Pet/cat Friendly Spider (black Widow) Spray

[dvgcii]

Hello all!

I was just wondering if anyone know of any spider repellent/killer spray for indoor/outdoor that's pet-friendly?
Since it's summer in California, there's been's a lot of spiders showing themselves lately and my cats always mess with them, whether be it eating the smaller ones or killing the semi-big ones that come in to their room outside. Their room outside is connected to the main house but the problem is, the room has little gaps for things to come inside (good for them to look at birds and such but unfortunately spiders/bugs get in too...) I wanted to spray around their room outside so spiders can perhaps stay away and the spray I have is really toxic so I can't use that.. I'm just afraid that they might get bitten by any dangerous spiders. Any useful products/DIYs??

Thank you so much!!!!!

 

[jtbo]

I don't know much about those big world spiders, but here all spiders dry up during winter as humidity gets to 20% or so indoors, while outdoors are dangerously cold.

I guess you need to use air conditioner to keep house cool during your summer? I'm not sure if it would be possible to lower humidity, however low humidity is not very nice to live with.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hello all!

I was just wondering if anyone know of any spider repellent/killer spray for indoor/outdoor that's pet-friendly?
Since it's summer in California, there's been's a lot of spiders showing themselves lately and my cats always mess with them, whether be it eating the smaller ones or killing the semi-big ones that come in to their room outside. Their room outside is connected to the main house but the problem is, the room has little gaps for things to come inside (good for them to look at birds and such but unfortunately spiders/bugs get in too...) I wanted to spray around their room outside so spiders can perhaps stay away and the spray I have is really toxic so I can't use that.. I'm just afraid that they might get bitten by any dangerous spiders. Any useful products/DIYs??

Thank you so much!!!!!

Here are comments right on site about insects, though most are concerned with ants:

Which bug spray is safe for cats?

I've used DE to rid the home environment of fleas -- it certainly does work for that, though I'm not sure about spiders. We're in L.A. Metro, so your climate is my climate My MO is to keep our home quite clean -- I mop the hard surface floors and vacuum weekly -- and make sure screens fit well. I've never had any problem with spiders. The beneficial "daddy longlegs" type and very small harmless spiders will come in once in a while; I never harm them because they don't harm us and they are good at keeping other harmful insects down. When I see widows outside, which is not often, I do kill them, though I don't like doing so, by squashing them. I have also used spray outdoors, as my cats are indoors only. When we moved here, during the transition period we "bombed" the garage, which was prime widow habitat. Widows are part of the landscape here, unfortunately, but by doing the things I've mentioned here, you're doing a good job against them.

 

[catsknowme]

Black widows are a concern up here, too. I try to kill them by hunting them at night, using a flashlight. During the day, I search the yard for their distinctive webs, which will hold sand and leaves when thrown on the web. Other beneficial spiders have silkier webs that tear easily. I use Terro spider spray which seems to be okay once it dries.

 

[katlady-18]

Can't remember the brand now, but I know there's a brand of bug spray that claims to be safe for people and pets. I'm in Texas in an area with year round warm climate (blazing hot from summer through early fall) and we get all sorts of creepy crawlers (scorpions are what freak me out the most). I've always used the regular, long-acting spray they sell at stores by the gallon (effect is supposed to last for months so I only use it twice per year, at the most) but have been very careful to let it dry completely before letting my furbabies back in the treated area (so I have to do one room at a time).

 

[JMJimmy]

I would go the opposite route and instead of trying to keep the spiders off your cats try to attract things that hunt Black Widows like Alligator Lizards or Praying Mantis

 

[tarasgirl06]

I would go the opposite route and instead of trying to keep the spiders off your cats try to attract things that hunt Black Widows like Alligator Lizards or Praying Mantis

Excellent idea -- always the best to not kill, but to maintain the balance of nature and your suggestion certainly would enable them to do just that.

 

[raysmyheart]

I have been using EcoSmart Flying Insect Spray for most of my bug problems (mostly ants) with a lot of success. I only bought the "flying" version because I wanted something pet safe and natural and my store only had that. I do see online that they do have a "spider blaster" and other products. I always assumed that this line was a repellant, but now am reading that it kills the bugs because the oils are toxic to bugs nervous systems but not pets and humans. The spray has a strong cinnamon, peppermint, and clove scent because of the ingredients, which is better to me than other sprays. It does disappear over some hours.

I have a lot of small, "harmless" spiders in my basement which I leave alone, but I do not have to deal with the more harmful spiders like you, because of where I live, in the NE United States. I can definitely see your concern about keeping them away from the cats. If you do use the EcoSmart, I would only suggest starting slow, because you may not like or tolerate these particular scents mentioned above. Good luck!

 

[tarasgirl06]

I have been using EcoSmart Flying Insect Spray for most of my bug problems (mostly ants) with a lot of success. I only bought the "flying" version because I wanted something pet safe and natural and my store only had that. I do see online that they do have a "spider blaster" and other products. I always assumed that this line was a repellant, but now am reading that it kills the bugs because the oils are toxic to bugs nervous systems but not pets and humans. The spray has a strong cinnamon, peppermint, and clove scent because of the ingredients, which is better to me than other sprays. It does disappear over some hours.

