The Best Flea Control For Young Kittens
Capstar Flea Control Tablets are safe for kittens as young as 4 weeks old and start killing fleas within 30 minutes.
Pros: Safe for kittens 4 weeks of age or older, safe for pregnant and nursing cats, fast-acting treatment, easy to give alone or in food, can be used with other flea control products, available without a prescription
Cons: Does not offer long-term protection, does not kill flea eggs or larvae, does not prevent any parasites other than fleas
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas
Duration of effectiveness: 24 hours
Safe for: Cats and kittens 4 weeks and older, weighing at least 2 pounds pregnant and nursing cats
Prescription: No
Available without a prescription, Capstar is the only flea control product safe for kittens as young as 4 weeks and weighing at least 2 pounds. With other flea control products, whether topical or oral, kittens must be at least 8 weeks old, and sometimes older.
Fleas should be eliminated as quickly as possible for heavily infested cats, especially young kittens. The active ingredient in Capstar, nitenpyram, works within 30 minutes and kills greater than 90% of adult fleas in as little as six hours.
Capstar only protects against fleas for 24 hours, but it is safe to give daily if necessary. Since giving a cat a pill every day can be inconvenient, pet owners should follow up with a long-term flea control product once the kitten is old enough.
Prepare Your Home For Cleaning
Before you begin, remove any pets from the home so you can give the whole place a thorough clean without your pet walking around picking up or dropping fleas and eggs from their fur. Then, pick up all loose items such as toys off the floor ready to wash them. If possible, move the furniture around so that you can access as much of the floor as possible while you are cleaning. If you are unable to move the furniture, be prepared to vacuum as underneath the furniture and in corners and hard to reach places.
Home Remedies For Fleas On Cats
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Fleas can be a natural part of life with a pet. Fortunately, between over-the-counter sprays, powders, and flea collars, there are endless solutions to help eradicate a flea problem in your home. However, while commercial flea medications and treatments can certainly help tame a flea problem in your cat, there are also an array of do-it-yourself approaches that cat owners can take to banish the bugs without the use of chemicals or potential side effects to your cat or other members of your family. If youve already had a consultation with your veterinarian regarding your feline flea problem, here are some at-home remedies you can try that may help get rid of your cats flea problem for good.
Before trying any of these at-home remedies on your cat, consult your veterinarian, who will know best which route you should take.
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How Can You Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas
If you are unsure whether your cat is suffering from a flea infestation or not, some telltale signs will allow you to confirm the presence of the culprits. Although it is not extremely difficult to verify, it will take a bit of investigation.
Fleas are tiny and can be hard to spot. They measure a mere 1/12 1/16 in length, and their reddish-brown tint might even blend in with the color of your cats fur. Instead of trying to spot fleas visually, you can rely on these more common signs of a flea infestation:
How Much Of A Risk Do Fleas Pose
If a flea problem is allowed to escalate, things can soon become critical and not just for your cat. All cats are irritated by fleas, but some cats are so hypersensitive to flea saliva that they can suffer an allergic reaction. If left untreated, this can pose some serious health risks. And fleas, dont forget, are bloodsuckers. If your cat is young or frail, losing too much blood to fleas can be fatal. A flea infection can also act as a gateway to other, more serious infections. For example, its possible for flea larvae to become infected with tapeworm eggs, which your cat can easily ingest while grooming. So in no time at all a seemingly-harmless flea infection can develop into a life-threatening tapeworm infection. Thats why regular worming is just as important as routine flea treatment.
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Flea Treatments Available For Cats
There is a vast array of flea treatments available from vets, pet shops and supermarkets for use in and on cats. It may not be obvious, but these products vary markedly in their compositions, mode of action, effectiveness and safety.
Many older products contain products that may be less effective or less safe . It is important to always read and follow instructions carefully, and wherever possible, talk to your vet first and seek their advice they will have access to the best and safest products for use in cats.
Many newer products are available as spot on preparations that only have to be applied every few weeks. Again, it is important that instructions for use are followed carefully for the products to be both safe and effective. Never be tempted to use a dog product on a cat some of these can be highly toxic to cats .
