Look For Flea Treatments That Are Approved For Kittens
The best options for getting rid of fleas on kittens depends on their age and weight. An 8-week-old kitten only weighs about 1.5-2 pounds.
Most products are safe for use in kittens older than 8-10 weeks or over 1.5-2 pounds, but every product is different. Typically, flea products havent been tested on kittens younger or smaller than that, so they may contain doses that are too high for very young, tiny kittens.
Always read the warnings and instructions very carefully to be sure that a flea product will be safe and effective for your kitten. Your veterinarian can also help you find products to get rid of fleas on your kitten, regardless of their size and age.
Bayer Advantage Ii Flea Treatment
The Bayer Advantage II Flea Treatment has been specifically designed for kittens weighing between 2-5 pounds. This spot-on treatment contains two active ingredients designed to work together in order to kill all life stages of fleas. This pack includes two pipettes, each of which protects for up to 30 days.
This treatment is waterproof after 24 hours, so your kitten can have a bath if necessary, without you worrying that the treatment will stop working. Be sure to weigh your kitten carefully before use, as this is only designed for use in kittens who weigh over 2 pounds.
- Not as effective as some other flea treatments
- Not suitable for kittens under 2 pounds
Where Should I Use A Flea Comb
When you use a flea comb on your dog, you may accidentally knock off fleas or flea eggsand trust me, you do not want fleas or flea eggs in your house or on your furniture! I recommend combing your dog outside or in a bathtub that way, if you do knock off any fleas, they wont infest your home.
Flea combing in the bathtub is nice because you can wash anything you comb off down the drain, or you can wash your dog with a flea shampoo afterwards, like Sentry flea and tick oatmeal Hawaiian ginger dog shampoo. I also recommend dipping your comb into water that has a small amount of dish detergent to drown any fleas or flea eggs you may find.
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How Old Do Kittens Have To Be For Flea And Tick Treatment
Most flea and tick treatments are designed to be given to cats and kittens who are 8 weeks of age or older. Many products have weight requirements as well. Always read the product packaging closely, and dont use any flea or tick prevention in a manner that isnt listed on the label unless directly told by your veterinarian. Cats, especially tiny kittens, can become sick if they are given the wrong type of treatment or a dose that is too high.
Oral Flea Medication For Cats
If you are worried about exposing other members of the household to flea medications, products that are given orally are a good choice.
Comfortis is a prescription monthly chewable option thats safe for cats 14 weeks of age and older and 4.1 pounds and up. It contains the active ingredient spinosad, which kills adult fleas, and should only be given every 30 days.
Capstar, on the other hand, is OTC and approved for use in younger and smaller cats . It uses the active ingredient nitenpyram to kill adult fleas. Capstar is a great option for getting a flea infestation under control because it can be given every 24 hours, but it should not be used in place of monthly preventatives.
The most common side effects seen with oral flea preventatives are gastrointestinal issues like vomiting and diarrhea. If your pet vomits immediately after taking the medication, it can be difficult to gauge whether they absorbed the appropriate dose. Talk with your veterinarian to figure out the best way to handle this issue.
Fleas are not just annoying. They can also be associated with severe health problems like anemia, plague, murine typhus and bartonellosis, many of which can be spread to people. By talking with your veterinarian, you can evaluate the safe and effective flea treatments available and decide on the best option for your cat.
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Is It Time To Get A New Flea Treatment For Kittens 8 Weeks
Youre looking for a new flea treatment for kittens 8 weeks. What do you think? Its difficult to predict future price changes. If there are no signs of production slowing, it can be worth buying now to enjoy your investment sooner. But if output is declining and prices are predicted to rise, you might want to wait until the buzz has died down before making a choice.
What Are The Health Risks To A Cat
Fleas are more than just a nuisance. These parasites can pose a threat to your cat’s health. A severe flea infestation can seriously damage a cat’s skin, induce an allergic reaction, or cause them to become anemic from blood loss. Fleas are also responsible for cats contracting parasites like tapeworms and may transmit diseases.
“Fleas can pass on diseases to cats, which can then be passed on to people,” Jeffer said. “The most common one that we see is cat scratch fever , which can cause all kinds of issues in people, but in cats, it can make them very sick.”
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The Worst Thing You Can Do: Nothing
A flea infestation can cause anemia in kittens.
A flea doesnt actually bite, explains Dr. William Miller Jr., VMD. It sticks its proboscis into the skin and sucks blood. It doesnt take too much of this sucking to cause anemia in a kitten that is carrying innumerable fleas. You dont see this problem very often in adult cats, but its frequently seen in kittens.
