Traditional flea treatments may contain pesticides that can harm cats and dogs. Please consult your vet with any questions about these alternative solutions.

Topical Treatments

Topical treatments that can be sprayed on fur are the most traditional approach. While the pest repellent begins working immediately, dogs do love to get dirty, and that means the natural treatments will wear off and need frequent application.

One natural flea preventive is a homemade spray made of 50 percent apple cider vinegar and 50 percent warm water. For best results, use unfiltered, organic apple cider vinegar that has not been pasteurized. Fill a spray bottle with the solution and spray on your pet’s fur daily. Pay special attention to the base of the tail and behind the ears.

Apple cider vinegar can also be taken orally, although you should not feed it to a pet with a yeast allergy. Holistic vets typically recommend adding unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to food or drinking water. Dosage is one teaspoon for cats and small dogs (up to 14 pounds), two teaspoons for medium dogs (15 to 34 pounds), and one tablespoon for large dogs (35 to 84 pounds). In addition to its flea-repellent properties, apple cider vinegar may aid digestion and ease arthritis.

Another remedy to keep cats flea free is to slice a lemon very thin, including the peel, add it to a pint of water, and heat to boiling. Let the mixture sit overnight, and in the morning apply it to your pet’s fur. This will kill any fleas; use once a month.

All-Natural Collars

This tip is for dogs only. Apply eucalyptus, lavender, rosemary, rose geranium, or citronella essential oil to a heavy-duty woven nylon collar, a bandanna, or a rope collar. Use an eyedropper to put just one drop of 100 percent pure essential oil on the collar each week. If your dog seems to tolerate the smell, you can try two drops per week. The collar, which repels both fleas and ticks, will need to be refreshed weekly. Do not apply these collars to cats, as most essential oils are lethal to them. Pregnant women should also avoid using undiluted essential oils.

Other Strategies

Brewer’s yeast and garlic are recommended for dogs. You can give your dog up to two cloves of garlic a day. A small dog can have one teaspoon of brewer’s yeast; a 50-pound or heavier dog can consume one tablespoon per day. Hide these items in a food your dog can’t resist. After he eats, the scent will slowly start to emit through his skin, repelling fleas and ticks. Please remember that garlic is for dogs only; it is toxic to cats.

Home Turf Tips

• Your home can be a dangerous environment for your pet, but there are many ways to make it safer.
• Most fleas live in a pet’s environment rather than in its fur. For each flea on your pet, there may be about 30 more in your living room. So bathe your pet often and clean his bedding regularly. Vacuuming frequently is a must.
• Animals are naturally curious and can often find their way into places we thought were impossible to get into. Because of this, it is our responsibility to keep container lids on as tightly and securely as possible.
• Antifreeze is toxic to pets and causes 1,000 deaths a year. Many houseplants, including Christmas cactus, ivy, poinsettias, philodendrons, and yew plants, can be lethal to pets.
• Cats are great hunters, but the insecticides and rodenticides used to kill mice and rats will also kill a cat that comes into contact with a dead rodent.
• Make sure that sweets are kept out of pets’ reach: Chocolate is deadly to pets, alcohol can cause respiratory failure, and potpourri often contains cones and berries that are toxic to animals.