10 Best Flea And Tick Prevention For Outdoor Cats

Best Flea And Tick Prevention For Outdoor Cats in 2023

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Got Fleas? Learn How to Eliminate Them Naturally

Concerned about using toxic flea treatments on your pet? Learn how a proper diet and microscopic diatoms can erradicate fleas from your pet, home, yard and garden - naturally.

Within 24 hours of being treated, my female cat began having seizures. I immediately took her to the vet and spent hundreds of dollars on tests to determine what was going on. Over the course of three weeks, her condition deteriorated to the point where her organs began to shut down and I was forced to make an agonizing decision. Although the veterinarian would never acknowledge that the flea treatment led to her demise, there is no doubt in my mind that it did. Because of that horrible experience, I vowed to never allow the use of toxic chemicals on my pets again.

Not long ago, my female Shar Pei (the wrinkle dog) developed a "hot spot" on her hind quarters. Shar Pei's have a tendency to develop skin ailments, so initially I wasn't alarmed. A few days later my male Shar Pei began to aggressively chew on his tail. Within 24 hours he had practically chewed off all the hair from his tail and had two open and bleeding sores. It was not a pretty sight.

While tending to his sores, I noticed black flecks on his skin. Then, I noticed one of the bigger flecks starting to move. When I attempted to remove it, it jumped, and instantly I knew what I was up against -- the dreaded, nearly impossible to kill, flea.

When the flea problem arose, I knew I had to take action and be quick about it. Not only do I have two dogs, I also have two cats. That can add up to a gazillion fleas. So I went online and began to research the most effective way to treat fleas naturally. Here is what I discovered...

Fleas are generally not attracted to animals in good health. Like most parasites, fleas prey on the weak and unhealthy. They also seek out animals whose immune system isn't functioning well such as with kittens or puppies, or elderly animals. If your pets become heavily infested with fleas, it's probably a sign that they have a health issue.

With this in mind, it only makes sense that you will want to make certain your animal is in good health. Generally, poor health stems from a poor diet. Recently, there have been several reports documenting the use of chemicals, fillers, animal by-parts (organs, bones, beaks, etc.), and even ground-up dogs and cats, in commercial pet food. That's rather sickening, don't you agree?

If you decide to switch your pet to a healthier diet, you need to make the transition gradually. You can't just switch the food or you could send your beloved pet into severe gastrointestinal distress. You need to gradually introduce the new food by mixing it with what you are currently using.

Start with a mixture of 25 percent new and 75 old and feed that for two or three days. Increase this amount to a 50-50 mixture and feed for two or three days. Finally, increase to a 75 percent new and 25 percent old mixture. If you don't detect any changes in your pet's digestion at the end of a week, you can begin feeding the new food exclusively. Some pets may be resistant and require a longer transition period.

If you're adventurous, try making your own pet food. That's the route I've chosen and it really isn't as difficult as it might seem. In some cases, it's actually cheaper to make it yourself. At the very least, it's something to consider; especially after reading about the things they put in pet food.

In addition to a healthy diet, there are at least three food supplements that should be combined with your pet's food: essential fatty acids (EFAs), digestive enzymes, and nutritional or brewer's yeast. These supplements must be added to your pet's food at meal time because they lose their nutritional value quickly. Additionally, because of the oil's unstable nature, it will oxidize and become rancid when exposed to air for too long. In other words, you don't want to add these supplements to food that will sit around for several hours before it's consumed.

Essential Fatty Acids are fat-based nutrients found in fish oil (omega-3) and seed oils (omega-6). EFAs help maintain a healthy skin and coat, and are vital for many chemical reactions in the body including hormonal and energy activities. They play an important role in the regulation of certain chemicals that control inflammatory responses throughout the body; which is crucial when dealing with fleas.

