How to use wormwood against fleas on a cat

1. Fleas in the apartment and on animals Features of fleas
2. Danger of fleas

An alternative method of killing fleas in an apartment and on pets is folk remedies. How effective are they? How to use them correctly? Is it true that the best flea remedies are folk remedies?

Popular folk remedies

In some cases, the use of pharmaceutical insecticides and repellents to treat a pet for parasites is undesirable or even contraindicated. This may be due to being too young, pregnant, having certain diseases or allergies. In this case, folk remedies will help rid cats of fleas.

Combing

The safest, but time-consuming and labor-intensive method. You need to stock up on a metal comb with fine teeth and patience. You must comb first against the coat, being sure to grab the undercoat, and then in the direction of hair growth. At the end of the procedure, the combed hair and parasites must be destroyed immediately. By the way, this is one of the few safe ways to remove fleas from a kitten up to 1.5 months old.

Combing

Sagebrush

A long-known folk remedy for fleas in cats is dried wormwood. Insects cannot stand the smell of grass, and as soon as they smell it, they try to get away as far as possible. At the same time, the plant is absolutely safe for cats. A decoction of wormwood is used to treat fleas on animals, and bunches of dried grass are placed around the house to repel insects.

Garlic

Garlic is another natural repellent that can help get rid of cat fleas. Parasites do not tolerate the specific smell of the plant. To treat an animal, 3-4 cloves of garlic are crushed, poured with a glass of warm water and left for 10-12 hours in a dark place.

For greater effectiveness, you can add a teaspoon of brewer's yeast to the liquid. The strained liquid is applied to the animal’s withers, gently rubbing into the fur. After a day, the cat can be bathed.

Pine sawdust

The pleasant pine aroma with bright notes of resin is very disliked by insects. Pine sawdust by itself will not help remove fleas from a cat, but will be an excellent addition to the main treatment. You can fill your pet's bedding with sawdust, and wash your cat's bed and toys in pine broth.

Essential oils

Essential oils are a fragrant and effective repellent. The following scents will help get rid of fleas on your cat:

• mint;
• lavender;
• eucalyptus;
• geraniums;
• tea tree;
• carnations;
• fir trees

The product can be added to shampoo or applied to the collar. You can prepare a solution by adding 2-3 drops of oil to 2 glasses of water, which you can then use to treat the animal’s fur. After 15-20 minutes, during which you need to make sure that the cat does not lick the fur, the solution is washed off.

Vinegar

A rather radical but effective way to eliminate fleas is to treat them with apple cider vinegar. To prepare a flea mixture, you need to mix vinegar, ammonia and inexpensive cologne with a strong smell in equal proportions. Covering the cat's face, the fur is sprayed with the resulting liquid. The animal is then placed in a bag, leaving its head outside.

After 5 - 7 minutes, the bag is removed, the pet is washed and combed. Apple cider vinegar can also be used to treat indoor fleas.

Vinegar

Tar soap

Birch tar, which is part of tar soap, is an effective remedy for parasites. Bathing with tar soap is a simple and safe way to get rid of fleas, which is suitable even for recently born kittens.

Ammonia

The smell of ammonia is unbearable for fleas and many other insects. With its help, you can remove fleas from animals and drive parasites out of your home. The recipe is simple - for 1 liter of water you will need 8 - 10 drops of alcohol. The resulting solution can be used to rinse the cat after bathing or spray the room.

Hellebore water

Alcohol tincture of hellebore is an effective insect repellent. The solution is applied to the skin and fur, after 10 minutes, thoroughly washed off with shampoo. Since the product is toxic, it must be used with caution, making sure that not a drop gets on the mucous membranes or open wounds on the animal’s body.

Hydrogen peroxide

Hydrogen peroxide is diluted with water in a ratio of 1:2 or 1:3, and the resulting liquid is generously moistened with the cat’s fur. After 15 minutes, the solution is washed off. Clean water with a small amount of vinegar is enough; you don’t need to use shampoo. The disadvantage of this method is that peroxide deteriorates the quality of the coat and lightens it, so this method is not suitable for animals participating in exhibitions.

