I recently moved to Connecticut (where Lyme disease was first discovered) and I'm trying to find out what repellents will work best for ticks when we go camping or hiking this summer. I know DEET is popular, but I've seen conflicting reports about its effectiveness against ticks, and permethrin is toxic to cats and only really useful on fabric... So I'm curious if this community can help me. I know there are a couple of exterminators on here, and of course our illustrious stars, who probably have the wisdom to help me out. I have one cat. If we treat only the clothes and gear we use for outdoor activities and keep those away from the cat, will permethrin harm him, and/or is there a better alternative? Does pyrethrin come in a repellent form? I know that's not toxic, but some things don't last on clothes or skin for that kind of use. Can DEET and permethrin be combined for a better defense, or would that cause some sort of reaction?

Thanks in advance for patience and assistance.

Try the one by Avon.I don't know the name of it tho and its a lotion I think that seems to work well tick wise.I got bit on my hip a few weeks ago ( mid March ) as its been warm here on the east coast.I rarely walk in the grass and do alot of walking in my area on the sidwalks but still got bit.I didn't feel a thing and found the tick later in the day and pried it off.Sure enough,the next morning I had the infamous red bull's eye rash.I saw the Dr. 4 days later and had no symptoms at all but was put on antibiodics for ten days.I'm no spring chicken but I went thru all these years with no tick bites.I played outside alot as a kid and mowed my grass until ten some years ago.

I personally like the Avon on as well. It doesn't smell like a repellent either and seems to work great when we go camping. Never had any issues with ticks or mosquitoes when I have used it. Now my dad swears by B-12 vitamins.
FYI Pyrethrin is not really "non toxic" either. It has been shown to have side effects in pets and has been linked to asthmatic breathing and seizures in humans. Make sure you really read the label before utilizing. For your cat I would check with your vet to see what they recommend. My animals take a pill once a month and I don't seem to have issues with fleas/ticks or mosquitoes with them either. Good Luck

Billy doesn't post here, you should call his office

Is there anyway to rid my 2 acre yard of moles, gophers and ground hogs. They are out of hand.

I don't know of any repellent that really works on ticks but if you are unfortunate enough to have one bite you or your pet there is a tick puller that lops around the head so it doesn't get pulled off when you remove the tick. You can also take the tick to a vet to have it tested to see if it's a deer tick that carry lyme disease or a brown dog tick which are just gross.

You can get the tick puller at the vets for about $8.00

From the Albany County Dept of Health
When trying to remove the tick:

DO NOT touch the tick with your bare hands.

DO NOT squeeze the body of the tick as this may increase your risk of infection.

DO NOT put alcohol, nail polish remover or Vaseline on the tick.

DO NOT put a hot match or cigarette on the tick in an effort to make it "back out.

"DO NOT use your fingers to remove the tick

.These methods do not work and only increase the likelihood the tick will transmit Lyme disease to you. Applying alcohol, nail polish remover, or a hot match can irritate a tick and cause it to regurgitate its stomach contents into your skin. The stomach contents of a tick can contain the Lyme disease-causing bacterium.Instead of tweezers, you may also use a special tick removal device, which is usually shaped like a slotted spoon. These tick removal devices can be purchased at a pharmacy or other retail outlet.Under no circumstances should you try to remove an embedded tick by using your fingers. It is better to wait a little while, if necessary, until you have access to tweezers or a tick removal device and remove the tick properly, than to increase your risk of infection by trying to remove it with your fingers.While removing a tick, if the tick's mouthparts break off and remain in your skin, don't worry. The mouthparts alone cannot transmit Lyme disease, because the infective body of the tick is no longer attached. The mouthparts can be left alone. They will dry up and fall out by themselves in a few days, or you can remove them as you would a splinter.After cleaning the area, watch the site of the bite for the appearance of a rash 3 to 30 days after the bite. The rash will usually be at least 2 ½ inches in diameter initially and will gradually expand to several inches in size. Rashes smaller than the size of a quarter are usually a reaction to the bite itself and do not mean you have Lyme disease.Above all, be patient. Firmly embedded ticks are difficult to remove and it may take some time.

Welcome to the board gothicfairy23. May I please ask what scalies are?