Kittens and ants.

Thread view:

Enable EMail Alerts

Start New Thread

Thread rating:

Edward Kelley - 07 Sep 2004 03:29 GMT

I adopted a few male kittens a couple months ago. They were born by a stray
in my yard. I brought themThey're about three months old now and seem to be
doing well. The main problem now is there are all these tiny ants around
their food all the time. This has been a problem since day one. I have no
idea where they're coming from, but they weren't here before I brought the
kittens inside. I'm reluctant to spray any kind of insecticide for fear of
harming the kittens. Any suggestions?

Reply to this Message

Bill Stock - 07 Sep 2004 03:44 GMT

> I adopted a few male kittens a couple months ago. They were born by a stray
> in my yard. I brought themThey're about three months old now and seem to be
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
> kittens inside. I'm reluctant to spray any kind of insecticide for fear of
> harming the kittens. Any suggestions?

We put ant traps under a cabinet where the cats could not get at them. Also
picked up the food after the cats had eaten. Ants gone.

Reply to this Message

Cat Protector - 07 Sep 2004 03:52 GMT

You can also put your cat's food dishes on a table as well. My cat's food
dishes are on our dining room table because of an ant problem and for the
last couple of years we have had no problems.

> We put ant traps under a cabinet where the cats could not get at them.
> Also
> picked up the food after the cats had eaten. Ants gone.

Reply to this Message

Cat Protector - 07 Sep 2004 03:49 GMT

You need to follow the ant trail to see where they are coming from. If you
destroy the hill and the queen ant then your problems are eliminated. I'd
also lay down ant traps as well. Glass cleaner also kills ants. You have to
also check for cracks underneath doors and around windows as well. Ants can
get in this way. I would have someone spray the outside of your house as
well because ants can crawl underneath foundations in order to get inside as
well.

>I adopted a few male kittens a couple months ago. They were born by a
>stray in my yard. I brought themThey're about three months old now and
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>before I brought the kittens inside. I'm reluctant to spray any kind of
>insecticide for fear of harming the kittens. Any suggestions?

Reply to this Message

Edward Kelley - 07 Sep 2004 04:21 GMT

> You need to follow the ant trail to see where they are coming from. If you
> destroy the hill and the queen ant then your problems are eliminated. I'd
[quoted text clipped - 11 lines]
>>before I brought the kittens inside. I'm reluctant to spray any kind of
>>insecticide for fear of harming the kittens. Any suggestions?

Thanks for all your replies. That was fast! I'll get the ant traps and
follow the ant trail, but I want the kittens to have access to their food
while I'm at work because they're still growing.

Reply to this Message

Sherry - 07 Sep 2004 04:32 GMT

>Thanks for all your replies. That was fast! I'll get the ant traps and
>follow the ant trail, but I want the kittens to have access to their food
>while I'm at work because they're still growing.

The Frugal Life website has a page for getting rid of ants without pesticides.
It's actually pretty entertaining to read; some of sounds downright outrageous
and some deterrents I'd heard about all my life, like cinnamon. Anyway, it
might be interesting for you to browse, and you might find some solutions to
try there.
www.thefrugallife.com/ants.html
Sherry

Reply to this Message

MacCandace - 07 Sep 2004 06:29 GMT

They sell bowls at Petsmart and other places that are divided into two areas.
The outer round area is to put water in and the inner circle is for the food.
I use these for the outdoor cats I feed. But, I agree, I would want to find
the source and eliminate that but these bowls might be your answer until that
happens.

Candace
(take the litter out before replying by e-mail)

See my cats:
http://photos.yahoo.com/maccandace

"One does not meet oneself until one catches the reflection from an eye other
than human." (Loren Eisely)

Reply to this Message

Laura Burchard - 07 Sep 2004 15:54 GMT

>I adopted a few male kittens a couple months ago. They were born by a stray
>in my yard. I brought themThey're about three months old now and seem to be
[quoted text clipped - 3 lines]
>kittens inside. I'm reluctant to spray any kind of insecticide for fear of
>harming the kittens. Any suggestions?

Good suggestions so far, but there are also some feeding bowls that are
designed to solve this problem, with rim-reservoirs where you can put
water or dish soap to make a barrier. There's also the old set it in a pan
of water trick, though your kittens might be too small to lean over the
water.

Signature

Laura Burchard -- lhb@radix.net -- http://www.radix.net/~lhb

"Good design is clear thinking made visible." -- Edward Tufte

Reply to this Message

CatNipped - 07 Sep 2004 20:07 GMT

The easiest solution is to put the cats' dishes in a saucer and fill the
saucer with water. The ants won't be able to cross the water to get to the
food.

Hugs,

CatNipped

Reply to this Message

Mimi Forsyth - 08 Sep 2004 07:53 GMT

<< The easiest solution is to put the cats' dishes in a saucer and fill the
saucer with water. The ants won't be able to cross the water to get to the
food. >>

Actually, ants CAN swim. Better to put the dish of food on a tray with a rim,
smear Vaseline on the underside of the rim. Ants will stay away or get stuck in
it & die. No poisons!

www.mimiforsyth.com

Reply to this Message

meow - 09 Sep 2004 22:47 GMT

http://theantser.com/

Reply to this Message