Eco-Friendly Family
nonoemily
member
Diatomaceous Earth
nonoemily
member
Has anyone else used this to treat fleas on their pets? I have a 14 year old cat who seems to be constantly infested with fleas, despite the fact that she never goes outside and never had flea problems when she was younger.I'm concerned about treating her with the usual flea products at her age, as well as being pregnant and about to have a baby, I don't really want that stuff in my house.
So far I've tried sprinkling it on her fur and rubbing it in, and I'm going to go around and powder the areas of the house she spends most of her time in.
Any suggestions or experience would be helpful. Thanks!
Elkanah Brave, born 02/06/2012 7:26am
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Re: Diatomaceous Earth
I wonder if they are hitching a ride in on leg bottoms? Sometimes I see crazy infestations outdoors here, during certain parts of the year.
I've never used it myself...but my ex-SIL had tons of success using it in her garden and on their cat. Don't breath it in or get it in your eyes, and probably buy a version that's safe for pets/humans (and not pools).
You may have to reapply for a while, especially if the fleas are coming from outside...but you should start to see less of the bugs after a couple weeks?
I have successfully used it. My former roommate took in a friend's cat when then went out of town and the cat brought fleas with it. In a carpeted house and without any chemicals i got rid of a pretty gross infestation.
I followed the directions on the package of DE, sprinkling it over all the carpet and into the crevices of upholstered furniture in any room she goes into, with a bit extra on areas she spends more time in. The package said to sweep it into the carpet (to help it settle into the fibers), which i did using my (shoe-covered) foot. For furniture i swept it in using my hands. Let sit for a few days, vacuum thoroughly and repeat. I actually used a mixture of borax and DE and it worked great. Also, when i've done it i covered my mouth with a handkerchief but didn't wear eye protection.
It works like magic!!! I've used it for my dogs. Definitely powder the house, especially on rugs and around curtains.
As PP said, they may be coming in on your pant legs, or in any number of other ways that sneaky insects invade. I will say, I've noticed that the more dirt/sand is exposed in your yard, the more prolific fleas become.
So long as you're using food grade, you don't have to worry about any ill effects from breathing it in. And you want food grade because A) your kitty is going to ingest it and
the other grades don't work so hot for killing fleas.
Since it breaks the life cycle at the adult, keep applying 1x a week until you stop seeing them. Treat the whole house. If you have carpet, it's tedious, but brush it into the carpets with a brush, let it settle for a few hours, then vac or sweep out.
Yes! And on top of this, run the vacuum plainly over the carpet EVERY DAY for at least the first week, emptying the canister outside right after you're done. It's such a PITA but it really helps clear the infestation faster.