Camphor alcohol

Camphor alcohol and table vinegar, mixed in equal proportions, with the addition of a few drops of cheap cologne, is a powerful mixture that kills fleas. The smells of alcohol and cologne intoxicate fleas, and vinegar dissolves the chitinous coat. The cat is treated with the drug before bathing.

Boric acid

Boric acid perfectly dissolves the flea’s “armor” - its chitinous shell. To rid your pet of parasites, prepare an aqueous solution of boric acid; for home treatment, the powder can be used in dry form.

Salt

Table (or sea) salt is used against fleas, as it destroys the chitinous cover of parasites. The pet can be sprinkled with salt, which can be washed off after 10-15 minutes, or bathed in salt water. Bathing in a saline solution is suitable even for kittens, the main thing is that the water does not get on the face or in the ears.

Salt and soda solution

A bath with salt and soda will help your pet recover from fleas faster, and the dry mixture will help get rid of insects in the room. After mixing salt and soda in equal proportions, sprinkle flea repellent on the floors and window sills in the apartment, the surface of upholstered furniture, and carpets.

Herbal infusions

Herbs help fight insects. The smells of some plants literally cause fleas to flee. Herbal infusions will help get rid of fleas from your pet's fur:

• tansy;
• lavender;
• mint;
• eucalyptus.

Mint decoction

The cat is watered with medicinal liquid, wrapped in a towel and waited for 10 - 15 minutes. After this, the animal is rinsed with warm water.

Geranium decoction

Geranium has a similar effect on fleas as wormwood. The pungent smell repels parasites. To prepare the infusion, the leaves and stems are poured with boiling water, boiled for 15-20 minutes over low heat, then cooled and filtered. Moisten the fur with the liquid, wrap the cat in a towel for 20 minutes, then wash and comb out.

Citrus

Fleas do not like the aromatic substances contained in citrus peels. The simplest remedy for fleas is to rub your pet's fur with fresh lemon or orange peel. Dried crusts can be used to prepare a medicinal decoction. But we must remember that citrus scents are not always to the taste of cats. So sometimes it is better not to use this method.

Other

Other folk recipes for fleas include washing with laundry or dust soap, as well as an exotic remedy - vodka with vanillin. The smell of vanilla repels not only fleas, but also ticks and mosquitoes. To prepare the solution, 2-3 g of vanillin are mixed with 100 g of vodka and infused in a sealed container in a dark, cool place for 7 days. The resulting tincture is used to treat the animal's fur.

Are cat fleas dangerous for humans?

Cat fleas do not live on people, but they can bite them and thereby transmit the causative agents of some serious diseases.

Among the most dangerous diseases that cause fleas in domestic cats are:

hepatitis - inflammatory damage to the liver; brucellosis – damage to many body systems: cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, musculoskeletal, nervous, etc.; encephalitis - inflammation of the brain substance; helminths – worms that parasitize the body of animals and humans; Plague is a fatal disease (without treatment it ends in death). It is extremely rare in Russia; the last case was recorded in 2016 in Altai. Those cat owners who export their pets to Central Asia, Africa, and America should be concerned.

It is especially important for them to know how to get rid of fleas from a cat as quickly and efficiently as possible.

The most common consequences of a flea bite for humans are allergic reactions, manifested in the form of severe itching and redness. It is also possible for infection to occur in scratched bite areas. This can already lead to a more serious outcome - purulent inflammation of the skin and penetration of infection into the bloodstream. This development of events is fraught with many dangerous diseases, including sepsis (blood poisoning).

Therefore, flea control is necessary not only to protect the cat from parasitic insects, but also to preserve human health.

Anti-flea shampoo recipe

Homemade shampoo is another effective folk remedy that helps remove fleas from a cat. The ingredients for the recipe can easily be found in any home:

• 1 tbsp. water (if desired, you can replace it with infusion of wormwood, tansy or geranium);
• 1/3 bar of baby soap;
• 1 chicken egg yolk;
• a few drops of essential oil.

The soap is grated on a coarse grater and filled with water or herbal infusion. Stirring constantly, cook in a water bath until thickened. Remove from heat, cool, add yolk and butter. Mix thoroughly.

