If you have a pet cat in your house, you may have the likelihood of cockroach infestation near your cat food. You should not leave out cat food to feed your feline companion during the day because this may draw cockroaches. Now, the question is; how to keep cockroaches away from cat food?
Although keeping cockroaches away from your cat food is a challenging task, you need some tactics to tackle this issue. You can repel cockroaches by feeding your cat from cat-proof bowls and storing the cat’s food in airtight containers.
Read on for more helpful hints on how to keep cockroaches away from cat food.
14 Ways to Keep Cockroaches Away from Your Cat Food
There are various ways to keep cockroaches away, but the following are the most effective methods for doing so.
Quick Tips
- Feed Cats in Cockroach-Resistant Bowls
- Make a Schedule of Cat Meal Time
- Clean Your Cat After Feeding
- Wash Your Cat Bowl After Serving Food
- Utilise a Cat Bowl with a Moat or a Stand
- Block All The Entry Points of Cockroaches
- Store Cat Food In Tight Plastic Containers
- Use Cat-Safe Cockroach Deterrents
- Use Glue Traps to Catch Cockroaches
- Sweep Your House Regularly
- Dry All the Standing Water
- Remove Waste Around Your Home
- Utilise Bait Station
- Place Cockroach Traps in Dark Places
Feed Cats in Cockroach-Resistant Bowls
Feeding your cat in cockroach-repellent bowls is the most effective way to deter cockroaches. You can buy such dishes from your local pet market.
These types of bowls have the following features:
- They have rounded lips that make it difficult for cockroaches to climb into them.
- Some dishes have a stand so that pests like cockroaches don’t get into them.
- Few cockroach-repellent bowls have a moat area that you can fill with dish soap and water to prevent cockroaches.
- Moreover, you can also make your cockroach-proof bowls by placing a small bowl inside a larger one and then filling the space with cockroach repellent to keep away cockroaches.
Make a Schedule of Cat Meal Time
Another way to keep cockroaches away is to feed your cat at a fixed time. If you nourish your cat frequently, cockroaches will assault the food to fulfill their hunger. Set a regular feeding schedule for your cats and make sure no food is left out after this time.
When your cat stops eating, pick up the bowl and remove any leftover food around it. If you accidentally leave your cat’s food out after feeding them, don’t do it again. Always pour the food into bowls; whenever it is necessary to feed your cat.
Clean Your Cat After Feeding
One of the main reasons for cockroach infestation around your cat or cat’s food is the dirty cat. Food fragments can occasionally become lodged in your cat’s body while it is eating. Therefore, it’s crucial to thoroughly clean your cat’s body after feeding.
You should clean your cat’s mouth properly so that no food particles are left on your cat’s body and cockroaches have no reason to come near to your cat.
Wash Your Cat Bowl After Serving Food
It is best to feed your cat twice a day. When the cat is done eating, wash the bowl with hot, soapy water, then dry it. Food crumbs may remain in your cat’s bowl if you don’t clean it, which would give cockroaches a free pass to feast. Hence, cleaning your cat’s bowl is crucial to avoiding cockroach infestation.
Utilise a Cat Bowl with a Moat or a Stand
According to Cold Spring Harbour Laboratory, cockroaches’ access to pet food may cause the spread of deadly pathogens to humans and pets. Thus, it is important to use strategies that keep cockroaches away from your cat food. One of these tactics is to use a cat bowl with a moat or stand.
A moat is about a half inch in length that surrounds the bowl. You should fill the Moat with soapy water so that whenever cockroaches try to attack the cat’s bowl, they will die after drinking the soapy water. On the other hand, a bowl with a stand keeps the cat’s food at a height and makes it difficult for cockroaches to reach the food.
Block All The Entry Points of Cockroaches
As cockroaches can pass through a small hole or a gap, you should block them to stop their entrance. The best way to seal off the holes is to use cement, molding foam, and caulk to prevent cockroaches from moving inside your home.
If you use caulk to close gaps, reapply it regularly because it wears off with time.
Store Cat Food In Tight Plastic Containers
You must store the cat food properly since improper storage will result in a roach infestation. There are two types of cat food each has different handling techniques.
- Canned Cat Food: You must store canned cat food in your refrigerator after feeding your cat. If a can have been opened and left out without refrigeration for more than four hours, throw it away. Additionally, after serving your cat with canned food for four hours, dump it and clean the area to prevent roaches from invading.
- Dry Cat Food: The disadvantage of storing your cat’s dry food in warm places is the loss of vital minerals and vulnerability to a cockroach infestation. So, store dry in tight plastic containers to prevent the attack of cockroaches.
Use Cat-Safe Cockroach Deterrents
Another way to prevent cockroach infestation near your cat food is the use cockroach repellents that are safe for your cat. You can use cucumber to repel cockroaches because it doesn’t harm your cat.
