this post was submitted on 07 Sep 2025
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You know what else gets rid of fleas? All of those products you can get from the vet and pet stores. You know? The ones that have been scientifically proven to safely get rid of and prevent fleas. Why would you do this to your own cat?
B…but if tiktok says something is true then it must be scientifically proven, right? No one would lie on the internet, right?
It’s better than scientifically proven! They made cute videos out of it! Isn’t that obviously more trustworthy?
you know what else was scientifically proven to work?
sunscreen and yet corporations still managed to find a ways to fuck consumers on that
I’m not saying you shouldn’t listen to actual experts, but lets not pretend even that is for sure safe
and now how do you even check if something has side effects, AI slop will probably tell you to heat kitty in the microwave to remove fleas
What’s wrong with sunscreen?
There's nothing wrong with sunscreen in general, but they are probably referring to what happened recently in Australia:
And the lab issuing the fake results is based in the US :(
Of course it is. :(
The metal oxide kind was fine but had some non effectiveness issues about damaging marine coral. The other kinds are less reliable.
When you don't define scientifically proven then yes it is.
"Scientifically tested" means a dude (or dudette) did something, wrote about it and published it.
Most of it's bogus anyway.
Which is expected. About 80% of research is low-quality: masters' theses rephrasing known stuff, articles made to fill a quota, etc.
What "scientifically proven" means someone, including these 80% did something time and time again. And it stands. Change all the variables and it still stands: Sunscreen good, smoking bad. For kids, teenagers, adults - even animals. In summer and in winter. In small short tests of 50 and large longitudinal ones of 50.000.
It's hard to know where to draw the line and give something the mark of "tested". But in any case, it needs to stand strongly.
Because it's ✨natural✨ which automatically makes it better of course.
Uranium is natural. There are even natural fission reactors.
Bask in the atom's glow
Wouldn't mind a glowing cat. Stops me from tripping over her when I have to run to the toilet in the dead of night..
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-14882008
Where are these natural fission reactors
In the past. Earth no longer has enough of the applicable isotope for them to happen. But it's cool we found evidence at least one existed! https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Natural_nuclear_fission_reactor
That is so very cool, sad they can't exist anymore
There's a guy on Reddit in the space subreddits that is sure there is a natural reactor on Mars now, based on a paper by a kooky scientist.
What data is this based on
Actually one of the best things for fleas (outside of oral medications) is Dawn, no jokes. We had a bad outbreak after the dog brought them in and they got on our 3 cats so it was a battle of attrition as wed wipe out the infestation in one animals and it get reestablished on the others but bathing and flea combing them every day (and dusting the carpets and furniture with diatomaceous earth) eventually we wore them down, broke their lines, crushed their flea men and heard the lamentations of their flea women, who were then also crushed.
I still have PTSD flashbacks like 3yrs later when I feel a tingle on my leg and think it's a flea 😅
Worth noting that Tumeric won't get rid of flees. Sites claming this works also recommend basil, thyme, rosemary, garlic and the rest of the spice cabinet. Might as well chuck your cat in the oven as a roast if you're this sort of irresponsible pet owner.
LMAO this comment needs to be higher up
Still be careful around that stuff. A lot of flea medication can cause siezures. Oral flea meds are carcinogenic, so handle with care (dogs and cats usually die of old age first though). "Safe" for animals usually means "safe enough not to cause short term harm with assumptions that the animal has 10 years of life left."
Mostly for the meme probably, but theoretically money could be a reason.
Yes! Where I live this is quite expensive. I thought this was a great alternative if only for a temporary side effect. I'd research it a lot more if i were to do it, though. Wouldn't want to harm my kittds. Hehe
if money is preventing you from buying simple flea medication for your cat, you absolutely should not own a cat.
Yes. Then I guess someone noticed that most cats lick their whole bodies every day.
It is tragic how many pets have suffered for that mistake, if it was a mistake.
some people like coloring their cats. there was a girl who was interested in me. we went on a date, i dropped her off and her cat was some funky colors. I asked, she said she had been making her cat purple. i asked what with and i don't remember anymore but anyways I don't like turning my cats colors so that was the end of that relationship.
Aren't there some big-name brands of flea medications that can cause some really nasty side effects? I was researching flea meds for my cat a few months ago and I remember people saying there was one in particular that was known for that. I picked Cheristin specifically because it had a lower risk of side effects.
Edit: I think I'm thinking of Nexgard, a google search says that one can cause seizures.
Yes. Seizures.
Tick and Flea Medicine Poisoining in Cats
Yeah these people are dumb but let’s not pretend like the pet pharma industry is vetted and regulated like the pharmaceutical industry that makes medicines for humans.
These anti flea solutions are literally pesticides. And pesticide regulation is decades behind the science.
Can’t spray fipronil in an egg farm against lice but it’s a-okay to put it on my cat who will lick their fur?
To be fair, there's actually tons of those that just don't work. Especially when you buy them from the store. The vet usually has the good shit though.
That’s turmeric, one of the healthiest human foods. If you don’t care about the looks, and it actually works, then why not? I’d be surprised if the actual “approved” chemicals are safer than literally just turmeric.
But RFK Jr. says they might give your cat autism
Sweet, we can talk about trains
Some cats do not handle flea medicine well.
Tick and Flea Medicine Poisoining in Cats
Those poisons are more likely to carcinogenic?
Is there any evidence for that?
No hard proof that I am aware of. A chemical capable of destroying small life sometimes damages of large lifeforms it touches. Sometimes poison works that way (e.g. DEET)
Also, does tumeric really kill fleas? Are we just gonna take their word for that? I seriously doubt it.
Spices do typically kill bugs. It's their entire purpose. Because they work by dehydration and larger animals with access to water can just drink more, it's also very safe
A lot of insecticides are poisonous to animals including mammals it's just that we have a mechanism that deactivates or neutralizes it immediately. They often target a basic metabolic process that is common across all life.
Yes. Cats can go into seizures from popular flea medicines.
https://www.petcarerx.com/article/tick-and-flea-medicine-poisoning-in-cats/4602