoons full of "20 Mule Team" powdered borax into a small cup of "Karo" corn syrup. Drip a little dollop of this mixture into an old bottle cap and place in strategic locations around your house where ants are seen. Keep these baits fresh, clean and refilled. As time goes on, more and more ants will be drawn to them. They will take the poisoned food back to the nest where others will eat it and, eventually, die.

Finally... You MUST keep up this program, religiously, all summer long. There is no such thing as a "spray and forget" solution to ant control. If you stop cleaning and taking care of your ant problem, they WILL come back.

 

[Tobermory]

I've also used Terro Ant Bait successfully. And to make doubly sure that the cats can't get to it, I use an upside down empty butter tub and cut access holes in it for the ants.

 

[1 bruce 1]

Caspers Human summed it very nicely
We've used Dr. Bronners too, no bad effects on the cats.
For cleaning around the cats we stick with plain old vinegar and water. Murphy's oil soap is also very good (and smells nice, too.)
If you find an ant pile somewhere, a spritz of vinegar out of a spray bottle seems to kill/immobilize them.

 

[Caspers Human]

Cats don't have very many taste receptors for sweet foods. They don't taste sweet things very well and, therefore, won't be attracted to syrup or honey very much.

Borax is not a very potent poison for humans and small animals. It tastes very bad, too. If a cat, for some reason, took a taste of your ant bait, it would probably think, "YUCK!" and never go near it again. Unless the cat ate a whole mouth full of the stuff, the worst that would happen is that it would cause vomiting and/or diarrhea. Two more good deterrents.

However, I DO agree with putting your ant baits under cover. It helps keep the baits clean and it prevents them from being spilled. Further, having to look at dozens of ants at a feeding station like pigs clamoring at the trough isn't very appealing, either.

An ounce of caution is better than a pound of cure.

As for household cleaners, I use regular "Formula 409." I've used it for decades. If you keep cats out of the area until it is dry there is no danger. If you have any concerns about residue you can use a clear water rinse after cleaning with "409."

 

[zed xyzed]

I rarely clean with chemicals, I use Ozonated Water it is more suppose to be more effective in disinfecting than bleach. If something needs to be scrubbed I use baking soda. You can read about ozonated water here The Tersano Advantage – Tersano

 

[Graceful-Lily]

Depending on where the ants are coming from, I've had great success with DE. I saw some ants coming up through the basement floor. I sprinkled it in the cracks and they were gone within a few hours. It stuck to their bodies and made them very uncomfortable. They didn't like it very much even when it didn't touch them. So they went away eventually. I've had an ant problem for mannnnyyyyy years and this is one of the only natural treatments that have worked for me.

 

[Caspers Human]

Diatomaceous earth is made up of microscopic particles of silica. In our application, it is basically a microscopic abrasive but it also has absorbent qualities, too.

When diatomaceous earth gets onto an insect, it wears away the outer coating of its exoskeleton and causes it to dehydrate. Since it also absorbs water, diatomaceous earth speeds the dehydration process.

Simply put, diatomaceous earth makes insects dry up and die.

In regard to its apparent qualities as a repellent, it is probably quite irritating to an insect. Imagine your body getting covered with sand. You'd probably avoid the stuff, too.

So, yes, diatomaceous earth works well but, again, it won't work well, at all, if you don't keep the house clean in the first place.

I am a chemical technician, by trade. I work with strong, industrial chemicals on a daily basis. I'm talking about things like nitric acid or sodium cyanide... the industrially pure stuff.

I understand that people don't want to have a lot of chemicals in their homes. Neither do I. (I prefer to leave that kind of stuff at work where it can be kept under lock and key. )

On the other hand, I don't have any problem using chemical preparations if they are used properly. I read the labels and follow the instructions. I use protective equipment like eye shields and rubber gloves when needed. I don't mix chemicals together unless I know that they aren't going to cross-react and cause problems.

If I'm cleaning the kitchen or something, I'll keep the cat out of the area until I'm finished working and I have cleaned up the area. I'll put him in the bedroom and close the door if I think it's necessary.

How many times have you told your kids, "Stay out of the kitchen until I'm done cleaning." It's the same thing with your cat.

What I don't like is how some people will spread some substance around...whether it be a "natural" substance or not...thinking that they are "cleaning" or "fixing" some problem.

I don't care whether you are using industrial grade acid or diatomaceous earth. You are still spreading "chemicals" around and it is up to the user to know what he's doing and how to use it.

We need to understand what the problem is and determine its root cause. Then we need to form a plan to solve that problem and execute it properly. We need to understand what substances we are using, even if it's just water, and use them properly.

You wouldn't put water on a kitchen grease fire, would you? No, you're going to turn off the burner, put a lid on the pot and reach for a fire extinguisher.

There are plenty of times when I prefer to use natural products but I don't have problems using other things when I think it's necessary to get the job done properly. I'm not afraid to use something like chlorine bleach to disinfect my kitchen, provided that I have read the instructions and follow them.

It really bugs me when people try to solve problems by sprinkling stuff around but they think, "It's 'natural' so it's okay."