Every time a flea bites your pet, it causes inflammation. This is the body's natural reaction. Inflammation triggers a chain reaction causing chemicals to be secreted that assist in healing. Too much inflammation can lead to health problems such as arthritis, heart disease and cancer. Look for an EFA supplement that contains a combination of fish and seed oils to obtain a balance of omega-3 and omega-6 oils.

Digestive enzymes are naturally produced in the pancreas and salivary glands to help break down protein, carbohydrates and fat. Just like with people, when animals age, the production of these enzymes slows down. By adding digestive enzymes to your pet's diet, they are able to extract more nutrition from their food. Studies have shown that animals who receive digestive enzymes frequently become more resistant to disease and infections.

Nutritional or Brewer's yeast is an excellent source of protein and folic acid. It is rich in vitamins; helps boost the immune system; and is beneficial to the skin. Best of all, fleas really dislike the flavor of nutritional or Brewer's yeast, so adding it to their food will help protect your pet against attracting new fleas.

If your pet is suffering from skin irritation, consider using Bach's Rescue Remedy Cream. Bach's Flower Essences have been used to naturally treat a variety of ailments since 1930. Rescue Remedy Cream calms the skin and helps the animal be less stressed.

Because it is a homeopathic remedy, only a small amount is needed. There are no directions on the tube for use with animals; so use caution when applying it. Just because it's natural doesn't mean you should slather an entire tube full on your pet. I apply approximately 1 tablespoon over my dogs' entire body with no adverse affects. They each weigh about 45 pounds, so adjust your dosage accordingly.

The final step in killing off these blood-suckers is to eliminate them from your environment. To accomplish this, you need the secret weapon known as Diatomaceous earth. DE is a non-toxic substance made from the skeletal remains of microscopic plants called diatoms. These diatoms are crushed to a fine powder. If you were to observe them under a microscope you would see the particles resemble bits of broken glass.

Diatomaceous earth works by slicing open the outer, hard covering of insects, causing them to "bleed" to death. Actually, what happens is their insides leak out, they dehydrate and die. When DE is sprinkled on the floor, carpet, ground or your pet's body, it slices and dices the fleas that walk through it. Think of it as Ginzu knives for fleas.

The product I used is Flea Away® powder, although you can probably purchase Diatomaceous earth at your local nursery. It's frequently used by gardeners to control pests on plants, vegetables and trees. It's important to note there are two types of DE: Horticultural and Food Grade. From what I've read it's better to use Food Grade when treating animals for fleas, as it can safely be added to their food.

Diatomaceous earth can safely be applied to your lawn, plants, animals, carpet, and furniture. Treating your yard is simple and consists of mixing DE with water and applying it with a sprayer. It's recommended that you treat all areas on a monthly basis, during flea season.

A word of warning -- when you apply Diatomaceous earth to your carpet, it is suggested to use a broom and lightly sweep the DE across the surface. The DE should be allowed to sit for 24 to 48 hours. Don't get crazy with your sweeping or you will end up with DE dust on everything in your home. Trust me on this one.

It's recommended that you wear a mask when using DE, so you don't breathe in all the dust. You should avoid getting it in your pet's eyes, nose and ears. And don't let your pet breathe in the dust fumes either. Although it's non-toxic, the dust particles can be irritating to the lungs.

Last, but not least, you'll need to wash all linens and rugs and vacuum your entire home. Be certain to clean along baseboards and nooks and crannies where the dust bunnies like to hide. A second application of DE might be necessary, but it's worth the time and effort to ensure that you have destroyed all the fleas and their offspring.

All in all, I spent less than $100 and four to five hours of time, to treat my home, yard and four animals. There were no toxic chemicals involved. There were no severe reactions, skin disorders or seizures. There were no expensive vet bills or medications that have serious side effects. And the end result was exactly what I had hoped for -- a big pile of dead, dehydrated fleas.

Useful Resources:

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): Pesticide Fact Sheets -

Center for Disease Control (CDC): Illnesses Associated with Occupational Use of Flea-Control Products -

U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA): Adverse Event Reporting System

Do You Know What's in Your Pet's Food? -