Some flea treatments are also available as tablets, which may be easier for some owners to give, and some effective flea collars are also available. However, many of the products available from pet shops or supermarkets may have very poor efficacy. These are generally not the same as you would get from your vet, and veterinary advice is always best. Some sprays and powders should not be used near fish tanks because they are toxic to fish.
Always check if a product is safe to use on kittens, and pregnant or suckling cats if treating such animals.
Fleas: A Torment For Cats
Fleas are the most typical bugs that will bite your cat. The results of infestation will be painful for cats and can be the cause of deadly disease for some cats. Flea bites create bad itching.
If a cat incessantly scratches, then it may create wounds in the skin that are vulnerable to severe infection. Sometimes, fleas carry infectious agents themselves. Examples are cat tapeworm and the bacteria that causes cat scratch disease in people.
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Do Vets Give Cats Baths
Bathing. You might be able to get someone else more experienced such as your vet or a groomer to bathe your cat without issues. Next, apply a small amount of cat shampoo and warm water to the dirty or stained area only. If you are washing the full body, avoid the head area and only soap up the rest of the body.
Remove As Many Fleas As You Can From Your Cat
If youre able to see fleas, flea dirt, or flea eggs on your cat, start the treatment process by combing and bathing your cat to get rid of as many as you can . If youre wondering how to get rid of fleas on cats that hate water, youre not alone. This method can be very difficult if your cat doesnt tolerate your attempts at bathtime, so dont force it. A spray bottle can help you drown the fleas without all the fuss: just lightly spray your cat with water, then run a flea comb through the fur. Put any fleas into a solution of water and dish soap so they dont later jump back onto your pet.
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How Do You Get Rid Of Fleas On A Cat
If your furry feline friend has fleas, you are well aware that they can be much more than just a nuisance. In fact, in as little as 30 days, ten fleas can multiply to create a full-on infestation of over 250,000 pests on your pet, as well as around your home. These pesky insects can irritate your pets skin and leave them an itchy, uncomfortable mess.
So how can you prevent these unwelcome guests from bothering you and your beloved pets? Here are several tried and true methods to quickly spot fleas on your cat and stop them at the source. Here is everything you will need to know to keep you and your friend free of fleas, quickly and safely.
How Did My Indoor Cat Get Fleas
If you discover fleas on your indoor cat, you’re probably wondering just how they got there. Unfortunately, there are many ways fleas make their way into your home:
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Flea Dirt Is A Sign Of Infestation
Occasionally, you might find fleas on your pet, along with flea dirt. But this is not always the case. You might find flea dirt but not fleas on your cat.
One reason behind this is that fleas do not live on your cats fur. These insects will scurry away to their hiding spots right after getting their fill of your pets blood.
You will also need to factor in the fact that cats are fastidious creatures. You might not be able to see fleas on your cats body because these insects have been licked off and swallowed by your cat while grooming himself.
Flea dirt is just one sign of a flea infestation. And getting rid of flea dirt will not necessarily solve your flea problem.
Apart from flea dirt, there are other signs that you can watch out for. These include:
- Hair loss
- Scabs and patches of red skin
- Skin and ear infections.
Is It Bad To Wash Your Cat Once A Week
All problems such as skin irritation, ticks or fleas, other insects and loose stool may require more attention during care and more frequent baths. If you are allergic to cats fur, you should regularly bathe the cat at least once a week. Bathing your cat can significantly reduce the level of the mites in the air.
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How To Get Rid Of Fleas On A Kitten
Fleas can be a serious problem for many pets. Both cats and dogs can experience these irritating parasites that are almost as annoying as your big brother or sister picking on you.
Treatment and prevention, though, can be a straight-forward process. As your kittens first line of defense against the biting bug, you should be well-educated on how to find, treat and prevent infestations.
How To Tell If Your Cat Has Fleas
The most obvious symptoms of fleas on cats are increased scratching and biting of fur. Additionally, the itching from fleas can make your cat groom more frequently and act restless. It doesnt take many fleas to make a cat feel bothered and irritated. But these tiny, fast-moving parasites are more than just an itchy nuisance. Because they feed on your cats blood, they can cause anemia and weaknessand even transmit tapeworm infection. One or two small fleas can quickly turn into a whole infestation, and are great at hiding in your cats fur.
