get rid of your cat's fleas without chemicals

Make a bowl of sudsy water using regular dishwashing liquid (fleas can survive the water, but the detergent kills them) and get out your comb. Invite your cat over and start combing. Chances are, puss will want to help you groom her, and will lie patiently for long stretches of time. She might even roll over and let you work on her tummy!

Keep combing out fleas, dipping them off your comb into the sudsy water as you find them, until you're satisfied with that session. Repeat the procedure the next day and keep repeating until your cat is flea free.

You will have to deal with flea eggs, as well. If you only have area rugs, wash and tumble dry them. Wash and dry your pet's bedding, too. Vacuum everywhere and DISCARD the vacuum bag, or you will have a new infestation on your hands when the eggs hatch. Depending on the infestation, you might have to use a commercial bomb to get rid of all of the fleas. You can still avoid the worst chemicals and do a little web research to find more benign, pet-friendly bombs.

Consider how to prevent reinfestation. The battle is a constant one with outside cats. Consider adding brewer's yeast or garlic to your cat's food to repel fleas–you can even dust brewer's yeast on your cat's fur.