Welcome, cat lovers! Skye Blake here, your intrepid detective, with important information I’ve discovered to help you find a natural flea treatment for your cat.
The information here is for general knowledge… always see your vet with questions about your cat’s individual needs.
- Who Is Skye Blake?
- Anything That Says "Natural" Must Be Safe Right?
- Dosage
- Purity
- Application Method
- Can I Use Essential Oils as a Flea Treatment?
- I Prefer "Natural" Flea Products… What Are My Choices?
- Homemade Flea Treatments
- Veterinarian Thoughts on "Natural" Flea Treatments
- Conclusion
- Sources
- List of Sources
Who Is Skye Blake?
Skye Blake, Cat Info Detective, is a curious cat researcher (not a veterinarian or scientist) who sniffs out expert, reliable sources about cats, studies their information, then passes it on to you!
Sometimes there’s not enough evidence for easy answers, so Skye gives you all sides, explains the situation as thoroughly and clearly as possible, and links you to experts on each page.
All sources are at the bottom of each page so you can do more snooping.
Anything That Says “Natural” Must Be Safe Right?
NOT NECESSARILY! Here’s why…
According to Dictionary.com, “natural” means “existing in or caused by nature; not made or caused by humankind”.
In the realm of flea treatments, “natural” can be…
- home remedies – made from things you have around the house (lemons, vinegar…)
- commercial – “natural” flea sprays, collars, shampoos, etc. (oils as active ingredients)
- essential oils – (extremely concentrated, powerful, pure oils derived from plants)
- organic – (anything not man-made and not treated with chemicals)
All these treatments vary in purity, dosage, and ways of applying them to your kitty.
This makes a HUGE difference in how effective they are against fleas while still being safe.
Dosage
Correct dosage or dilution amount is very important with any flea treatment, whether “chemical” or “natural” ingredients are used as a base.
It’s easy to overdose your feline buddy and end up with a very sick cat and big vet bills!
For example, you can cut up lemons and make a spray but the right amount of water must be added to be effective yet still safe.
Another example is a commercially prepared product, Wondercide® Flea & Tick Spray (Lemongrass Scent), containing 4.2% cedarwood oil and 1.5% lemongrass oil.
By comparison, lemongrass and cedarwood essential oils are 100% concentrated, not diluted at all.
That’s an enormous difference in dosage, which can seriously affect your cat!
Proper dilution is critical and must be strong enough to kill or repel fleas yet be harmless to your little buddy.
Commercial products are formulated to be safe and effective when properly applied.
Purity
The purity of any flea treatment also affects how you handle them in dealing with fleas on your kitty.
This is true for both “chemical” and “natural” treatments.
The more impurities there are, the higher the chance of an unwelcome reaction in your kitty.
Application Method
How you use a “natural” product and how you apply it to your cat is very important as well.
Garlic is a good example… It’s a natural, organic plant that can be eaten raw or cooked.
In it’s raw form, garlic smells and tastes very strong. When cooked it becomes milder in strength and flavor.
Garlic is a tasty and healthy vegetable for people and dogs… but not so good for cats.
When used as a medicine, garlic must be treated with care. Garlic oil is powerful and most concentrated in the bulb.
As a poultice on the skin, it can help heal certain conditions, but if too much is used or it’s left on too long, garlic can cause burns and blisters.
You have to know how much to dilute, how pure it is, and how to apply it.
Cats can only handle the phenols in garlic in small doses, so it’s best to use it under the supervision of a holistic veterinarian.
Therefore, just as with chemical products, you have to know what you’re doing in order to safely use natural flea treatments and oils.
Most people want something that’s safe but easy to use and prefer to buy it ready-made.
If you like the idea of making it yourself, check “Flea Control, the Homemade Way” for more info.
Can I Use Essential Oils as a Flea Treatment?
Essential oils have become somewhat of a hot topic with cat lovers.
Are they safe to use in diffusers, as a spray or shampoo applied directly on a cat, or in their food?
Are some oils more toxic than others?
There’s a lot of confusing information out there about these oils, so I’ve created a whole ‘nother page to help make things clear… check it out!
I Prefer “Natural” Flea Products… What Are My Choices?
Just as with “chemical” products, you can use “natural” collars, shampoos, or sprays on your kitty.
There are also “natural” powders, sprays, and carpet shampoos for your home.
Since commercially prepared store-bought “natural” products are already diluted and have been tested by their manufacturers, they save you the trouble of figuring out the proper dosage and dilution rates for your cat.
Discover more about the various types of commercial “natural” products at “Natural Flea Remedies You Can Buy“.
Always ask your veterinarian what products are good for your particular kitty and how to use them.
If you have a young kitten, sick or senior cat, you have to be extra careful choosing what to use for a flea treatment.
Discover more about safe and effective treatments for them at “How to Kill Fleas on Kittens, Senior & Sick Cats“.
As with “chemical” products, never use “natural” treatments made for dogs on your kitty!
Homemade Flea Treatments
There are books and websites giving recipes and instructions on making various flea and tick repellents from things you have at home, (e.g., lemons, vinegar, lavender, etc.)
They claim these are effective for killing and/or repelling insects, but I’ve found no scientific studies or data either confirming or refuting these claims.
