Fleas and ticks are a major issue for pets, especially cats and dogs. Fleas can cause anemia in your pet, spread tapeworms to your pet’s food source, and even carry diseases like plague. Ticks can also transmit Lyme disease, which is a bacterium that causes arthritis-like symptoms, fever, headache, confusion or memory loss. These parasites seem to be everywhere these days. So how do you protect your pets from these pesky pests? Here are some natural remedies: 1. Rosemary In addition to deterring fleas with its strong scent of pine needles and thyme, this plant is an effective bug repellent. You can dry rosemary and mix it with water to make a spray, or you can use essential oil in your pet’s collar (dilute the rosemary oil first). Mix about 20 drops of essential oil made out of this plant into half a cup of distilled witch hazel, add to a spray bottle, and fill the rest of the bottle with filtered water. You can use this mixture to spray your pet’s coat to prevent them from picking up fleas or ticks. Dried or fresh rosemary sprigs can also be placed around your house to prevent ticks from making themselves at home.