Effective cat-safe fly repellent

?
Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
Report

Hi everyone :)

So, I'm coming to you because I've got a major problem with one of my cats.

In our previous house, we often had biting flies coming from a neighbouring cowshed.

Since then, my cat has developed a total phobia of flies; he runs around frantically, hides, and is almost impossible to calm down.

In my new place, I hadn't had any flies in summer until now, but the downstairs neighbour just moved out and left three years' worth of rubbish in his flat!

Since then, I've been infested with massive flies (luckily no cockroaches!).

My cat basically has no life now; he barely sleeps and goes on a 'commando mission' every time he needs to eat or drink.

I'm looking for something effective against flies that isn't toxic to my cats.

Plug-ins and aerosol sprays are toxic, as are essential oil diffusers. I've tried pots of mint, bags of water, and apple cider vinegar traps, but nothing works.

I've put up fly strips too, but they aren't particularly effective either.

Does anyone have any tips or advice to offer?

Thanks :)

Translated from French
icon info

The forum content is sometimes translated from another language, and posts may concern countries with different animal laws. Do your research before making any decisions.

Since the forum is translated by AI, the translations may contain errors.

Loading editor

Write your message and upload a photo if you want to! Please remain courteous in your exchanges.

Your post will be visible to all members of the international Wamiz forum.

4 answers
Sort by:
  • ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Hi, Yes, I've put up some fly strips, but strangely they haven't been very effective. I even tried putting some apple cider vinegar at the base to lure them in more, but I haven't caught many. As for those window stickers, I suppose it's a similar sort of thing. But my vet had advised me against certain types because they release essential oils. For the time being, I've gone and got a fly swatter just to thin the numbers out a bit. Thanks for your help anyway! :)
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    Hi there, I use the sticky hanging fly papers, kept well out of reach of the cats. They don't contain any toxic substances. Alright, they're a bit of an eyesore and look rather grim once they've got dead flies on them, but they are effective. There are also those round stickers you can put on windows, but I don't think they're particularly suitable. They’re covered in a substance that’s toxic to flies, and once they've eaten it, they just drop dead. Even if they're stuck out of the cats' reach, I can't help thinking that the flies themselves are poisoned and so they're not exactly safe for the cats if they end up eating them...
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report
    LOL, yeah, the big predator is scared of the tiny bug ^^ I did think about a fly screen, but it would block their access to their big balcony, and they love rolling around out there. I’m not really one for killing bugs, so I was a bit reluctant to do it by hand, but I suppose I’ll have to go on a fly hunt... Thanks for your help :)
    Translated from French
    ?
    Anonymous user Icon representing the flag French
    Report

    Hi there,

    A kitty that’s scared of flies? Lol, I’ve never seen that before!

    Anyway, on a more serious note, my daughter has the same problem as there’s a farm nearby.

    Flies are a right pain, yeah, I know! 👌

    The best thing is to fit fly screens on the windows, and those sticky fly strips are also really good—they don’t look great, but they’re definitely effective—and a fly swatter.

    But just keep in mind that while it helps a lot, you’ll always have a few.

    I’ve tried various natural remedies myself and nothing works; I still always have two or three flies that manage to find their way in.

    So the swatter is my best friend for the ones that make it inside! 👍

    Translated from French
  • 4 comments out of 4

  • Do you have a question? An experience to share? Create a post on our forum!