Help! Have ants, and cats...need pet-friendly ant removal tips!

[Phillycat]

We have ants in our kitchen, as of this morning. They weren't there last night! There are no food sources for them, except our cats' food.

We don't want to use toxic sprays or traps. What have you used to rid your house of ants when you don't want your kids/pets to be poisoned?

[REP]

1. Fantastic

I have used Fantastic - sprayed on ants and trail - and the ants never came back. I still have cats!

[Phillycat]

8. Huh!

I think I've got some of that at home...thanks! :hi:

[BarenakedLady]

20. I'm going to try this.

Usually they disappear after a week or so, but they creep me out.

[The Velveteen Ocelot]

2. Aardvarks.

[Phillycat]

7. HAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!

[BarenakedLady]

3. Must be the time of year

I'm having the same problem.

Ick.

[My Good Babushka]

4. Well

I usually just sweep them up in the vaccuum cleaner.

[democracyindanger]

5. Train the kids and pets to eat the ants.

[Phillycat]

11. Unfortunately, our cats are totally uninterested.

We showed them the ants; they usually love bugs. They couldn't have been less interested. Heh.

[Brewman_Jax]

6. Boric acid

as slow poison will work. Check this site--http://alsnetbiz.com/homeimprovement/boric_acid.html

[Phillycat]

10. No, no!

Boric acid is poisonous to cats!

Borate, or boric acid is used as a homemade insecticide. It has a low oral toxicity.

Signs: Vomiting, diarrhea, anorexia, CNS depression, muscle weakness, ataxia, and possible seizures.

Treatment: The problem with this poisoning is that activated charcoal does not absorb it, the only way to get it out of the system is through dialysis.

http://www.ansci.cornell.edu/plants/toxcat/toxcat.html

[Brewman_Jax]

12. True

but I've used it and the cat doesn't bother it. Sorry, I don't know of many other options. What kills bugs usually kills other things, too, including us and cats.

[Phillycat]

13. Yeah. Sigh.

I have high hopes for the Fantastik spray (see above). :D

[Brewman_Jax]

14. Give it a try

I've never tried it, but I hope it works for you. :hi:

[TZ]

9. I asked a vet about this

Sprays that use pyrethrins (like some Raid) are very pet safe (as long as they stay away for the couple of minutes it takes to dry). I've used it without hurting my kitties and its VERY effective on killing ants.

[madinmaryland]

15. Hmm. Our cats like to play with the ants!!

[TZ]

16. My cats just stare at them

THen look at me like "Do something!". But they chase and eat other bugs. Go figure.

[madinmaryland]

18. One of our cats jumped off our third floor deck a couple of years ago

chasing after a HUGH bumblebee. It took us eleven days to find him!!

[Phillycat]

22. Our cats are exactly the same.

They love bugs, generally. But they were totally bored with the ants. Then they looked at us like, "Uh, you want to get these things out of the kitchen?" :rofl:

[electron_blue]

17. I have cats, and always have ants every spring when it warms up.

I just keep the kitchen impeccably clean, sweep up all ants I do see and they usually go away on their own. No poison needed. It does help to clean where the ants have been with something that contains low solution of bleach to get rid of their trails.

[Phillycat]

23. Thank you, that's helpful.

My husband of course is all "THIS MEANS WAR", but I think the more passive approach might be easier. :D

[applegrove]

19. Use ant traps. Those tiny little cans with tiny holes in them. Cats can't get into that. But I

don't know if they still make em.

[hedgehog]

21. Where do you live? I live in Oswego County, New York and for years the

ants would come in for a few days in Spring, look around, then leave. Maybe your ants are just visting as well?


(Global warming alert - I haven't seen the ants at all the last few years!)

[BarenakedLady]

28. I'm in Ontario County

Believe me, they are still around.



:scared:

[Solly Mack]

24. Peppermint plants...ants hate the smell and cats can eat the herb without harm

You can plant some at access points outside the home and also in small planters in the kitchen, placed near the sink. Even move them around as needed.

Ants,as well as roaches and other assorted insects, are repelled by the scent.

[Phillycat]

30. Oh, I love this!

I imagine we would enjoy the smell as well.

Thank you!

[CottonBear]

25. Spray a mix of white vinegar, garlic oil, peppermint oil and citronella oil on the ants.

I use this mixture as a natural fly repellent for my horses. It is super fragrant (to say the least!) but it seems to stop the ants in their tracks! It is non-toxic too! We use essential oils (We purchase the oils in bulk from a large herbal/oils/natural soaps supplier in Miami, FL but you can get small quantities at a natural foods/products store.)

eidt: As per the post above, spray amixture of the vinegar and peppermint oil and leave out the other oils. Good luck! I did battle with sugar ants in my kitchen last year.

[Lex]

26. These placed inside cabinets do the trick

http://www.terro.com/products.php?product=liquid_ant_bait

In the cabinet under the sink so the cat will not mess with it. My cat is not the least bit interested in it, plus with it inside the cabinet she can't get to it anyway.

[Gormy Cuss]

27. Dr. Bronner's Peppermint Soap

As noted up thread, ants don't like cleanser and they don't like strong scents. Spray every area where you've seen them, especially around doors, windows, and under the sink. It may take two or three tries to dissuade the scouts but it usually is all that's needed. A few of the ant traps can help if it doesn't (the ant traps have boric acid as the active ingredient)

[Phillycat]

31. Thank you, this is great.

I love the smell of peppermint, as a bonus. :)

[IndianaJones]

29. cucumbers. nt.