Scott Hildenbrand wrote:

At any rate, beyond chemical sprays or whatnot is there a botanical
method that can be done in the yard to stop them, or slow them, before
they get to the house?

Would you settle for beneficial nematodes outdoors?
http://www.biconet.com/biocontrol/nemas.html
http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/2000/2081.html
http://www.vetmed.iastate.edu/animal...l_health/derma
tology/pages/natural.html
These, however, will not work in drought conditions.

Since you have cats, do not use linalool,citronella, etc.

Now, I'd say sure, they're living on the cats but this is not the case.
I'd sprayed them down with Frontline's spray and there are no fleas on
them.

Many fleas spend a good deal of time off the host, so topspotting with
something like Advantage is useful. So would spraying one of the insect
growth regulators inside -- my current preference is for nylar -- excellent
safety profile in humans and animals other than insects, keeps baby fleas
at the juvenile (non-biting)stage but does not kill them. Mix the concentrate
in water and apply with a garden sprayer twice a year.

Many home control products are an IGR with a pesticide for immediate
knockdown -- I prefer to apply the IGR alone on a regular basis and simply
wait out the couple of weeks or so before you start seeing the benefit
if you don't use an IGR regularly. Nylar can be used outdoors, but
I prefer to keep it in, as it's fairly broad spectrum in the insects
it hits. http://www.pestproducts.com/archer.htm

Kay