Natural flea & tick protection?

Cats are very sensitive to a lot of products. My theory is "first do no harm". Are the cats outdoor cats? Do they go outside at all unsupervised? If they are indoor pets only I would not use anything on them. I make sure my dogs are protected and that's it. My cats are indoor cats, why put poisons on them?

My cats are fine with flea & tick collars. I would also try Diatamaceous earth.

I give my dogs brewers yeast tablets with garlic, which works very well...apparently it works for cats too, but I'm sure it's more of a pain to give pills to cats than to dogs.

I don't know if you've tried Revolution, but it is reportedly safe for kittens as young as 8 weeks. The Frontline spray might be another option.

apparently bugs don't like the taste of neem oil, which is also good for the skin. doesn't kill 'em, but it does help repel them. Ark Naturals makes a Neem pet shampoo, or you can buy neem oil in most health food stores. also, Halo makes this Cloud 9 herbal dip that smells good and is very versatile. again, this product repels but doesn't kill. Ark Naturals products aren't always easy to find, though Halo products are available at Pet Co. and at Whole Foods.

and then diatomaceous earth is another great option. DE is basically fossilized algae, it's white and powdery, and it's used for a variety of purposes. you'll want to track down food grade DE so that it's safe if your pets lick any off of themselves. though it is soft and powdery to the touch, on a microscopic level, DE is razor sharp. it strips bugs of their waxy coating and dehydrates them. it can also be used in food to keep weevils out, and in yards for killing bugs, though it's not so great for yards if you live somewhere rainy. to kill fleas in the yard, look into beneficial predatory nematodes which continue living in the soil, eating fleas & their larvae. different species work better for different climates.