Hairballs and Fleas: Natural Home Remedies for the Healthy Cat

Although it is important to get you cat veterinary attention for serious ailments, there is no need to go running to the pet supply store for everyday cat woes. Most of the products out their to control problems like hairballs are just expensive synthesized versions of home remedies, and medical treatments for pests like fleas have resulted in new adaptations of the vermin that are increasingly resistant to insecticides. Here are some natural home remedies for the most common feline ailments.

Hairballs

Hairballs may be a bit nauseating to overhear or clean up, but they are generally just part one of the brakes that come with owning a cat. However, there are some things that you can do to minimize the situation. Brushing will help considerably, but be aware that some cats need considerably less brushing than others. One of the best cheap tricks is to give your cat a little bit of butter. Believe it or not, this will help lubricate the digestive system, letting the hair pass in a natural fashion. I've read that petroleum jelly is the best home remedy for hairballs, but good luck talking your cat into it.

Fleas

Fleas can be a serious nuisance for both the cat and the owner, and there are generations of folk wisdom for natural remedies that address the problem. I'll admit that I reach for Frontline as soon as I see a sign of fleas, but this is an expensive item for households that are increasingly thin budgets. Although raising the kittens indoors is a good solution, this isn't always possible for certain cats and households. Much like the new generation of bedbugs, control is the best policy.

Giving the cat the dreaded bath is the first step, but the most effective control method is a clean home. Regularly vacuuming of carpets and upholstery is key, but don't forget to empty the vacuum outside as soon as your done. Clean bedding, laundry, and all household linens is also very helpful. Another part of the battle is just hunting them down on your cat and home and killing as many as you can. If you don't have Obsessive Compulsive Disorder yet, you'll be well on your way if you let fleas get out of hand.

There really isn't any miracle cure for the problem, just good old fashioned clean living. However, here are a few home remedies that will make your cat less attractive to fleas. Garlic wards off all sorts of things, and it's said that some garlic in a cat's diet will deter the bugs. I've also heard that eucalyptus oil on a cat's collar will keep the fleas off, but I would think that would be a pretty strong smell for a cat to put up with. Many people swear that apple cider vinegar in a cat's food is one of the most affective home remedies.

SOURCES:
http://www.essortment.com/all/fleanaturalr_rcta.htm
http://forums2.gardenweb.com/forums/load/herbal/msg0815493530799.html
http://www.grandmashomeremedies.com/fleas.html
Whitely, H. Ellen. Home Remedies for Cats. Publications International: Lincolnwood, Illinois, 2005.