For the last few days, I've noticed that my cat's Balimo automatic feeder is crawling with ants.
I clear them away every day, but they just keep coming back.
Does anyone have a cat-safe, non-toxic solution for getting rid of them?
Thanks in advance.
Translated from French
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Try brushing some basil-infused olive oil around the base of your cat's bowl. Basil isn't dangerous for cats at all and it's actually a brilliant natural ant repellent. The only downside is that cats absolutely love olive oil, so yours will probably just lick it all off – cheeky things! 😂
Otherwise, try a bit of a diversion: put a few sugar cubes outside to lure the ants away. Most cats won't be bothered by them, but it might attract other critters. Alternatively, try to find the ants' trail – they usually move in a column – and give the area a really good scrub, even if you have to use some cleaning products. Ants follow scent trails, so if you clean it well, they won't be able to find their way to the dry food anymore, though it's often only a temporary fix.
I live in a ground-floor garden flat, and I’ve got dry food and bowls all over my patio. There’s even kibble all over the floor because the hedgehogs keep knocking the bowls over, but I never get any ants.
As soon as I put a bowl on the grass instead of the patio, they appear out of nowhere like mad.
But I’ve never seen that happen inside a flat. Are you sure they aren't cockroaches? Sorry, I don’t mean to sound patronising, I’m just really surprised.
Try putting the feeder on a tray or in a larger container and fill it with water; that should stop them from getting across. I haven't tried it yet, but I'm going to give it a go as soon as those cute little opportunists show up – they’re a right nightmare. I found the tip online.
