Rather than making use of toxic insecticides on cats to get rid of fleas, you can choose to use Dawn dish detergent.
By adding just a small amount of the dish detergent into your pet’s bath, fleas are killed immediately. This detergent can also be used for dogs and is very safe, apart from being an effective flea terminator.
Dawn also helps a lot with combating infestations of fleas inside the home and outdoors as well.
Fleas are notorious for the havoc they cause, not only for pets but for pet owners too. Luckily, there are a variety of methods that are not chemical-based to help control the flea infestations, whether it is inside or outside of the home.
Dawn is one of them.
Can I Give My Cat a Bath with Dawn? Answer: Yes
VetInfo.com has given its seal of approval for Dawn.
The dish detergent that can be used when giving your cat a bath. It is gentle and safe, and is effective in keeping the fur of your cat clean, looking healthy, and flea-free.
Dawn is not as strong as the other types of pet shampoos that can lead to irritations on the sensitive skin of a cat.
Not only is it able to eliminate fleas, it is also effective for removing oil and grease that may have attached to the cat’s fur. More pet owners are discovering how efficiently Dawn works to keep their pets clean and at a cheaper price.
Why Regular Flea Products May be Harmful to Pets
Just about spring and summer, the flea season begins.
This is the time when pet owners start looking for the most effective product to keep fleas away from their cats and their homes. The problem with flea products that are bought over the counter is that they may be too harsh and cause more damage than relief for pets.
Sadly, it is common to hear about cats that are poisoned from certain flea products.
Oftentimes, a pet owner may mistakenly use a flea product meant for dogs but harmful for cats. This is because flea products produced for dogs have a high concentration of permethrin products.
The result?
Toxic reactions with cats.
Although itching accompanied by scratching alone may not necessarily be life-threatening for a cat, there have been situations where cats developed more serious reactions that have led to fatal consequences.
The symptoms would generally manifest themselves shortly after being exposed to these products.
These symptoms include drooling, diarrhea, vomiting, and loss of appetite, constricted pupils, seizures, and difficulty in breathing. When these appear, it is best to bring the cat to the vet as soon as possible.
Regular Cat Bath with Dawn
Giving your cat a bath can be much easier when everything is just within reach and preparations are complete.
The bathtub must be filled with warm water, around 3 or 4 inches. Add about half a cup of Dawn diluted with warm water. It would be a good idea to place cotton on the cat’s ears to prevent water from entering.
Make sure that you hold the cat firmly before scooping water from tube and gently pouring it so that the cat’s fur is soaked. Pour the mixture of Dawn and water on the cat, massaging gently while keeping it from the cat’s eyes and ears.
Rinse the soap completely from the fur of the cat and rub it dry with a towel.
Using Dawn as Treatment for Flea Poisoning
When a cat itches and starts to scratch consistently, it would be best to discontinue the use of the product that is causing the problem.
This would be done by removing the cat’s flea collar if it has one, and giving the cat a bath should it have been exposed to toxic products. Prepare lukewarm water and add in a few drops of the Dawn dish detergent on the water.
Bathe the cat and towel dry.
Dawn is highly recommended because of its ability to cut through oil and grease, removing any toxic product that may have attached itself to your pet.
It has also been used for removing petroleum on birds that have recently suffered from oil spills in maritime areas. There may be certain cases where it is necessary to give the cat a second and a third bath, should it be displaying some signs of discomfort.
How often can I give my cat a Dawn bath?
Dawn is toxic and is loaded with chemicals and color dye. (And tested on animals, I’m sure, I might add)
Use a non-toxic soap or baby soap without SLS, added chemicals, etc. such as Dr. Bronner’s for dogs and cats. Cats shouldn’t even need frequent baths! Maybe once a year. They naturally clean themselves as an instinct.
Coconut oil is a very good non-toxic and healthy (and anti-bacterial) alternative to fur ball medicines that contain chemicals. Use a small bit, teaspoon or half teaspoon, ask your vet or consult holistic article online. My cat loved the taste too.
Dawn is for dishes, why would you use it on your beloved animal? You wouldn’t bathe a baby with Dawn! Find a soap such as Dr. Bronner’s with all natural ingredients, free of SLS and all the crap chemicals that will end up affecting the cat’s nervous system.
Would you drink Dawn soap? Of course not.
Thank you so much for your more than informative info on dawn vs. another suggestion. I was about to put it on my grocery list when I decided to read your comment. Everyone should know this. Have you put it on social media. I have rescued a homeless beauty and he and I are madly in love!!! I am so grateful to you. And so is my Russian Blue “Grey” …seven months old and about to not be able to impregnate. Of course he’s an indoor cat now!
Why do vets recommend dawn baths for pets if it is so harmful?
My vets have recommended Dawn baths for instantly removing fleas from my cats, especially from kittens who are too young for prescription flea products. Never, ever had a problem. There are plenty of safe flea shampoos that are less expensive. But they don’t work much better than Dawn except that some of them contain enough trace amounts of pesticides to kill fleas. The big problem with prescription flea medicines is that the fleas get immune to them over time and you have to switch to something new.
Hello. I’m a vet assistant. I worked at a cat only practice for a year. Dawn is safe as long as it’s rinsed well. It efficiently cuts through grease and, because of that, is frequently used to clean animals after oil spills.
It also suffocates and eliminates fleas quite nicely. Just be sure to rinse well – it doesn’t taste great!
My cat leaves the house 24/7 while I’m at work, so the fleas just keep coming back. Can I use certain flea products on myself, and if so which ones?
You need to clean your house, the fleas are living in your carpet and bedding, and the cracks of the floors. 1 flea can lay over 20 eggs in a day. Do you math and you can imagine how many fleas can exist in your home alone.
Get your cat on a good flea prevention. My favorite is Bravecto. It’s safe and lasts for 3 months. Don’t ever use the cheap flea prevention, it can cause seizures. Flea collars can cause irritation as well.
Bravecto, Seresto (collar), and Cheristin are all great flea products. You’ll have to be consistent with it for at least 3 months. You’ll also want to vacuum frequently as eggs can hang out in the carpet for months.
My cat has a Seresto flea collar on. Can I bath her with dawn soap?