Litter box swarmed by flies

Small black flies can be a big annoyance.

By Joan Morris | jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com | Bay Area News Group

PUBLISHED: January 20, 2015 at 7:24 a.m. | UPDATED: August 12, 2016 at 6:10 a.m.

DEAR JOAN: I have a major problem and hope you can help me. I have four indoor cats and keep my cat box very clean. I also have a container right next to the cat box where I scoop their “poo-poo” and close the lid.

My problem is gnats. They are constantly swarming around the container and cat box and it’s getting to the point where my cats don’t want to use the box anymore.

I’ve been spraying EcoSmart, which is safe around pets but really doesn’t help. Do you have any idea what I can do? They are very annoying.

R.M.

Bay Area

DEAR R.: The layman’s definition of gnats cuts a broad swath. We tend to call every small flying insect a gnat, but chances are your gnat problem is really a small fly problem.

The most likely culprits are fungus gnats and fruit flies. Both are attracted to damp places, as might be found in a litter box or in the scooping container. Another attractant could be the type of litter you are using.

Check the ingredients for vegetable matter, such as corn or compressed grass clippings. Some litter made from vegetable matter can be infested with small moths, which might be mistaken for gnats or flies.

Knowing exactly what pest you have would be a big help in solving the problem, but in lieu of that, here are some tips that should ease and maybe eliminate the problem:

I suspect the collection bin is the source of your problem. Unless you are emptying it every time you scoop, the collection of damp litter can attract the flies. Once in your house, they lay eggs that hatch within 24 hours, providing an almost constant supply of flies.

You may want to get rid of the container, or dump it every time you use it. I wouldn’t go longer than a day without cleaning it.

I’d also suggest getting a second box, as one box for four cats is at the point of system overload.

Next, you need to clean the box and collection bin. Empty them both in the trash and then scrub them with warm water and dish soap.

When both are sparkling clean, you can return them. Try using less litter in the boxes. We have a tendency to use too much. Using smaller amounts and scooping often will help prevent the buildup of anything attracting the flies.

Lastly, we need to deal with the flies you already have. Try hanging fly traps — those long, sticky ribbons — in the litter box area, but not low enough that the cats can get to them.

You also can make a fly trap using a wine bottle or milk container (anything with a narrow neck). In your bottle, combine three to four tablespoons of apple cider vinegar with one or two drops of liquid dish soap.

Then take a sheet of paper and form it into a cone with a small opening at the tip. Fit the cone securely on top of the bottle. The flies will go inside and won’t be able to get out. You’ll need to replace the vinegar every couple of days.

You also can fill a spray bottle with rubbing alcohol and spritz the flies in midair. Another option is to buy a fly spray that is food safe, such as the type used in restaurants. Check at your favorite garden store or at a store that caters to restaurants. The alcohol and fly spray are safe around your cats, but neither should be sprayed on your cats.

It’s definitely a chore, but it will be worth it.

Contact Joan Morris at jmorris@bayareanewsgroup.com. Follow her at Twitter.com/AskJoanMorris.