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How to treat fleas in cat?



(January 7, 2010)

Fleas are one of the most common problems of pet ownership. Fleas are very tiny, wingless insects that are blackish brown in color. These pests unfortunately don’t limit themselves to feeding purely on animal blood, they can bite humans too. A flea bite can cause severe itching and pain. These annoying parasites can survive in just about any environment, and they can multiply at a staggering rate too. An individual female flea can produce approximately twenty thousand eggs in a span of three months. Thus, getting rid of them can be quite a challenge. Fleas can survive on the blood of just about any warm blooded animal; however, they generally prefer cats and dogs, as their body temperatures are higher. A pet that has been infested with fleas will tend to scratch itself a lot; however this may not always be the case. At times, a pet may display no signs of having fleas.

Here are a few home remedies that can help in getting your cat ‘flea free’. For cat care, you will first need to start by cleaning the cat’s bedding. While giving the bedding a final rinse, add a few drops of eucalyptus oil to the water. The oil is 99% effective in killing all kinds of mites and fleas. You also need to clean and disinfect the entire house. Vacuum the entire house, including the upholstery, carpets and floors. This is important, because as mentioned earlier, these tiny pests can survive anywhere. Lemon can be used to make an excellent flea repellent. For this chop a medium sized lemon into thin slices. Immerse these slices in 2 cups of boiling water. Keep this mixture aside overnight. The next morning strain out the liquid into a spray can. Spray this citrus repellent all over the pet, particularly behind its ears and in its arm pits. This is an effective remedy for getting rid of fleas.  

Another great way of getting rid of these pests is by making a flea collar. Take a regular collar and rub a few drops of eucalyptus oil onto it, and then tie it around the cat’s neck. Instead of eucalyptus oil, one can also use tea tree oil or lavender oil. Another effective repellent can be prepared by mixing almond carrier oil with the essential oils of cedar wood and lavender. Shake the mixture well and apply a few drops of this powerful repellent onto the pet’s skin. This will also help in getting rid of fleas.
Submitted by N M on January 7, 2010 at 05:17

 

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