Cat's Food Attracting Ants

Frank123

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I leave out some dry food for my cat to nibble on in case she gets hungry while I'm at work. This morning I went to clean out the dish of the remaining food to replace it with new food and fresh water as I always do and discovered the dish crawling with ants. I immediately emptied the bowl into the sink and washed the ants down the sink. I vacuumed any remaining ants that were still on the floor.
I'm thinking of getting bowls with risers such as this Platinum Pets Modern Double Diner Elevated Wide Rimmed Pet Bowls to keep the ants away.
Also I didn't use any spray since I was concerned for obvious reasons. Are there any bug killer sprays that are safe for use around pets. That aren't toxic or harmful if accidentally inhaled or ingested. I want to spray around the area to keep the ants from coming back.
Thank you
 

Kieka

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Terro Ant Baits. I swear by them, takes a few days to work but they are safe around pets. We get an ant invasion two or three times a year when it get warmer.

My normal process is to trace the route so I can find their access point. Then starting at the cat food point, clean the trail with a household cleaner (I use Meyers lemon scent). Once the whole trail is clean, I take a bowl of water and peppermint oil (only one or two drops) and rub the entire trail with the peppermint oil mix (to erase any lingering scents the ants left). I then place the Terro Ant Bait at the access point the ants have. Two baits sometimes just to cover my bases. You can use a butter plastic tub to make a safety zone around the ant bait if it is a floor access point. Just turn the butter tub upside down and cut some access points around the edge with the ant bait inside the tub. If the trail is near a window, I usually go outside and spray down the wall with cleaner, rinse it with water and do a horizontal line with ant killer spray across the general area as a barrier of sorts. Over kill probably but it usually ends that problem spot for the season.

For right now, you can put a shallow pan of water down with the food bowl in the middle, to create a moat. Just to keep the ants out until they stop going to it.
 

duckpond

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I have only had ants come in twice. Outside they are a problem if i leave food out. so in summer i meal feed only, if im feeding any community cats.

The few times they ever came in the house i just quit leaving food out for about 2 weeks. Gave meals only, then picked all food up and threw it away. I guess they moved on to greener pastures. When i would go back to leaving out the dry they didn't come back. At least for a few years, then i had to do it again. No problem this year! :)
 

Lklittle

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I also have a problem with ants. Here's what I have done and I haven't had an issue since, Vaseline. Give the bowl a good rim of Vaseline. I wouldn't worry about the cats eating it since it would just pass right through them. It's what hairball remedy is, just with a bit of flavoring in it.
On another note, if your cat is having constipation problems, I bet you could even flavor some of it.
 

1 bruce 1

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In my house, ants were coming in through a sliding glass door. I put a small dish of cat food outside near the door and the ants ate cat food from that dish instead of coming inside to eat from the cats’ bowls. Everyone was happy.
Done it. I like ants, just not inside =)
Bay leaves and pepper around the access point has helped too, but it needs to be reapplied after a rain. But if it's a few times a year problem if that, that shouldn't be a huge hassle. It doesn't kill them but they dislike these things!
 

maggie101

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I used to put the food on my coffee table. Also replaced the weather stripping under doors. I don't leave food out anymore. I read online about mixing borsac and something sweet. Don't remember what. It's poison to the ants but ok for pets.
 
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