Natural flea preventative/deterrent

[revenwyn]

Does anyone know of a natural flea preventative or deterrent that can be added to raw cat food? My cat has had bad reactions to both Frontline and Advantage and our vet doesn't offer anything else. My mom uses brewer's yeast on top of her dog's food and that works pretty well I've heard, but do you know of anything that can be used for cats?

 

[detmut]

these are the flea prevention products recommended by my holistic vet. some are internal, some external, some environmental

FLEA PREVENTION
¨Pet Pride No Flea
¨NaturVet Herbal Flea Spray/Powder
¨Advantage
¨Vectra
¨Capstar
¨Fleabusters
¨Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth 

 

[detmut]

also, have tried Program for cats? the tablets are still available and can be crushed.

 

[revenwyn]

How can a holistic vet recommend Advantage? This is what did it to my cat. Not sure I can trust anything with chemicals on or in my cat.

 

[emilymaywilcha]

Also, have tried Program for cats? The tablets are still available and can be crushed.

Will a cat eat food with medication mixed in? Because the pills are not meant to be put on food (they used to sell liquid for that), they might be unattractive. I wish Program still made the stuff designed to be eaten.

 

[detmut]

Will a cat eat food with medication mixed in? Because the pills are not meant to be put on food (they used to sell liquid for that), they might be unattractive. I wish Program still made the stuff designed to be eaten.

the tablets are flavored and can be crushed and mixed with food

Program Flavor Tabs

Administration
Be certain the cat consumes the entire tablet or tablets. The tablets can be broken prior to direct dosing for ease of administration to small cats and kittens. As an alternative to direct dosing, the tablets can be broken and mixed into wet food. In multiple cat households, each cat should be treated separately to achieve adequate dosing. Watch the cat closely following dosing to be sure the entire dose has been consumed. If it is not entirely consumed, redose once with the full recommended dose as soon as possible.

 

[aeevr]

Not a cure but helpful: beneficial nematodes (watered into lawn)

 

[sugarcatmom]

these are the flea prevention products recommended by my holistic vet. some are internal, some external, some environmental

FLEA PREVENTION
¨Pet Pride No Flea
¨NaturVet Herbal Flea Spray/Powder
¨Advantage
¨Vectra
¨Capstar
¨Fleabusters
¨Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth 

Not so sure I'd be following your vet's recommendations on flea prevention. I would for sure stay away from the Pet Pride product as it's a water additive containing garlic, vinegar and salt. Garlic has the potential to cause Heinz Body anemia in cats, the vinegar could alter the cat's natural ph and affect urine crystal formation, and the increased salt intake may have an impact on compromised kidneys and heart health. Plus, adding things to a cat's water might cause them to drink less.

I would also steer clear of the NaturVet products because they contain essential oils, specifically rosemary and cedar (a big no-no for cats!). Some info on that: http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

Essential oils which contain phenols are particularly toxic to cats and cause liver damage. These include Oregano, Thyme, Eucalyptus, Clove, Cinnamon, Bay Leaf, Parsley and Savory

Essential oils which contain ketones cause neurological symptoms. These include: Cedar Leaf*, Sage*, Hyssop*, Cyprus*, Lavender, Eucalyptus, Mint ,Caraway*, Citronella ,Clove*, Ginger*, Chamomile, Thyme and Rosemary (those marked * give particular cause for concern).

Cedar Oil, also marketed as a flea treatment, is also highly toxic to cats. It has been found to be toxic orally, when absorbed through the skin and an irritant if the fumes are inhaled (if the fumes are concentrated enough it may be absorbed through the lining of the lungs in toxic quantities). It is irresponsibly marketed by Cedarcide as safe for pets, but COSHH and toxicology data indicates it is toxic. Claims supporting Cedarcide are highly biased and were written for dog treatments (dogs have very different and more efficient liver function than cats). They are advertising claims, not scientific claims and perpetuate the misconception that natural means "safe".

Here's more info on other natural flea treatment options: http://eartheasy.com/live_natural_flea_control.html

 

[detmut]

Not so sure I'd be following your vet's recommendations on flea prevention. I would for sure stay away from the Pet Pride product as it's a water additive containing garlic, vinegar and salt. Garlic has the potential to cause Heinz Body anemia in cats, the vinegar could alter the cat's natural ph and affect urine crystal formation, and the increased salt intake may have an impact on compromised kidneys and heart health. Plus, adding things to a cat's water might cause them to drink less.

I would also steer clear of the NaturVet products because they contain essential oils, specifically rosemary and cedar (a big no-no for cats!). Some info on that: http://www.messybeast.com/teatree.htm

Here's more info on other natural flea treatment options: http://eartheasy.com/live_natural_flea_control.html

i agree. i use Advantage 2 and this holistic vet is not my primary vet.