Discourage Fleas with Garlic

Written by Doris Donnerman (last updated February 17, 2009)

If fleas are your cat's constant companions here is a tip to get rid of fleas with garlic. You always knew that you could ward off vampires with garlic, but who knew that garlic could work to ward off fleas? (And I guess when you think about it, both fleas and vampires have some sort of relation to blood . . .). Regardless of the flea-vampire relationship, you actually can use garlic to rid your cat of fleas!

My grandma always joked around about feeding me garlic when I was a teenager to keep the boys away (oh, the great bias of grandmas). Grandma had a point—garlic breath definitely would serve as a red flag for any semi-interested boy, and the same principle applies to cats and fleas. If you give your cat a garlic capsule (just look in any well-stocked pet store) every other day, your cat will emit a garlicky smell that the fleas will most surely be able to detect. You can also use this tactic with dogs and fleas.

So, vampires and boys are basically the same as fleas. All aforementioned entities are averted by garlic. Garlic is truly smelly and can smell for a long time afterward—it's perfect to force the fleas out of your pet's fur! You probably never thought about dogs and cats having garlic breath, but fortunately this truth can work in your favor and your pet's favor. It's a simple tactic and one that you can always utilize in case of fleas. With a pet that smells like garlic to a domiciling flea, the flea will most surely look for a better-smelling host.

Author Bio

Doris Donnerman

Doris is a jack of all trades, writing on a variety of topics. Her articles have helped enlighten and entertain thousands over the years. ...

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