Diatomaceous Earth

[SandraChick]

Of course getting rid of the fleas helps...Remember they're blood suckers and having too many can and will make an animal anemic (thus less robust!). Also, fleas can effect their immune system through an allergic reaction...so if your cat had allergies(not always obvious-- as one of my cats just got thin, patchy fur when she had fleas). Kittens can gain weight very fast once the blood suckers are gone too!

If you want to use DE for intestinal worms...feed him some with a little wet catfood. Start with 1/2 tsp and work up to 1tsp per day. I have outdoor cats but like them in at night- so they've been trained to come to the "dinner bell" in the evening and that's when they get a little canned cat food (with the DE). Haven't had to worm them since I started the DE. Some say that DE doesn't work once they have a full blown case...but I just double it for a few days if I have any sign (usually only happens when I run out of DE and forget to order in time) and then go back to the "maintenance dose". Dogs get 1 TBSP per day.

ENJOY KITTY!
Sandra

 

[GoodEgg]

Thanks Sandra,

I will try this. I have never noticed any signs of worms, but he did seem to be anemic when we found him (I'm guessing, gums were pretty pale).

Poor thing, someone dropped him in the woods at about 3 weeks old. I noticed the ducks acting funny one day and went out to see what they were looking for (might have been a hawk) and I heard the kitten.

The shelter would have put him to sleep. My income is extremely limited right now, but I've done the best I could for him.

Except for the fleas (which I treated often, but they kept coming back) he hasn't had any noticeable issues. Fur has been a little dull, and skin was not good due to fleas. But he's always been very energetic and ACTED healthy.

Maybe it has been just the fleas all along. Whatever the cause, I'm so glad to see him really begin to show good health.

Most likely I'm looking at a preventative for worms, or at most a case so mild that I can't see any effects/symptoms. I have to admit that I'm not a cat expert though. I've raised a lot of dogs and exotic birds, but just owned a few cats here and there.

Thanks again Sandra. I'll definitely try it.

trish

 

[SandraChick]

I'm so glad it worked out!


I have one more tip....

I trained my cat to be a gopher hunter....as a kitten, whenever I trapped a gopher, I gave it to her (dead or barely alive) just like a momma cat would.

She started to pay attention to gopher holes only after I introduced gophers to her as "toys". Chances are she'd have eventually learned to hunt them on her own, but I believe she's a Master Hunter of gophers because they were introduced so early in her life. She keeps the gopher population so low in our neighborhood, that all my neighbors have stopped poisoning them! Now if I see a new mound...I bring her to it and say "get to work- You're slacking!"---gopher is gone within 2-3 days usually.

When I get another kitten (we're way maxed out a 3 cats for now)...I'd add mice and rats to the "toy" department.

Might as well train her to work for her keep!



Sandra

 

[GoodEgg]

Cool idea!

A mouse ran out in front of me in the yard the other day. I tried to toss the kitten into the bush he disappeared into, but he never found it.

I'll try to catch the next one and give it to him. We also have MILES of mole trails (I'm guessing it's moles?) running across the yard, so I'm hoping he'll go after those too.

He might as well earn his keep somehow.

trish

 

[siz8003]

ok so i get DE and the lady swore it wouldnt harm my animals it said pet safe on the bag but is 85% silicon dioxide

 

[Dawn419]

Quote:
Hmmm, you may not have the food grade DE. This is what the bag should read:





Click on pix to see bigger images, hope this helps.

Dawn

 

[siz8003]

Nope it is not that BUT i am not feeding it to them either I just want to dust everyone for fleas(darn bugs) is it ok for that sort of thing?

 

[WoodlandWoman]

I would return it. It's very bad to inhale that, for you or your animals. Even if you use a dusk mask, they will be inhaling it into their lungs every time they groom themselves.

 

[motherhen]

I am confussed about DE, my local feed store sells DE under the brand Insectigone and they say it is safe on pets and to eat. It only list DE as the active ingredient, I search on line and it says it is all natural, yet it doesn't say it is food grade or anything. Any help in clarifying this would be good. Is this the right kind?
I found some sites that recommended this brand as being safe.
Help, help, help.

 

[Lunachick]

I would make sure it says 'food grade' If it isn't edible, then don't use it for your animals, look elsewhere for the food grade. There are different brand names, make sure they are food grade. Can't stress that enough.