Natural flea and tick remedies

In this blog we will look at natural flea and tick remedies and I’ll share with you why I will NEVER use a spot-on treatment ever again.

We learn by example. I fed my first cat wet and dry food because that’s what my parents fed theirs.

I used a spot-on treatment for my cats to prevent fleas and ticks because that’s what my parents did, that’s what the rescue centres recommended and that’s what the vet advised me to do.

I have to thank the heavens that I have not had to learn the hard way about the dangers of flea and tick prevention treatments. I used a couple on Pickle and have even used one on Leo when we first got him, but I will never use them again.

I urge you do to a search, look for side effects of flea and tick treatments. The images are distressing. Actual chemical burns on the skin. It’s heart breaking. Let alone the neurological issues they can cause. I won’t be adding images in this blog as I know it can be very upsetting for some people. But as my 8-year-old niece now says: “Search it up”.

Why shouldn’t we use spot-on treatments?

I highly recommend you read this blog by Dr Judy Morgan: Side effects form common flea and tick products. She is an integrative vet and passionate about helping to educate animal guardians.

She has the science and facts about these forms of treatment.

Do you know what really grinds my gears…they don’t even work!

They don’t repel the parasites.

We are marketed these products to prevent our cat from getting the parasites. But the truth is, only IF your cat is bitten by a flea could the spot-on treatment possibly be effective. And actually, just like humans and antibiotics, fleas are becoming resistant to many forms of these chemical-based products.

So we are putting a huge dose of chemicals that are NOT safe for our cats onto their fur, into their blood stream and they don’t even do what they are supposed to.

When I started seeing images of burnt fur/skin and then found Dr Judy and saw the reels and clips she shared of the neurological issues that these chemicals have caused, I vowed never to use a spot-on treatment again.

Using a spot-on treatment as an act of prevention is like taking chemotherapy medication in case you get cancer. Crazy!

Natural treatment options

I don’t use any form of prevention from fleas and ticks for my boys. You read that right.

I currently don’t do anything to stop them being bitten or attracting these tiny pests. I will treat the parasite as/when they have it.

Why? Well several reasons. Let me break it down:

1. Natural Immunity. When a cat has a healthy, balanced diet they have a natural immunity to parasites. They are unlikely to be appealing to fleas and ticks.
2. My boys have access to outside – in fact they roam the woods! I can’t prevent them from carrying a tick or being bitten by a flea. But I can maintain my vigilance of their coat. Every time they come in, I am like a monkey looking for a meal – I look at their fur, feel around their neck etc. As soon as I feel a tick on them it’s removed and lots of times I’ve managed to get the tick before it embeds itself. But not always.
3. Fleas – I’ll never forget when Baby Max came home and as he jumped up onto the bed I saw his tail move and I quickly captured a flea. After putting it into liquid soap in the sink I went back and found 12 others in his tail! He must have sat on a nest. I didn’t give him a spot on. I hoovered the house thoroughly every day for the next 5 days and we haven’t had a flea since.
4. Did you know that fleas only spend 5% of their life cycle on the host?! Hoovering regularly and moving furniture so you can hoover under the sofa and behind the chairs etc, will help to reduce or remove any sign of fleas in the home.
5. I don’t prevent the parasite. I treat it as/when we have them.

This may not be an approach that you feel safe with. And if not, that’s ok.

But next time you go to treat your cat with a ‘preventative’ medication – read it. Check the label, ask your vet for the evidence. Do your homework and check the possible adverse reactions.

Knowledge is power. Understand what you are doing to your cat and make sure you are making an informed decision.

Dr Judy Morgan has another great blog here: Flea and Tick prevention re-visited 

Finally if you have fleas in your home, hoover, hoover and hoover some more. We have a natural flea and tick treatment in The Aromatic Cat. And we also detail several aromatics that you can use to support an infestation in your home.

I hope you have enjoyed this blog and that it has given you food for thought about spot-on treatments. If you need more information head to Dr Judy’s website as she has more blogs, articles and suggestions about flea and tick support.