Cat owner seeks all-natural treatment to prevent fleas

Dear Cathy: Do you have any information on homemade flea treatments for pets?

I have four cats and use flea medication on them. But it is a nightmare to put on them because they can smell it a mile away. I would like to spray something that is not toxic to them or my fish and birds.

The cats do not go out, so I am assuming the fleas come in through the screens.

Thank you for any advice you can give me. — Meg, Coram, New York

Dear Meg: There are a variety of flea sprays available for cats. If you search the internet for “flea sprays for cats,” an assortment of them will come up and you can read about them and decide which is best for your cats.

Some are based on flea products — like Revolution — and some will say “natural” or “environmentally-friendly,” which is what you are looking for.

There is one product called Only Natural Pet EasyDefense Herbal Essential Oil Flea and Tick Spray for Dogs and Cats created by a holistic veterinarian that might be worth trying.

Some of these sprays must be used once or twice daily, so with four cats, that may get old quickly. But the sprays generally do work, can often be used on bedding or furniture if you are seeing fleas around the house, and often have a pleasant scent.

Never use a product on a cat that doesn’t say it is specifically for cats, and make sure it is safe to use around your fish or birds as these animals are very sensitive to aerosols.

If you’re going all natural in your flea treatment, please also consider treating your yard to reduce the fleas that get into the house.

You can purchase beneficial nematodes from your garden center to spray in your yard. Nematodes can kill 90 percent of adult fleas, larvae and pupae in grass and soil within 24 hours of the first application.

You also can spread foodgrade diatomaceous earth on your lawn or in the home to get rid of fleas. It’s safe to use around people and pets. By using a combination of natural sprays and yard treatments, you should be able to tackle your flea problems.