Home Remedies For Fleas On Cats [Helpful Tips Inside!]

Fleas are a cat owner's worst nightmare. Even seeing one flea can lead to a huge panic attack, as you start thinking about flea bombs and bathing your cat as they tear you apart. Luckily there are home remedies for fleas on cats that make the situation a lot easier to deal with. Fleas are major pests and an infestation can happen fast. The important thing to do is to look for symptoms of fleas on your cat and around your house. There are also a lot of natural, chemical-free ways to treat your cat and home for fleas.

 

 

What Are Fleas?

Flea is the common name for "Siphonaptera," which includes 2,500 species of tiny, flightless insects that become external parasites on mammals and birds. Fleas survive by consuming blood from the animal they live on, known as their "hosts." The species of flea that you'll most likely deal with is "Ctenocephalides felis," or the cat flea.

 

Fleas are dark brown and very small (about 1 to 2 mm long). They thrive in warm, humid environments, meaning summer is their favorite time of year. But central heating means that fleas can overtake your home during any season. Fleas become such an annoying and stressful problem so quickly due how rapidly they produce. Fleas have four life stages, starting with the egg.

 

 

Female fleas can lay up to 20 eggs at a time. The eggs are usually deposited on the host or a warm spot in your home. Eggs will often roll off your cat and thrive on furniture, cat beds, cat trees, and other places your cat likes to frequently hang out at. Eggs take about a couple of days to a week to hatch. That's when the flea enters the larva stage.

 

Larva will ingest dead skin, adult flea feces, and other organic matter to grow. Fleas will then enter the pupa stage, which lasts for a surprising few months. During this stage, fleas are within a silken cocoon, remaining dormant until they sense a warm-blooded host nearby they can feast on.

 

The final stage of a flea's life is adulthood. Adult fleas can survive a few months without a meal if they get an initial feast. Their goal is to keep eating, however, as well as reproduce. Fleas live about a few weeks to several months depending on the host and environment.

 

 

What Are Flea Infestations?

Flea infestations can be overwhelming because you often don't even know you had fleas in your home until it reaches that point. That's due to fleas laying dormant and hiding in various parts of the home when they are first brought inside. But even just one flea getting inside your house can turn into an infestation. Adult females can birth as many as 500 eggs in their lifetime, meaning each of those eggs will also turn into fleas, some of which will also have 500 eggs of their own, creating a cycle that results in a flea infestation in your home.

 

 

 

Symptoms of Fleas In Cats

Since fleas can become an overwhelming health problem so quickly and seemingly without warning, it's very important to try and catch the signs that fleas are in your home and on your cat as soon as you can.

 

 

Symptoms of Fleas On Your Cat:

• Overgrooming and excessive scratching
• Hair loss in certain spots of their body
• Irritated skin
• Black specks in your cat's fur (use a flea comb to see clearly)
• Fleas crawling on your cat
• Lethargic behavior
• Pale gums

 

 

Symptoms of Fleas In Your Home:

• Black specks on the carpet or in cat's bedding (place the black specks on a damp towel. They will turn red due to the blood flea's digest if they are indeed left behind by fleas)
• Fleas spotted on the carpet or furniture
• Walk around with white socks, shuffling around for 10 minutes or so. You'll see fleas hitching a ride and crawling up your socks.

 

 

Symptoms of Fleas On You:

• Fleas won't often pick a human as a host due to lack of fur but they will still jump up and bite you when you walk throughout the house
• Look for small red dots (bite marks) on your ankles and legs. A discolored ring or halo is often seen around the bite.

 

Related Article: What Can I Give My Cat For Pain Relief?

 

 

How to Get Rid of Fleas on Cats Naturally

Flea collars, vet visits, chemical-filled shampoos... it can be very stressful and expensive to deal with fleas. Luckily, you don't have to call pest control yet since here are ways on how to kill fleas and free your home and pet from the infestation. Commercial flea medications and treatments are often effective but you don't always need chemicals to kill fleas. After contacting your vet to see what you should do next, you can try some of these home solutions to further fix the issue fast and with little stress.

 

 

Lemons

Lemon juice is one of the most popular natural solutions for treating fleas. That's because it doesn't only repel fleas — the citric acid can kill the pests as well. Boil a cut lemon or two. Drain the liquid and transfer it into a spray bottle. Use the lemon juice concoction on your cat's fur and around your home, including cat trees and furniture. The lemon juice will act as a natural flea killer!

 

Repeat the treatment as often as necessary until the infestation is over. Add a cup of lemon juice to your laundry and then wash your cat's bedding and your sheets to kill leftover eggs and insects. Just remember that your cat may have a reaction to lemon juice so watch for redness and irritation after using the spray bottle.

 

Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar is a very popular flea repellent that can provide some relief for your itchy, irritated cat. Fleas are not huge fans of apple cider vinegar so they will jump off your cat's body when applied. It won't kill fleas but it will remove them from your suffering cat, making it a great start when tackling a flea infestation.

 

Mix apple cider vinegar with water and spray it onto your cat's coat. It may take a few times but the fleas will eventually jump off your cat. Meanwhile, vacuum all of your floors, furniture, and upholstery. Wash your bedding, your cat's bedding, and any clothing. This will remove fleas and flea eggs from your home while they are off of your cat.

