5 Ways to Naturally Prevent and Get Rid of Fleas on Dogs...

1. Flea Comb  this is very similar to the flea comb for dogs, and while some cats may find the scent of citrus unappealing, the way this is prepared can lessen the intensity of the smell to their sensitive noses (but not to the fleas) because you don’t use straight lemon juice. Fleas hate the overwhelming smell of lemon, and it seems to help deter them. Combining the lemon with a flea comb-it can be either a regular comb, although the super fine toothed ones sold in stores are optimum-does twice as good a job. You get the pests out with the comb, while leaving a lingering scent of lemon that will keep them from coming back

2. Apple Cider Vinegar Bath or Spray

Would you want to chomp onto something that smelled overwhelmingly foul to you? Probably not. The same thing is true of fleas and vinegar-even apple cider vinegar, which I actually like the smell of. Applying this during a bath or as a spray does not change a cats internal Ph. levels, and is a good way to naturally remove fleas, especially on kittens.

3. Dry D.E. Shampoo

Diatomaceous earth (DE) is a naturally occurring rock that is made up of the fossilized remains of ancient hard shelled algae (called diatoms, hence the name.) Easily crumbled into a fine powder, DE is an effective and safe means of repelling fleas. While harmless to humans or pets, it is lethal to fleas because of its tiny but incredibly sharp edges that can slice right through the pest’s tough, waxy, exoskeleton. The fleas then die of dehydration. It is important that you only use food grade diatomaceous earth-any other kind is not approved for use on animals or humans, not to mention it will be too finely ground to kill the fleas. Food grade can be safely used externally and internally in both humans and animals, which means that when your cat goes to lick itself off, DE won’t hurt it.

The biggest thing you want to avoid is breathing it in-you don’t want those little particles in your throat. This can be avoided by wearing a mask when using it in large quantities (if you are dusting the cats bedding down, for example) and by not going overboard when putting it on your pet

4. Biological warfare

Beneficial nematodes are insect-parasitic, which means that these small microscopic “worms” are safe for pets, people, and plants, but not pests. There are many different kinds of nematodes, but the ones marketed for flea control and pest control in gardens are not one of the nasty ones. These little guys have a unique mission, seek out pests (they love flea larvae) and destroy them. It’s a little gross how they go about it-basically they kill the flea from the inside out and then feed on it-but fleas are nasty anyways right? What goes around comes around I suppose. Nematodes have been shown to be very helpful in reducing flea populations under the right conditions. They need moist soil to thrive and to be able to move easily, but they did not have the same level of effectiveness in dry super dry conditions. If you live in an area where nematodes might be useful, you can place them around the perimeter of the house where they act like a tiny army to defend your home (and your cat) from fleas. Use them in accordance to the manufacturer’s instructions

5. Soapy water flea trap

Fleas, well, they aren’t the brightest things in the world, which is good news for us. They are attracted to light, and find its shining splendor irresistible. To take advantage of this, place a very shallow dish with sudsy water under a night light so when they hop towards the light, they hop into the water and drown. Use hot or warm water, as they seek things out by temperature.