Although a combination of vinegar and water naturally repels fleas, it's not an effective flea treatment on its own. Use vinegar and water to keep fleas away from your cat, but incorporate other natural flea treatments to kill the fleas.
Vinegar Water
Adding a small amount of unpasteurized apple cider vinegar to your cat's drinking water can reduce fleas. Combine one teaspoon of vinegar with one pint of water and give this to your cat in lieu of water alone. Use a plastic or ceramic water dish when using vinegar and water to repel fleas, because vinegar can react with metal. Repeat daily to help reduce fleas.
Type
Apple cider vinegar works best to repel fleas. Other types, such as white vinegar, can be used on your cat but might not be effective against fleas.
Distilled white vinegar makes a nice post-bath rinse for kitty. Combine 1 pint of warm water with 1 tbsp. distilled white vinegar. After you've rinsed your cat free of suds, pour the vinegar and water solution over her fur to remove soap scum and to ward off dandruff. Follow with a plain water rinse. Try this vinegar rinse after a flea bath.
Why It Works
After your cat drinks vinegar water, the vinegar changes the way her blood tastes. Fleas that subsisted on kitty blood will leave your cat alone, but they won't leave your home.
Other Remedies
Although vinegar in water can help remove fleas, you'll need other methods to stop a flea invasion. Wash pet bedding in hot water to kill them. Sprinkle diatomaceous earth in the home and in the cleaned cat bed to make the environment unfriendly to fleas. Every four days, vacuum up the old diatomaceous earth and apply a fresh layer.
Always check with your veterinarian before changing your pet’s diet, medication, or physical activity routines. This information is not a substitute for a vet’s opinion.