For this reason, if you decide to purr-sue this method, remember to follow any instructions carefully and proceed at your own risk.
As with other “natural” flea treatments, you must know your cat’s health, as well as the products you want to use.
See more of what I found at “Flea Control, the Homemade Way“.
Veterinarian Thoughts on “Natural” Flea Treatments
Veterinarians disagree on use of these different products, their effectiveness and safety.
It looks like a lot of this is dependent on knowledge of what you’re using and your ability to handle proper dosages… dilution is extremely important.
It must be effective against the fleas without harming the cat and that is a delicate balance.
One study says:
“Dogs and cats can experience significant adverse effects when exposed to plant-derived flea preventatives even when used according to label directions.
The number of reports of exposure in cats was higher than dogs, but the frequency of reported adverse effects was similar between the 2 species.
Agitation and hypersalivation were common in cats, whereas lethargy and vomiting were common in dogs.”1“Adverse Reactions From Essential Oil-Containing Natural Flea Products Exempted From Environmental Protection Agency Regulations in Dogs and Cats“, A.G. Genovese, M.K. McLean, S.A. Khan, J. Vet. Emerg. Crit. Care (San Antonio), Aug. 22, 2012 (4):470-5
This study does not mention the specific flea preventatives used. Always follow directions carefully.
Conclusion
In conclusion, if you prefer “natural” flea treatments, look at the options available and talk to your vet about your cat’s health and what will work best for you.
Above all, remember… safety in using anything, especially directly on cats, depends on…
- what you use (ingredients)
- how much (quantity)
- the size of the dose (dosage)
- how often you use it (frequency)
- how you administer it (swallowed or on skin)
Discover more about flea and tick treatments and other cat health topics at “Cat Health“.
Sources
Sources used on this website are either primary or secondary.
Primary sources are always preferable and have the most reliable information because they’re original and directly referenced.
Scientific abstracts and data are good examples of primary sources.
Secondary sources are weaker because they usually consist of opinions or articles that give no sources of their own, however, sometimes they refer to primary sources.
When I use secondary sources, most are those with some authority, such as veterinarian or cat behaviorist books and articles.
List of Sources
A-L
“ACTIVITY AND BIOLOGICAL EFFECTS OF NEEM PRODUCTS
AGAINST ARTHROPODS OF MEDICAL AND VETERINARY IMPORTANCE”, by
MIR S. MULLA and TIANYUN SU, Journal of the American Mosquito Control Association, Inc. 15(2):133-152, 1999, Copyright 1999 by the American Mosquito Control Association, Inc., Department of Entomology, University of California, Riverside, CA 92521-0314, pages 147-179, Science Direct
“Adverse Reactions From Essential Oil-Containing Natural Flea Products Exempted From Environmental Protection Agency Regulations in Dogs and Cats“, A.G. Genovese, M.K. McLean, S.A. Khan, J. Vet. Emerg. Crit. Care (San Antonio), National Library of Medicine, Aug. 22, 2012, (4):470-5
“Cats and Essential Oil Safety” by Robert Tisserand, Tisserand Institute
“Effects of azadirachtin on Ctenocephalides felis in the dog and the cat” by V.H.Guerrini, C.M.Kriticos, Veterinary Parasitology, Vol. 74, Issues 2-4, Pestsearch International, 173 Chatswood Road, Daisy Hill 4127, Australia, Received 11 October 1996, Accepted 7 February 1997, Available online 18 May 1998, Science Direct
“EPA Evaluation of Pet Spot-on Products: Analysis and Plans for Reducing Harmful Effects”
“How To Get Rid Of Fleas – 7 Natural Ways to Banish Fleas on Your Pets and in Your Home”, by admin, HowToGetRidOfGuide.com, February 13, 2015
“An improved bioassay facilitates the screening of repellents against cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)” by Li‐Chong Su, Chin‐Gi Huang, Shang‐Tzen Chang, Shu‐Hui Yang, Shan‐hui Hsu, Wen‐Jer Wu, Rong‐Nan Huang, 05 April 2013
“Influence of Temperature and Humidity on Survival and Development of the Cat Flea”, by Jules Silverman, Michael K. Rust, Donald A. Reierson, Journal of Medical Entomology, Volume 18, Issue 1, 20 February 1981, Pages 78–83
“Larvicidal Effects of Boric Acid and Disodium Octaborate Tetrahydrate to Cat Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)” by Nancy C. Hinkle, Philip G. Koehler, Richard S. Patterson, Journal of Medical Entomology, Volume 32, Issue 4, 1 July 1995, Pages 424–427
M-Z
“Oral Toxicity of Boric Acid and Other Boron Compounds to Immature Cat Fleas (Siphonaptera: Pulicidae)” by John H. Klotz, James Moss, I., Rongcai Zhao, Lloyd R. Davis, Jr., Richard S. Patterson, Journal of Economic Entomology, Volume 87, Issue 6, 1 December 1994, Pages 1534–1536
“The Science Behind Cats and Essential Oils”, by Dr. Melissa Shelton, London Alternative Veterinary Services, January 12, 2018
“Sublethal effects of D‐limonene on the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis“, by M. G. Collart, W. F. Hink, First published: December 1986
Updated July 10, 2023