download/print - Neighborhood Cats

• Diatomaceous earthOne tool for addressing fleas is an all-natural insecticide called diatomaceous earth, afine powder made from the fossilized remains of tiny, hard-shelled types of algae calleddiatoms. While it feels like talcum powder to our touch, on a microscopic level, thefossilized remains are razor sharp and kill fleas upon contact. The product is often fed tocows and other farm animals to help clear their digestive systems of worms. It can bespread in locations where fleas are found, like cracks between walls and floors, undersinks, beneath trailers and other problem areas. It can also be sprinkled in locationswhere the cats spend time, like inside their shelters. Cats who can be handled can bedusted with it as a cheap form of flea control, although a topical flea medication is likelyto be more effective.Important note! There are many varieties of diatomaceous earth and it’s essential, forpurposes of safety and efficacy, to only use the “Food Grade” variety with and aroundanimals. Do not, for example, use “pool grade” diatomaceous earth. The product isrelatively inexpensive and can be purchased in bulk, up to 50 lbs. in a bag, at manyagricultural feed stores. You can also buy it online or over the phone – one vendor is DirtWorks (www.dirtworks.net or call 1-877-213-3828).• Beneficial nematodesAnother natural product for flea control in natural outdoor settings like lawns orgardens is Beneficial Nematodes, microscopic worms which eat the larvae of fleas andother common insects. They are applied using a lawn sprayer to moist, shady areaswhere fleas thrive. Nematodes reproduce rapidly and within a matter of days, willsignificantly reduce the resident flea population. They are not parasites and will not harmthe cats.Nematodes are sensitive to light and temperature so should be applied either at duskor early in the morning – neither fleas nor nematodes will survive in the hot sun. Theymostly die off in cold winter weather, so may need to be re-applied in the spring. If thereare no fleas or other suitable insects for them to eat, the worms will naturally die off.Different varieties suitable for different insects and soil types are now available. Theycan be purchased at many home garden stores, especially ones oriented towards organicgardening. One source is Arbico Organics (www.arbico-organics.com or call 1-800-827-2847.) Keeping cats out of gardens & yardsA common source of complaints about feral cats is people who don't want them intheir yards or gardens or on other parts of their property. Trying to work with propertyowners to alleviate this problem is a better way to protect the cats than arguing the felineshave a right to go wherever they want. Listed below are several products and methodsfor keeping the cats away from places they’re not welcomed. There are deterrents, which22