How to safely get rid of roaches when I have cats and dogs?

Hi Richard! You are right, you cannot live like this. The best thing to do is call an exterminator to come and kill them. Take Dollar out of the house when it's being done, and the exterminator will let you know when it's safe to come back home. The cockroaches should all be killed, and it will be safe for him to be in the home. I hope this helps!

You are right in saying that certain chemicals should be avoided around cats. This should include permethrins, pyrethrins, and any of the chemicals derived from these compounds. However, most studies have already shown that as long as your kitty isn't actively licking this chemical, being directly sprayed with it,or eating dozens of the ants killed by it, the level of toxic exposure required to cost significant harm or death in a cat is pretty unlikely. That is not to say that ultimately it would be safer to relocate your cat during the extermination process or use a different chemical that kills ants. There are many different insecticides that have very limited intoxication potential. If you have any concern about what to use, I would advise you to reference the pet poison healthline website. You can also call them if you want specific advise concerning your pet. Here's the website: http://www.petpoisonhelpline.com/ Good luck in your ant killing journey!

It depends what spray you used, with most spray it should be fine after 12 hours but some products have longer effect in the environment, i recommend to read the cautions that needs to be taken on the spray label.

If ingested in high doses, indoxacarb can lead to seizures in cats. However, this medication has a relatively high margin of safety in both dogs and cats. I do not know how many indoxacarb-containing cockroaches would constitute a toxic dose., but it is unlikely that eating an infected cockroach or two will cause significant problems. Obviously try to avoid ingestion of any cockroaches if at all possible. Ideally consider kenneling Fox or sending him to a friend's house while you are treating your home for cockroaches to avoid exposure.

There isn't a great answer to your question, i.e. nothing that is absolutely completely safe to use, however you can mix boric acid (1 part) and powdered sugar (3 parts) and sprinkle it in the areas where your cat can't access, and where you have seen the ants (i.e., under cupboards). It's not completely safe because the boric acid can cause GI upset if ingested, so if you can keep your cat from walking through these areas and subsequently grooming the substance off his/her feet, it will eventually work. It takes a bit of time, maybe a couple of weeks, but the ants will carry the mixture back to the queen and eventually all will die. Hopefully you can keep your cat from this area of the house for a couple of weeks, until this method works.

I like all of the Bayer products. They have topical treatments for the pet, flea and tick collars that last eight months and a safe in house spray to treat the furniture and carpet. Bayer products are sold at PetCo. They are a reputable company that stands by their products and I personally have never seen a problem after treatment. As with all products please read the label carefully and follow the directions. I recommend treating all of the pets in the house in addition to treating the indoor rooms. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Jackie.

Most veterinary approved flea products such as Frontline and Advantage are safe to use around children. If you do use a topical product, be sure to just wash your hands and your children's hands if they pet your dogs around the area that is affected to keep from ingesting any product. If you are concerned about the use of a topical coming into contact with your children, oral products are available direct through a veterinarian. Products such as Capstar are a pill given in oral form that can help kill fleas within 24 hours. For your household, keeping the house clean and vacuumed, washing any affected bedding and keeping your pets on a preventive medication will help to keep the flea population away. DIatomaceous Earth (food grade) can also be used to naturally kill fleas through dehydration, and is not harmful to humans or pets. It can be sprinkled around the environment to kill fleas and flea eggs in it. A simple shampoo of Dawn dish soap and a flea comb can also be used to kill fleas on the body and make them easier to remove without the use of harmful chemicals.