To safely ward off roaches, securely stew some cucumber peels and scatter them next to your cat’s dish. American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals claims that cucumbers are not harmful to cats, thus, you can use them freely to ward off cockroaches.
Use Glue Traps to Catch Cockroaches
Glue traps are one of the most efficient ways to prevent cockroaches from getting into cat food. The smell of the bait draws the cockroaches in, and once they put one foot on the strip, they are imprisoned. The more they try to get rid of it, the more they are trapped in the glue.
The best way to use these traps is to place them near your cat’s food bowl or anywhere you suspect the presence of cockroaches.
Sweep Your House Regularly
Cockroaches are attracted to cat food if there are leftover food particles on your floor and if the house is not properly cleaned. While sweeping your home, clean your cabinets because cockroaches love to live there to get food.
Furthermore, cockroaches love to hide behind refrigerators and old items, so clean those areas regularly to remove any cockroaches. Further, don’t leave dirty dishes in the kitchen sink; instead, wash them frequently to knock out cockroaches.
Dry All the Standing Water
As cockroaches are always looking for food, water, and shelter, if they find any standing water in your home, they will not wait a sec to invade there. Besides cats, cockroaches need water for their survival, and if the water and food are adjacent to each other, they will be delighted.
Therefore, it is important to drink your cat in a bowl having a stand. In this way, cockroaches will not get their way to your cat’s bowl to fulfill their thirst.
Remove Waste Around Your Home
Another way to keep cockroaches away is to remove the trash regularly. Any waste outside your house attracts cockroaches to your home. Organic garbage includes leaf piles, wilting plants, and even your woodpile.
Because they provide food and shelter, compost piles may also attract cockroaches. Furthermore, the breakdown of these organic materials creates moist heat, which roaches employ to construct warm nests. Therefore, you should remove waste around your house regularly to prevent cockroaches.
Utilise Bait Station
Bait stations are one of the most effective ways to trap cockroaches. The bait station consists of long tubes. They are simple to set up in areas where cockroaches are noticeable. For cockroaches that consume its poison, it has an alluring fragrance. As the cockroach comes near the bait station, they will die after ingesting its poison.
Place Cockroach Traps in Dark Places
You should also inspect any dark corners of your home where cockroaches tend to nest. If you find a cockroach in dim places, put some traps there to ward off roaches. Furthermore, make sure your home is tidy and free of any crumbs so that you may get rid of cockroaches faster if you take away any food sources they may have.
FAQs
How Do I Protect My Pet Food from Cockroaches?
The best way to protect your pet food from cockroaches is to store them in a tight plastic container. Pet food comes in two forms, canned and dry food in a bag. Fill an airtight plastic container with your pet’s food straight out of the bag or can. These plastic boxes will keep the aroma in, and as a result, cockroaches will stay away.
Can Cat Food Cause Cockroaches?
Yes, cat food may cause cockroaches because they love to eat cat food. If you have a pet cat don’t leave its food open, instead; store it in a tight plastic container to prevent it from cockroaches. Create a feeding regimen and feed your cat twice per day.
How Do I Get Rid of Cockroaches Without Harming My Cat?
You can get rid of cockroaches without harming your cat by using cat-proof repellents like glue traps, bay leaves, and cucumber. Sticky baits trap the cockroaches with their glue and don’t leave them until they die. To trap cockroaches, place sticky or glue traps around the suspected areas of a cockroach infestation.
What Kills Cockroaches Instantly Pet-Friendly?
With borax and diatomaceous earth, you may eliminate cockroaches instantly without endangering your pet. Both borax and diatomaceous earth are non-toxic to pets and humans, so you can use them freely to kill cockroaches. The best way to use these products is to dilute them into the water by adding a small amount, then sprinkle the solution along the pathways of cockroaches to kill them.
Can a Cockroach Harm My Cat?
Yes, a cockroach may harm your cats by biting them. Because of the pain from the cockroach bites, your cat may scratch and itch. Cats are occasionally known to experience roach infestations, which can lead to the possibility of receiving infected bites. Moreover, cockroaches can tease your cats by contaminating their food which may cause the transmission of bacteria.
Can Cats Get Poisoned by Cockroaches?
Yes, cats may get poisoned by consuming cockroaches. Although cockroaches are rich in protein and vitamin 12, they are dirty insects and carry bacteria or parasite worms that can sicken your cats. A cat that consumes a poisoned cockroach may become unwell because of its hard body, which can irritate the mouth and upset the stomach.
Final Verdict
Cat food can draw cockroaches and they will happily eat it. If you are a cat lover and keep thinking about how to get rid of cockroaches, you need to adopt some tactics. First, you should serve your cat in cockroach-proof bowls, clean them regularly and use a glue bait to trap cockroaches.
Try the above suggestions if you want to prevent cockroaches from eating cat food. Although they may not be the most organic remedy, they work. Above all, if a cockroach infestation is large, try to contact a professional pest control company to resolve the issue.