In some cases, you might notice your cat develop bald patches from over-grooming, or skin irritation from an allergy to flea bites. But its not always obvious that your cat might be suffering from these itchy, irritating parasites. In fact, Michael Dryden, DVM and Distinguished Professor of Veterinary Parasitology at the Kansas State University College of Veterinary Medicine, points out that fleas can be particularly difficult to identify on cats because they are such fastidious groomers.
If your cat is showing symptoms of fleas, the first place to start is a visual check to look for signs of fleas. Experts suggest focusing your search on the neck and back of the cat, as that is where fleas tend to be the most concentrated .
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The Best Otc Topical Flea Preventive
Available without a prescription, Frontline Plus kills adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, and chewing lice.
Pros: Kills adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, and chewing lice safe for use in kittens at least 8 weeks of age and in breeding, pregnant, and nursing cats fleas don’t have to bite for it to work
Cons: Not recommended for kittens younger than 8 weeks of age does not prevent any parasites other than fleas, ticks, and chewing lice
Parasites prevented: Adult fleas, flea eggs, flea larvae, ticks, chewing lice
Duration of effectiveness: 30 days
Safe for: Cats and kittens 8 weeks and older, weighing at least 1.5 pounds breeding, pregnant, and nursing cats
Prescription: No
We recommend Frontline Plus because it not only kills fleas and controls flea infestations, but it also kills ticks and chewing lice. Used and trusted by pet owners for more than 20 years, Frontline Plus protects for 30 days with one application. Fleas do not have to bite your cat for Frontline Plus to work they die on contact.
“In flea-infested environments, when they do studies looking at the efficacy of these products, sometimes it takes a few months of consistent, high-quality flea prevention to even see that population completely eradicate because there’s four different stages to the flea life cycle,” said Bourgeois.
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.
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How To Check If Your Cat Has Fleas
After I got home from the vet, I combed through Charlies long hair with a stainless steel fine-toothed flea comb for long hair.
And sure enough, much to my freak out dismay, I found some dead fleas and a few live ones and a ton of black dots.
If youve never dealt with a flea infestation on your pet before, then here are a few things to know.
First, the actual little buggers will come in varying sizes, but youll know they are fleas, because they have little legs.
But, you may not actually find any live or dead fleas, because they may have jumped off your cat back onto the carpet or bedding after biting your cats poor skin.
But youll see a ton of black dots, because they are the little droppings made by the fleas after biting your cat as they burrow through your cats fur like a maze.
To check if these dots are flea droppings and not just dirt, after combing your cats hair, rub the teeth of the comb on a wet paper napkin. Youll see little black dots at first that instantly turn red.
The red is the blood of your cat that these little blood suckers stole and passed through their system into droppings.
Thats how you know your cat has fleas.
Five Ways To Get Rid Of Cat Fleas
Cat got fleas? Fleas on cats are unfortunately common, especially when it comes to rescuing stray or feral cats. Cat fleas are the most common type of flea and can cause serious annoyance for both you and your feline. They can even carry diseases.
Getting rid of fleas on cats can be a difficult task, especially if you prefer natural remedies that minimize the use of chemicals in your house.
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Can Indoor Cats Get Fleas
Indoor cats, even if they never go outside, can get fleas right inside your home.
Fleas are very tough and cunning little animals, so its very simple for cats to catch fleas even when they arent outside.
Consider yourself lucky if you believed your indoor cats never got fleas or were protected from getting fleas.
Fleas And Their Eggs: How To Get Rid Of Them
After that, youll have to get rid of fleas and their eggs from your house. Although the adult flea cure is killing the live fleas, there should be a continuing programme.
Both bedding should be properly cleaned. Vacuum the mattress when the bedding is free of covers, particularly in crevices where eggs can hide.
Vacuum the carpeting on a regular basis and discard the discarded vacuum bags.
Flea collars should not be placed in the vacuum bag because the heat produced by the machine can create noxious fumes.
The eggs that the vacuum missed will be destroyed by steam washing the carpet.
Much of the time, you wont need to treat your house for fleas or insects. If you should decide to do so, we suggest recruiting a specialist and requesting that they use cat-friendly materials.
Flea remedies for the house are truly secondary to thorough maintenance and regular flea protection for the pets during the year.
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