- Make sure your kittens gums are pink since this condition can be deadly, and bring your kitten to the veterinarian if you notice a discoloration.
- Fleas on kittens can also cause excessive scratching and skin irritation.
Kittens are especially delicate, and some flea treatments are not safe. Follow the advice of your vet. Also, never use medication designed for dogs or adult cats these could be deadly to a kitten.
If you are removing fleas from a newborn kitten: Treat the mother. Then remove the fleas from the kitten. A kittens body is small so there isnt a large area to cover, and you should be able to remove the fleas with your fingers or tweezers easily. Because of newborn kittens young age and fragility, do not apply any type of detergent or medication on them.
Bravecto Is Proven Safe1
DOGS
Bravecto has been approved for use in breeding, pregnant, and lactating female dogs.1,2 Bravecto is safe to use and efficacious in adult dogs and puppies over 6 months of age and weighing 4.4 lb. or greater.1,2 It has been tested and found safe in puppies at least 8 to 9 weeks of age at 5x the clinical dose.1,2,17 No adverse effects with Bravecto Chew for Dogs in MDR-1 gene-deficient collies at 3x the recommended dose.18
CATS
Bravecto is safe to use and efficacious in adult cats and kittens over 6 months of age and weighing 2.6. lb. or greater.3 It has been tested and found safe in kittens at least 11 to 13 weeks of age at 5x the clinical dose.3
PROVEN SAFETY
No known contraindications for Bravecto Chew for Dogs and Bravecto Topical Solution for Dogs and Cats.1-3No problems reported in field trials in dogs and cats that received Bravecto concurrently with other commonly used medication.1-3Bravecto has not been shown to be effective for 12 weeks1 duration in puppies or kittens less than 6 months of age.
Bravecto Chew: The most common adverse reactions recorded in clinical trials were vomiting, decreased appetite, diarrhea, lethargy, polydipsia, and flatulence. Bravecto is not effective against lone star ticks beyond 8 weeks of dosing.
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Can You Use A Flea Collar For Kittens
Though there are flea collars out there that are marketed for cats as well as kittens, you need to be extremely careful about using such a product on your kitten.Flea collars can be very dangerous for kittens under the age of 12 weeks and for any cat, if they are used incorrectly. Flea collars contain an active ingredient known as pyrethrin which is very effective in killing fleas but is toxic to cats. If your cat chews on the collar or otherwise ingests this active ingredient, it could lead to gastrointestinal upset and may even damage your kittens central nervous system or his heart. Symptoms of pyrethrin toxicity in cats may include diarrhea, vomiting, drooling, lethargy, dilated pupils, seizures, slowed heart rate, and abnormal blood pressure.If your kitten is older than 12 weeks, you can use a flea collar but you need to exercise caution. When choosing a flea collar for your kitten, be sure to read the warning label and follow all instructions. Look for a collar that is made with a breakaway buckle so it will break if your kitten happens to catch it on something collars that dont break away pose a choking hazard. You also want to make sure that you choose a flea collar that is formulated specifically for cats, not for dogs. Flea collars for dogs have higher levels of pyrethrin which could increase the risk of toxicity for your kitten.
How To Check A Cat For Fleas
Signs of fleas in cats include scratching, skin irritation, and the presence of dark red or black specks on your cat’s skin, fur, bedding, or furniture. These specks, about the size of grains of black pepper, are called “flea dirt” and are flea feces . Back when I worked in the veterinary hospital, I learned a handy trick to help find out if those little specks are regular dirt or flea dirt. Scoop some onto a damp paper towel. If the paper towel turns red, it’s flea dirt.
To check your cat for fleas or flea dirt, run a flea comb through your cat’s coat or part the hair with your fingers to examine the skin. If you find any live or dead fleas or flea dirt, your cat has a flea infestation.
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Tips For Getting Rid Of Fleas On Kittens
Making sure all pets in the house are treated for fleas, trying to manage fleas in the home and the environment, and washing bedding in hot water can all help reduce the transmission of fleas to kittens.
But when it comes to getting rid of fleas on kittens, here are some additional things to take into consideration.
What Is The Flea Treatment For Kittens 8 Weeks
Sorry if youre perplexed. I know its not an easy choice! But its one of the most crucial choices youll ever make. If youre still unsure which type of flea treatment for kittens 8 weeks is best for you, I recommend comparing the characteristics and functionalities of the flea treatment for kittens 8 weeks listed above. Each has advantages and disadvantages.
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What You Should Know About Fleas In Cats
If your cat has fleas, you want to get rid of them as quickly as possible. Cats that go outside are more likely to pick up fleas, but even indoor cats can get them, either from the family dog or when they go to the veterinarian or a boarding facility. Fleas can even hitchhike indoors on your clothes or shoes.