I have a lot of small, "harmless" spiders in my basement which I leave alone, but I do not have to deal with the more harmful spiders like you, because of where I live, in the NE United States. I can definitely see your concern about keeping them away from the cats. If you do use the EcoSmart, I would only suggest starting slow, because you may not like or tolerate these particular scents mentioned above. Good luck!

(Butting in) Good advice, because essential oils may indeed be harmful to cats.

 

[raysmyheart]

I am sorry if I gave harmful advice, I am really no expert at all. If these oils are harmful, PLEASE do not use them. I was only going by what the product line said, that it is pet safe, but I am confused now because the product is mostly these strong-smelling oils. Thank you tarasgirl06 , for the caution to other readers!

 

[JMJimmy]

I am sorry if I gave harmful advice, I am really no expert at all. If these oils are harmful, PLEASE do not use them. I was only going by what the product line said, that it is pet safe, but I am confused now because the product is mostly these strong-smelling oils. Thank you tarasgirl06 , for the caution to other readers!

I looked into this brand because something wasn't adding up... I have never seen a company try to conceal the truth behind their product so aggressively. What it boils down to is a bunch of nonsense as a "delivery mechanism" for isopropyl alcohol... basically go buy yourself some rubbing alcohol, mix it with a bit of water in a spray bottle and you'll have an uber cheap version of their product.

 

[tarasgirl06]

I am sorry if I gave harmful advice, I am really no expert at all. If these oils are harmful, PLEASE do not use them. I was only going by what the product line said, that it is pet safe, but I am confused now because the product is mostly these strong-smelling oils. Thank you tarasgirl06 , for the caution to other readers!

I wasn't meaning to criticize your post in any way and I don't know what the product's ingredients are. If the essences are with a carrier (i.e. water), it may be absolutely safe. I use room sprays (Febreze) in the bathrooms/litterbox areas and have never had any problem. JMJimmy is right, but I don't think the company is trying to deceive anyone with the use of the term "delivery mechanism" which is another term for "carrier", a perfumer's term for whatever "carries" the pure fragrance. Usually it will be water and alcohols of different types. It is the pure oils themselves that are very strong and possibly harmful. If you have ever bought pure fragrance oils, they usually have labelling cautioning against direct application to the skin, for this exact reason.

 

[JMJimmy]

Exactly right. They don't directly link to it anywhere on their sites but there are documents accessible from 3rd party links to the material safety data... "May be harmful if swallowed or inhaled. May cause eye irritation. Avoid breathing spray mist. Avoid contact with skin, eyes or clothing."

 

[maggie101]

Hello all!

I was just wondering if anyone know of any spider repellent/killer spray for indoor/outdoor that's pet-friendly?
Since it's summer in California, there's been's a lot of spiders showing themselves lately and my cats always mess with them, whether be it eating the smaller ones or killing the semi-big ones that come in to their room outside. Their room outside is connected to the main house but the problem is, the room has little gaps for things to come inside (good for them to look at birds and such but unfortunately spiders/bugs get in too...) I wanted to spray around their room outside so spiders can perhaps stay away and the spray I have is really toxic so I can't use that.. I'm just afraid that they might get bitten by any dangerous spiders. Any useful products/DIYs??

Thank you so much!!!!!

Also replace the weather stripping

 

[dvgcii]

Hi all! This post is long overdue but I just wanted to thank everyone that responded )) thanks guys!

 

[tarasgirl06]

Hi all! This post is long overdue but I just wanted to thank everyone that responded )) thanks guys!

YSVW, dvgcii . One thing I may have forgotten to add is that our house in the Mojave had raised doorsills, or dividers -- I'm not exactly sure what they're called but they were raised metal bars installed between the door to the garage/laundry room, between the living room sliders that led out to the catio, etc. Any door that led outside or to the garage had these. The original owner said they were to deter snakes. I'm not sure about this, as our resident Pine-Gopher snake would actually climb the steel barn walls up to the shop lights and catch rodents up there; (s)he also went in and out the barn with no problem, and the barn had the same raised dividers between the barn and the outdoors. But for what it's worth, that's what there was in our home there, and the only uninvited critters I ever saw in the house were a few insects (flying), a mouse (not living, due to our cats!), and a scorpion in the light box in the master bathroom (I think this scorpion came in through a cleanout that of course led to the outside. My ex caught the scorpion and walked it back outside.)

 

[Kflowers]

Maybe previous owner needed to believe the rods stopped snakes. The thing you found in the light box would have put a for sale sign in my yard.

 

[tarasgirl06]

Maybe previous owner needed to believe the rods stopped snakes. The thing you found in the light box would have put a for sale sign in my yard.

Yeah, probably re: the rods. And as to the scorpion -- and it was a big one! -- I knew that the only way (s)he could get out was back through the cleanout, so we weren't in any danger. Besides, out there, there were far more dangerous beings -- sidewinders, Mojave greens (the most venomous of the rattlesnake family), coyotes, and worst of all, humans with guns and nasty attitudes.

 

[Kflowers]

I will approach your posts with care, ma'am. I nearly fainted there. Fortunately I have my smelling salts.

 

[Kflowers]

tarasgirl06 We use Dawn dish washing liquid about 3/4 to 1/4 water in spray bottles to kill wasps and the like. It gives you a good distance, brings them down fairly quickly and won't hurt the cats. My car did have a floral scent (got the pink version) for about a month, but the wasp was dead. Do you think it would work with the Black Widow Spiders, which we do get here?