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This article was co-written by Luke Lewis. Luke Lewis is a pest control expert, and founder and president of Native Pest Management. Luke has run the company for over 7 years and specializes in pet- and eco-friendly pest control, termite control and lawn care. Native Pest Management is listed on Inc.’s list of the 5000 fastest growing US companies. Magazine. Luke holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida and a master’s degree from the University of Florida’s College of Pest Control.
There are 7 references cited in this article that you can view at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 12,589 times.
Ants can be a real problem when you’re feeding your cat. They will take the cat’s food away and often discourage the cat from eating it. After all, would you even eat if your food was full of ants crawling around? Here are a few ways you can prevent ants from getting close to your cat’s food.
Steps
Prevent Ants Intrusion
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Keep food in sealed plastic containers. Instead of leaving food in a bag, transfer food from a bag to a plastic container after opening the bag. There are many types of boxes designed to hold pet food. [1] X Research Source
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Wash food dishes. Ants are often attracted to food crumbs or leftovers. Wash dishes at least once every two days, or more if possible. This is extremely important if you have an ant problem. [2] X Research Source
- Use a cat-safe cleaner and rinse thoroughly with clean water.
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Keep the feeding area clean. To avoid attracting ants to the feeding area, the first thing to do is to keep the area clean. Clean up food crumbs or leftovers after your cat has finished eating. Use vinegar or lemon mixture to clean the floor to repel ants. [3] X Research Sources
- You can put the bowl away when the cat is not eating, or put it away for certain hours, and then bring it back in the evening.
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Change the feeding place. You can also try moving the bowl somewhere else. This way, the ants may not be able to find a new place. If ants enter your room, move the bowl away from the ant colony.
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Create a protective belt around the food. Try creating a protective belt around the cat’s food bowl so that the ants can’t get through. There are several substances that help repel ants.
- Use chalk to draw a circle around the bowl.
- Place newspaper under the bowl and sprinkle around the bowl with cinnamon, coffee, chili or ash powder. [4] X Research Sources
- Drizzle grease around the edge of the food container.
- Spray vinegar or lemon on the floor around your pet’s bowl. Mix 1 part vinegar or lemon juice with 1 part water. Pour this solution into a spray bottle and spray around the bowl, creating a protective belt. [5] X Research Sources
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Drizzle oil on the side of the bowl. One not-so-clean method to keep ants from getting close to food is to put grease on the side of the bowl. It will be difficult for ants to move on such a slippery surface. [6] X Research Source
- You can also place the bowl inside the open box to create a protective belt.
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Use essential oils. Many essential oils are effective against ants. Try using a damp cloth with a few drops of mint to clean the floor around your cat’s food bowl. Ants will stay away from smelling such strong odors. [7] X Research Sources
- You can also use lemon, orange, or grapefruit essential oils to repel ants. Try taking a cotton ball soaked in essential oil and mopping the floor around the bowl. [8] X Research Sources
- Essential oils are safe and chemical-free.
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Use bait to attract ants. A good way to keep ants out of the bowl is to place ant bait (in a cat-safe box) in a common area of the house. Make sure there is only a small hole for the ants to get in and eat the poisoned bait. You also need to make sure your pet doesn’t go near the lure.
- You can attach the box to the floor or floorboards. You can also put the box behind the fireplace or refrigerator in case the space is so tight that the cat can’t get in. Remember that cats are curious and can sneak into places you don’t expect.
Create a Protective Ring for the Food Bowl
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Get rid of ants in your cat’s food bowl. Empty ants and leftover contaminated food in the trash. Quickly fasten the bag and take it out. This will prevent the ants from crawling back into the food. [9] X Research Source
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Dish washing. Ants often leave a lure to attract other ants, so make sure to rinse the bowl with hot water and detergent. If the bowl is designed for dishwasher use, you can use it to wash dishes. [10] X Research Source
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Clean the food area. After driving the ants away, clean the area around the food. You need to wash away traces of the attractant so that the ants in the colony do not return. Try vinegar or lemon juice to remove odors and prevent ants from entering. [11] X Research Source
- You can also mop the area around the pantry or the entire kitchen floor. You can use regular floor cleaner or use dishwashing liquid. [12] X Research Source
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Find the bowl holder. Look for containers that are shallower and wider than your cat’s food bowl. You can use a silver tray, a pastry tray, a baking tray, a baking tray, or anything that can hold a cat food bowl. [13] X Research Source
- Make sure the cat’s bowl holder isn’t too large. However, there should be a distance of 2.5 cm between the edge of the container and the food bowl. This distance prevents ants from entering. [14] X Research Source
- Some bowl companies have built-in ant traps around the side of the bowl. They are great and easy to use, the bowls can be removed and washed easily. However, if you don’t want to spend money before knowing if it works, you can make something similar yourself.
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Pour water into the container. Put a little water in the container. You don’t need to add too much water as it can wet the food, but enough to create a barrier against the ants. Ants are not good swimmers, so they easily drown or do not dare to swim over. [15] X Research Source
- To keep ants from swimming through, try adding a little vegetable oil, lemon balm, or dishwashing liquid to the ant barrier. However, you should only add more dishwashing liquid if the distance between the container and the food bowl is so narrow that the cat cannot lick the water. [16] X Research Source
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Place the food bowl in the ant-proof container. Place the food bowl in the water. Make sure the distance between the edge of the container and the food bowl is at least 2.5 cm. Pour the new food into the bowl.
- If the container is very large, place the bowl near the side of the container so the cat can easily reach the food, but far enough away that the ants can’t crawl over.
- If the food bowl is too shallow, use a platform to place the bowl higher than the side of the container. [17] X Research Source
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Fill the container with water as needed. Ants or food can get into the water. The water needs to be changed when it starts to evaporate.
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Maintain this work. In the end, the ants won’t come back. In some places, like warmer climates, you may have to feed your cat this way often because the ants will never leave.
Advice
- If the cat feeding area is kept relatively clean, you should never have an ant problem.
Warning
- Do not use insecticides or other poisons . They can be harmful to your cat.
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This article was co-written by Luke Lewis. Luke Lewis is a pest control expert, and founder and president of Native Pest Management. Luke has run the company for over 7 years and specializes in pet- and eco-friendly pest control, termite control and lawn care. Native Pest Management is listed on Inc.’s list of the 5000 fastest growing US companies. Magazine. Luke holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from the University of Florida and a master’s degree from the University of Florida’s College of Pest Control.
There are 7 references cited in this article that you can see at the bottom of the page.
This article has been viewed 12,589 times.
Ants can be a real problem when you’re feeding your cat. They will take the cat’s food away and often discourage the cat from eating it. After all, would you even eat if your food was full of ants crawling around? Here are a few ways you can prevent ants from getting close to your cat’s food.
Thank you for reading this post How to Prevent Ants From Getting Close to Cat Food at Tnhelearning.edu.vn You can comment, see more related articles below and hope to help you with interesting information.
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