Why Do I Need To Use A Flea Treatment On Kittens
We all know that fleas are pesky parasites that are best avoided. They cause itching and discomfort, besides potentially passing on other infections to our furry friends. But when kittens contract fleas its even worse!
People often ask Can fleas kill a kitten? and if left untreated the answer is sadly yes!
Fleas are extremely dangerous for young cats and kittens. Because they are still learning to groom themselves, they dont really remove any of the fleas on their own. This means flea infections in kittens usually get far more out of control than they do in adult cats who have healthy self-grooming habits. This leads to more bites and more itching.
Fleas dont just bite cats for the sake of it though they bite them to feed on their blood. This is what the fleas feed off to survive. But kittens are small and dont have much blood in their systems. As such, a severe flea infection can cause kittens to lose too much blood and they can develop anemia.
Anemia is a condition where blood oxygen levels are too low. Oxygen is usually carried by red blood cells, but because the fleas are drinking their blood there arent enough of these red blood cells present. This means your kittens muscles, brain, and all areas of their body arent necessarily getting the oxygen they need to survive and can become life-threatening without a blood transfusion.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS
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Whats The Best Flea Treatment For Kittens Under 12 Weeks
Fleas are the most common parasite in cats. These pesky little creatures live in your cats coat and feed on their blood. The bites they leave behind are extremely itchy and have the potential to transmit other infections between cats, including intestinal worms.
Most cats contract fleas at least once in their life and theyre pretty easy to treat. But when a kitten has fleas, treatment can be more challenging. Small kittens are vulnerable and delicate, and most flea medications are unsuitable for them. The cut-off tends to be around three months of age. So, what is the best flea treatment for kittens under 12 weeks?
In this article, I answer this question and all your other flea-related concerns. When can you give a kitten a flea bath? Can you get rid of fleas on kittens naturally? And which treatments are safe for young and delicate kittens? Lets find out!
Some Flea Products Are Dangerous To Cats
Products labeled for use in dogs only should never be used on a cat. Some ingredients that are well-tolerated by dogs can be toxic to cats. “Anything with a permethrin, also known as pyrethrin, should never be used on a cat,” Sawyer said. ” are very sensitive to pyrethrins and can have significant neurologic side effects, even death. Never use a product labeled for a dog on a cat as it may have pyrethrins in it even if not exclusively mentioned on the label.”
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Frontline Plus Cat/kitten Flea Treatment Best Overall
If youre looking for the best flea treatment for kittens on the market today, you simply cant beat Frontline Plus Cat & Kitten Flea and Tick Treatment. This long-lasting treatment remains active for 30 days after application and gets to work straight away to kill fleas and their eggs and larvae.
Its also waterproof, so if your cat happens to need a bath, you dont need to worry about this losing its efficacy. Its suitable for cats and kittens over 8 weeks of age or weighing over 1.5 pounds. As well as killing fleas, this treatment also kills lice and ticks that can be vectors for Lyme disease.
Our recommendation as the best flea treatment for kittens for the money is the PetArmor Flea & Tick Squeeze-On Treatment. Suitable for kittens over 8 weeks of age and 1.5 pounds in weight, this treatment is easy to use and gets to work killing those fleas straight away. While this is a great flea treatment, it missed out on our top spot because it only acts to kill adult fleas, not the eggs or larvae.
This spot-on treatment also kills ticks and lice within 72 hours of application. Its waterproof, so its a good choice for cats who may have allergies and need a bath. This pack comes with three pipettes, equaling a 3-month supply.
- Doesnt act on flea larvae
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Finding the best flea treatments for cats is a must for all owners. Even if kitty’s mainly an indoor cat and only goes out occasionally, it’s still possible that they could pick up a parasite while they’re exploring, and that’s a situation you’ll want to be ready for.
Should your cat pick up fleas on its travels, it’s vital that you act quickly. Fleas can be really harmful, and a nasty itch is just the start of the problems they can cause. Untreated flea bites can result in skin and coat issues, and even anemia if the wounds begin to open. And if your cat’s irritated by flea bites it can lose patches of fur through constant licking, and it may even be allergic to flea saliva.
As with the best flea treatments for dogs, there are two main ways of dealing with fleas you can opt for one of the best topical flea treatments for cats, or you could instead go for one of the best flea collars for cats. The latter option’s cheaper and requires less work from you, as flea collars can be effective for up to eight months, which is preferable to monthly spot-on treatments â just so long as your cat’s happy wearing a collar.
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