December Spring Cleaning Ya'll

Last entry was all about fleas and my battle to make life easier for my beloved animals. You’ll be happy to know that this entry is all about—fleas, and my continued, constant battle.

Anyone who knows me knows that I am all about natural remedies, especially if they work. At this point though…

Let me give you a little timeline:

August: Arrived Georgia home with two cats, traumatized but well

23 September: Acquired dog—Mello

1st week October: Fleas arrived Georgia home

2^nd week October: Flea collar for Mello

2^nd week October: Spot-On treatment for cats & dog

4^th week October: Capstar pill for all, flea dip and comb for all, thorough house cleaning and laundry

It was at this point that I couldn’t justify more chemicals.

1^st week November: Lemon, lavender, tea tree oil wash for all, thorough house cleaning and laundry

2^nd week November: 50lb diatomaceous earth spread over entire yard, lemon, lavender, tea tree oil wash for all, flea combing for all, thorough house cleaning and laundry

3^rd week November: diatomaceous earth rubbed into armchair, dining room chairs, coats of animals, oatmeal shampoo bath for all with lemon, lavender & tea tree oil rinse, flea combing daily, thorough house cleaning and laundry

4^th week November:  Grated garlic in pet water, oatmeal shampoo bath for all with lemon, lavender & tea tree oil rinse, flea combing daily, thorough house cleaning and laundry

1^st week December: Garlic & Brewers yeast in pet food, oatmeal shampoo bath for all with lemon, lavender & tea tree oil rinse, flea combing—one hour per animal, thorough house cleaning, spread diatomaceous earth around base of exterior & sweep into baseboards, remove every piece of fabric in house, Spot-On treatment for each animal, remove all from house, flea bomb house, launder everything, wash every surface, sweep & mop. All animals content without a moment of scratching.

There you have it. There should not be a solitary flea left anywhere, right?

My house is bright and shiny, every piece of fabric clean and fresh, the animals sufficiently traumatized.

Six hours after Spot-On Treatment, they are scratching again with fleas visible.  

Fleas, fleas, and more fleas

I have washed every comforter, blanket, and rug more in the past two months than I have in a year. I do not have carpeting so there are very few places for these buggers to hide, yet, still. 


In all my years of having cats, some of which were outdoor animals, I have NEVER had a flea problem - not a solitary one. Move to Georgia, get a dog, and wa-la, fleas galore. 


As miserable and as infested as these animals continue to be you'd think that I would be bit to pieces myself. Nothing. Not even an itch. And the cats sleep with me.


I've tried flea collars, spot-on flea medication, flea baths (chemical and natural, professional and at home), flea pills, flea combs, scrubbing everything with vinegar and lemon juice, spreading diatinaceous earth all over the yard and around the house, and still, even with two good frosts. 

The poor things scratch and bite and run around shaking. Now, I've noticed a few bumps on Mello that I thought at first might be ticks, but are just patches of dry, scaling skin with flea droppings around it. 


It's not healthy to bathe cats too often, so that is out. Mello has been bathed in chemicals, oatmeal, essential oils, and Dawn dish soap. Another can't possibly be good. I feel sooo very sorry for all of them. 


Today, I will once again take everything to wash in steaming water and vinegar. I will apply the spot-on medication and then comb - again. My poor, poor babies. 

First Snow in North Georgia Appalachians

It's mid November and 70 degrees in the Blue Ridge Mountains. Sky is overcast and the ground is a mélange of colors, except for my yard. My yard alone has captured the first snow fall, and it is a beautiful sight.

Actually, it is diatomaceous earth. In a nutshell, it is the fossilized remains of hard-shell algae. It is food-grade and harmless to humans and animals—unless, of course, you breathe in large volumes of the dust. It is a flour-like substance and has innumerable uses.

My issue is with fleas in this humid environment. Layers of decaying leaves makes my yard (and the surrounding area) prime real estate for these little buggers, as well as gnats. In a previous post, I declared gnats the state insect of Georgia. Well, enough of all of them.

My poor puppy Mello, was just miserable. After Rocky cat found a wolf worm, the cats have, unfortunately for them, reverted to house pets. The cats and the dog stay completely away from each other, which is why neither Rocky nor Lola has fleas. Mello, who plays and rolls in the leaves, does. We spend hours training and playing in the yard and the fleas were having a feast.

All three animals had a flea pill from Mountain Dog Boarding, a dip, an oatmeal bath, and a brushing. All bedding was washed in hot water with vinegar. Almost $200 later and Mello still can’t sleep through the night—which means I don’t sleep through the night.

Enter diatomaceous earth and the 2011 snowfall in Mineral Bluff, GA. DE is non-toxic and safe enough to eat—they use it in grain silos after all. So, here’s hoping the fleas AND Georgia’s favorite insect, the gnats, will enjoy my white yard. Much better than attempting to RAKE!!