I had a home recipe for repelling fleas in an old countryside magazine. I have lost the recipe and my cats and house are full of fleas. Does anyone know how to safely solve this problem?

-- Beverly Roberts (Bevartjohn@aol.com), August 15, 2001

Answers

VACUUM<< VACUMM<<< VACUMMM ,, then spread lavendar around. Also,, eat and feet the critters garlic,, helps to keep them off,, the lavendar will repel them,, the vac hopefully picks them up

-- stan (sopal999@yahoo.com), August 15, 2001.

Bev,people tell me that DE sprinkled all through the carpet(after vacuuming throughly of course)will kill the fleas and eggs there, as will 20 Mule team Borax, However you must deflea your dogs and cats. I've never dealt with this at home, I use Frontline and have never had a flea although I show my dog. this is going to take some effort on your part. I must confess that I would weenie out and call the exterminator but I know many on this forum will have some good ideas. Dont' forget that fleas also carry tape worm and a number of nasty diseases so be sure your house pets are fully vaccinated and dewormed.

-- Little Quacker (carouselxing@juno.com), August 15, 2001.

A very low dish of dishsoap water, with or without a light, will attract them. They jump in it. It really works for the live ones. Washing all animal bedding, sweeping and sweeping and sweeping helps. I use a flea comb on the animals - it works better and safer than most other products, without the expense.

-- Dianne (willow@config.com), August 15, 2001.

Hi, Beverly, Just another idea about controlling fleas. For carpet you can try using either plain salt or 2 parts baking soda and 1 part salt worked into carpet once a year. Then vacuum off top and leave the rest in the carpet. DE also works but you have to be very careful about inhaling the dust because it can cause damage to the lungs. Flea combing, vacuuming, and feeding garlic and also a little apple cider vinegar are all good to use, too. Good luck!

-- Sherry S. (natmatters@mail.istal.com), August 16, 2001.

Frontline! This is all you have to use. The fleas start to die as soon as they jump on the animals. All live fleas are dead within a couple of days, then as the eggs that escape the vaccum hatch and those jump on the animals, they are quickly eliminated too. The fleas do not even bite the animal. You can watch them start to move erratically as soon as they jump on. The only side effect I have noticed is that the animal is aggrivated the first day with all the fleas running around on them, guess it tickles. Frontline is not a poison, it effects the nervous system of fleas and ticks (only effects these types of insects, not your dogs and cats.)

-- Paula (chipp89@bellsouth.net), August 16, 2001.

I use Revolution, which is like Frontline but it kills more parasites (like heartworm). I have found the non-chemical methods to be minimally effective and very tedious. When it comes to fleas, I'm all about chemicals!

-- Shannon at Grateful Acres Animal Sanctuary (gratacres@aol.com), August 16, 2001.

We have 9 barn cats and 4 big dogs, but no fleas for over 6 years now, ever since I started feeding the critters garlic powder daily. The dogs get a tablespoon a day in their food (add a little oil to dry food to help it stick to it) and the cats a half teaspoon in their food. It takes about a month to fully kick in, but it sure does work, and helps keep their coats and skin shiny and itch free, saves a bundle on flea and tick preparations!

Dogs under 50 pounds should get a teaspoon or two, depending on their weight, ours are over 60 pounds, some go 80 to 90 pounds. The dose is variable to infestation rates, more works better at first to eliminate the fleas, then you can taper down to a maintenance dose rate that works for your dog or cat.

-- Annie Miller in SE OH (annie@1st.net), August 16, 2001.

Beverly, there is an all-natural remedy for fleas that works better than the chemicals, and it is well-known in the South. It is recorded that President Jefferson Davis kept hunting dogs and used it at his plantation in far-south Louisiana.

If you live in an area with walnut trees (black walnuts, not Capathians) take the leaves or the walnuts and spread them around the infested places. Use walnuts beneath the bedding for cats and dogs,just may sure the bedding is thick enough to let the animals lie on them. I leave them there year-round.

I have used the remedy several times and even put them under my bed.I hope they did not move to your place.

Fleas are not to be taken lightly. They carry bubonic plague,rat fever and various other diseases.

-- Gordon Crump (hermit@duo-county.com), August 16, 2001.

ortho (sevin), is another product to try it's safe for all pets and their bedding areas but, will kill fleas dead... can also, be used in the garden for horn worms, etc. lol bob m.

-- bob mccaffrey (bobmccaffrey1@netscape.net), August 16, 2001.

I also used to give garlic powder to my barn cats and dog which roamed free around the farm. Once a month I'd also give the dog a big dose, a heaping tablespoon of garlic powder in raw hamburger. It seemed to keep parasites and worms away too.

-- Dave (something@somewhere.com), August 16, 2001.