 

 

Cedar Chips

Did you know that fleas hate the smell of cedar chips? Spread cedar chips around your home and yard, including your cat's bedding and other spots where you've noticed fleas. Cedar oil spray is also a good option, which can be sprayed on your cat's fur since it's non-toxic. Put a few drops on your cat's collar as well. This is a great natural flea repellent that won't harm your pets!

 

Spices

Some of the spices you already have in your cabinet may remove fleas. This includes oregano oil, which has a natural compound called carvacrol that is very effective against fleas. Mix one teaspoon of oregano oil with three teaspoons of olive oil and apply it to areas where there seems to be a lot of fleas.

 

This may be parts of your cat, like their ears, chin, or tail. Rosemary is another spice that can repel fleas. Grind some leaves into a powder and sprinkle it around your home, including carpets and bedding. Think of where your cat hangs out and focus on those spots. Put a small amount of cumin in your cat's food.

 

The spice will make your cat's skin unappealing to hungry fleas, who may look elsewhere. Even salt can help! Salt is great for ridding your home of flea eggs since salt sprinkled into your carpet or elsewhere will dehydrate fleas and their eggs. You can mix salt with water to also treat hardwood floors.

 

Dish Soap

Dish soap is a great alternative to expensive shampoos and flea treatment for cats. Dish soap, even the most gentle formulas, will break the flea's exoskeleton, killing them within minutes of contact. Wet your cat's fur, even using a spray bottle. Then gently lather the dish soap into their fur, making sure to tackle spots where fleas usually hide (like their ears, stomach, and legs).

 

 

 

Lavender and Chamomile

Formulas containing diluted lavender can kill fleas just as effectively as commercial sprays that use chemicals instead. Add some lavender to water and let it steep overnight. Then add it to a spray bottle and spritz it onto your cat's coat throughout the day. This will kill the fleas and soothe your cat's irritated skin. You can also do the same thing with chamomile tea. This liquid concoction can also be sprayed onto your cat, killing fleas and giving your cat some comfort.

 

 

How To Help Soothe Flea Symptoms

Watching your pet suffer is painful. Although we have offered some home solutions for fleas on cats, it's also helpful for owners to have some complimentary soothing methods on hand. In this way, you can both kill the fleas and give your cat some relief while the process is ongoing.

 

 

Benadryl

This medication is often used for pets that are suffering from allergies themselves. Since fleas bites frequently cause itchy allergic reactions, many owners have found solace in giving their feline some Benadryl. The average Benadryl dosage for cats 1 milligram per pound of body weight. Depending on the ailment, Benadryl can be administered up to three times a day. Always speak with your vet before giving your pet new medications.

 

 

CBD

CBD oil that is sourced from hemp is legal in the United States. CBD is a cannabinoid found in the cannabis plant, but unlike THC, it does not get you or your pet high. Instead, CBD oil interacts with the endocannabinoid receptors located throughout the body and on the skin. The endocannabinoid system (ECS) helps to regulate inflammation, soreness, mood, anxiety, pain, and more.

 

CBD influences the ECS to perform at its greatest capacity and is also known to promote a sense of calmness and relaxation, which may help soothe your ailing cat. Don't be scared to rub a conservative amount of CBD oil directly to the affected area of your cat, then sit back and enjoy the results!

 

 

 

Coconut Oil

Applying coconut oil to your feline's skin can help soothe irritation as well as battle infestation. Coconut oil kills many parasites, including fleas, while also providing your pet with a comforting relief from skin irritation. Although coconut oil is safe for cats, some felines may show signs of an upset stomach if it's ingested. Pay attention to your cat's reaction to make sure they are not suffering from any mild side effects after you apply the coconut oil directly to their skin.

 

 

How to Prevent Prevent Fleas On Cats

Want to prevent further flea infestations? It's luckily pretty easy to avoid another flea attack with some simple changes!

 

• Keep your cat inside: Outdoor cats are prone to fleas, tickets, parasites, and other pests.
• Regularly check your shoes: Whenever you come inside, check your shoes and socks for fleas and flea dirt. Even bringing in one flea can start an infestation.
• Clean your cat's bedding: Keep up a regular routine for cleaning your cat's bedding and anywhere else your cat often likes to hang out.
• Use a flea treatment: There are vet-approved flea treatments that can be used periodically to keep fleas away from your pet.
• Place cedar chips around your property: Use flea repellant like cedar chips even when fleas aren't present. Putting them around your home and garden will deter fleas from picking your pet as their next host. 

 

 

Final Thoughts - Natural Remedies for Fleas On Cats

If you spot fleas on your cat, immediately call the vet. A veterinarian will tell you a course of action for your specific situation and cat, including treatment plans. However, there are some natural home remedies you can do first to give your cat relief from the itching and reduce the number of fleas in your home.

 

Wash your cat with dish soap and then spray them with apple cider vinegar. This will kill the fleas that are on them and then prevent more fleas from using your cat as their host. Once your cat is flea-free, you can start using natural remedies on your home to kill the remaining fleas and their eggs. Your home will be flea-free in no time!