The shampoo is used immediately after preparation. Apply the product to well-moistened animal hair, leave for 10 minutes, then rinse thoroughly. A week later the procedure is repeated.

Removing fleas from kittens, sick, pregnant and lactating cats

The body of a small kitten reacts much more sharply to any medications, so before using any method of getting rid of fleas, you must carefully read the instructions. Of course, it is better to use soft, specialized preparations that allow you to remove fleas from young kittens.

Pregnant cats should not be given tablets or injections against fleas - this is too toxic and can have a depressing effect on pregnancy. It is better to use a set of more gentle measures: shampoos, low-toxic preparations for treating the skin.

If a cat is feeding kittens, anti-flea treatment must be carried out simultaneously with the treatment of kittens, and products must be chosen that are safe for babies. You should not treat your cat with medications that can be licked off by kittens during feeding.

For sick animals, especially those suffering from allergies and eating disorders, it is necessary to prevent insecticides from entering the digestive tract and damaged areas of the skin. Before using any product, consultation with a veterinarian is required.

Folk remedies for treating an apartment

Solving the problem of parasites that appear in a pet must be approached in a comprehensive manner. Simultaneously with the treatment of the animal, it is necessary to start disinsection of the house. Otherwise, insects will very soon begin to bother the household again. There are many folk remedies that help get rid of fleas at home. Among them:

• essential oils - they are added to water for washing floors and wiping surfaces (you can spray the solution around the room from a spray bottle);
• vinegar – used in the same way as essential oils;
• bleach – repels insects with a pungent odor, and when it gets on the parasite’s body, it dries it out and, as a result, causes death;
• a mixture of salt and soda - once on the body of insects, it kills them;
• whiteness is a bleach-based product that helps get rid of fleas.

White

Chlorine-containing products can be used both in dry form and in the form of solutions. We must remember that chlorine-based products are very aggressive. When using them, precautions must be taken.

Effect of wormwood on fleas

Wormwood is known as an effective flea repellent. But I wonder how wormwood works on fleas? Not everyone likes the aroma of this fragrant herb, and especially insects like fleas. They don't like him very much. The essential oils contained in wormwood act as a repellent on insects. They contain several acids, such as malic, succinic and tannic components. The aroma of wormwood essential oil spreading in a room forces insects to urgently and irrevocably leave the area away from this smell.

Can herbs get rid of fleas once and for all?

It is not possible to talk about 100% destruction of insects with herbs alone. Still, over the years of struggle, fleas have developed immunity to many poisons. Although in many cases, flea grass in the house in sufficient quantities can remove bloodsuckers.

The optimal solution is to use chemical products along with herbs, which will not only provide support, but can also serve as further prevention of re-infestation of fleas.

The grass does not kill fleas, it can only repel insects, forcing them to leave their habitat. Only strong insecticidal poisons can cope with full-fledged persecution.

Cleaning the house against fleas

The process of ridding a cat of fleas also includes disinfecting the house. Without this event, it will not be possible to remove insects forever. Their eggs and larvae live in large numbers on carpets and upholstered furniture. And the parasites themselves can live behind baseboards or cracks in the floor.

General cleaning plan:

• Wash bedspreads, blankets, animal bedding, and soft toys. It is advisable that the water temperature be 60°C or higher. It is recommended to iron the cat's bedding after washing.
• Treat the floors, walls, upholstered furniture, and cat houses with insecticidal aerosols against fleas. Carry out the procedure wearing safety glasses, a respirator or protective mask, and gloves. There should be no children or animals in the room during the disinfection process. Leave the treated apartment for at least 4-6 hours. Afterwards the room is ventilated for 2-3 hours.
• Vacuum carpets and upholstered furniture thoroughly. Go through all corners, try to clean in all hard-to-reach places (under sofas, beds, armchairs).
• Wet cleaning. Rinse the floors thoroughly with warm water with the addition of essential oils: geranium, pine, lavender, eucalyptus, mint, tea tree. This solution should be used to wipe furniture and window sills.

It is also necessary to thoroughly rinse the soles of outdoor shoes. It carries a large number of flea eggs.