A word to the wise. Even if you buy a Green pesticide that is labeled safe for pets,

[GreenPartyVoter]

check with your vet before using it!

I did not do so, but am very lucky that I had (and continue) to keep the kittehs locked out of my bedroom where I sprayed the stuff on some carpenter ants. Apparently, some of the "safe" ingredients are essential oils like clove and thyme that cannot be metabolized by cats and will cause liver or neurological failure through ingestion, contact, or even inhalation.

I can't get the smell out even using Dawn, Lysol, and Febreeze because it soaked into the particle board and carpet, and the drywall and wood behind a door casing. My first call to the company they told me not to worry, they use everything in low concentrations so it won't hurt animals. My second call to their chemical emergency hotline told me they used it in high concentrations, and that if I can't get it out I might want to consider replacing the exposed flooring and wall section!

I love that they are trying to make something safer for the world, but I wish they had put a "not for cat homes" disclaimer on their bottle.

[kestrel91316]

1. Yep. Herbal oils are always a crapshoot with cats.

D-Limonene, a citrus oil, is particularly dangerous to cats.

[GreenPartyVoter]

2. I dunno what I am going to do. Husband really doesn't like the idea of tearing up a section of floor

and wall, and I am terrified of letting the cats back in if we don't because they hang out on that exact spot so they can eat the ants that come out of the wall.

[kestrel91316]

3. No need to panic or tear up the floor. Just clean up as much as you

can, and most importantly, don't use it directly on your cats, lol.

IOW, don't be letting them INGEST it.

[GreenPartyVoter]

4. At this point the ants are walking through whatever I can't clean up, especially in the wall cavity,

and then the kitties will eat the ants. That's the big question mark here. How much will they ingest from the ants themselves? (Darn pesticide doesn't even work. Must have had 50 of them parade right through a puddle of this stuff!)

I am thinking I may put plastic sheeting down on the floorboard, clean the carpet, and put that spray foam insulation that fills in cracks in the cavity of the door casing and wall where the pesticide went in. It might not be as good as replacing them, but surely it's better than leaving them as is.

[kestrel91316]

5. Yeah, I'd just block the gap with caulk or whatever. End of problem.

[GreenPartyVoter]

6. Thanks! We'll try it as soon as everything dries out.

[KT2000]

7. No Lysol please

cats are harmed by phenols.
Did you know that Febreeze is made up of about 89 different chemicals - what they actually are is a trade secret. IMHO that should not be used around animals or humans.

Here is a good site to look up household products and personal are products for safety in humans:
www.ewg.org

[GreenPartyVoter]

8. Good to know!

[GreenPartyVoter]

9. Have gone back and scrubbed down with vinegar, and will give it another go tomorrow. Hopefully I can

wash away as much harmful stuff as I can.

[KT2000]

10. yes - I think that is

the best you can do. Diluting should help and then you won't need to tear your house apart.
You have my sympathy - they really should have better warnings on those products.

[GreenPartyVoter]

11. Yes, there absolutely should!