Friday, April 19, 2024

How To Get Fleas Off Newborn Kittens

Don't Miss

Heat & Bedding For Newborn Kittens

Kitten & Cat Care : How to Treat Newborn Kittens With Fleas

Kittens can get the chills easily, which can be life-threatening. From the moment you find them, keep the kittens warm and watch out for signs of chilling . If you have nothing else on hand, use your own body heat to warm up a cold kitten, and rub her gently to aid circulation.

Neonatal kittens cannot control their own body temperature until they are at least 3 weeks old. And its very important to hold off on bottle feeding until the kittens have completely warmed up.

At home, build a soft nest with a heating pad that is completely covered with a blanket or towel. Make sure that kittens can move away from the heat if they want. Change the bedding daily or when they have accidents. A kitten can chill if she gets wet, so never submerge kittens in water.

If a kitten needs to be cleaned up, wash only certain parts of her little body with a washcloth. Be sure to always fully dry with a hair dryer and towel.

Should You Give Your Kitten Flea And Worm Medication

What if your new kitten wont be interacting with other animals or if they stay inside? Does your kitten only need flea and worm medication if they go outside?

Even if your kitten is going to be a strictly indoor cat, it is still advised that you treat your kitten for worms and fleas. It wont do them any harm and it will keep them protected.

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.

Don’t Miss: Low-cost Euthanasia For Cats

Why Do Nursing Cats Get Fleas

Nursing cats, especially those coming in and out of the home, are prone to getting flea infestations. Likewise, kittens that roam around outdoors will pick up fleas. Fleas are easy to go from fur to fur. But that doesnt mean indoor cats cannot get it.

Indoor cats might get infested by other household pets and also through their owners carelessness, i.e., a flea making its way through bags and even clothing.

Once the entrance of the flea takes place, they immediately start taking blood for food, reproducing, and may lay up to 50 eggs in a day. For an infestation site to occur, it will take a very minimum amount of time.

While laying eggs, fleas can also end up on the carpet, furniture, and even bed.

How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Kittens

What Do Fleas Look Like on Cats?

There are endless ways of getting rid of fleas on kittens, ranging from flea collars for cats to flea spray for cats and flea pills for cats. While these pet supplies brought from a pet store can most certainly help us get rid of fleas on kittens, but there are also many safe and effective home remedies for getting rid of fleas on kittens.

In the lines below, we will discuss some simple but effective home remedies for cat fleas.

Read Also: How Long Do Cats Bleed After Giving Birth

What Do Newborn Kittens Need

While the queen will usually provide her kittens with warmth and nutrition, it’s good to know what kittens require, in case you need to help. It can be difficult to know how to properly care for vulnerable newborn kittens. Watch our video for advice on how to look after newborn kittens in their early development including healthy weights, healthy physical developments, and how to look after newborn kittens.

Fleas On Kittens: How To Get Rid Of Fleas On Kittens 3 Home Remedies

REVIEWED & FACT-CHECKED

The information contained in this article is for educational purpose and should not be taken as a substitute for your vets opinion, as much depends on circumstances and history peculiar to each pet.

The information contained in this article is for educational purpose and should not be taken as a substitute for your vets opinion, as much depends on circumstances and history peculiar to each pet.

Has your cat been scratching and itching like crazy? Has she been chewing her skin? Does she see seem restless all the time? Probably, pesky little crittersfleas and tickshave been annoying your feline friend. Fleas on kittens is the worst nightmare of every cat owner.

Fleas suck the blood out of our cute little friends and make them itch and scratch. On top of that, the threat of fleas on cats jumping on humans in the house and spreading diseases like typhus and plague is pretty scary. Therefore, cat owners tryand must tryto get rid of fleas on kittens as early as they discover them.

Read Also: How To Use A Flea Comb On A Cat

When Should Vaccinations Begin

Kittens from a healthy mother will have passive immunity to some feline diseases before and shortly after birth. Before birth, the mother’s antibodies cross the placenta and enter the kittens’ circulation. Immediately after birth, the mother produces colostrum, or first milk, which is also rich in maternal antibodies. These maternal antibodies protect the kittens against the diseases to which the mother is immune. This explains why it is often recommended to booster the mother’s vaccinations a few months prior to breeding.

“Although very protective, maternal antibodies last for only a few weeks after this time, the kitten becomes susceptible to disease.”

Although very protective, maternal antibodies last for only a few weeks after this time, the kitten becomes susceptible to disease. The kitten should receive its first vaccines at about six to eight weeks of age. In order to provide strong immunity, one to three booster vaccines will be required to complete the kitten vaccine series. Kittens should be vaccinated against feline panleukopenia, feline viral rhinotracheitis, calicivirus, feline leukemia , rabies, and possibly against Chlamydophila felis. Your veterinarian will discuss your individual cat’s needs at the time of the first visit for vaccinations. The specific vaccines and frequency of vaccination will be based on your cat’s lifestyle and its potential risk of contracting infection.

Newborn Kittens With Fleas

EASY STEP BY STEP getting rid of fleas on newborn kittens DAWN

My cat just birthed 3 kittens less than 48 hours ago, but they all have pretty severe fleas. each kitten has 5-20 fleas on them and the mother has twice as many at least. Ive googled all of this, but I cant get a good idea of what to do. Is it safe to bathe the kittens in shadow warm water with dawn and a wash cloth? What about the mother? Should I wait a few days/weeks and do it when they are older?

19,350

Originally Posted by ChickatMy cat just birthed 3 kittens less than 48 hours ago, but they all have pretty severe fleas. each kitten has 5-20 fleas on them and the other has twice as many at least. Ive googled all of this, but I cant get a good idea of what to do. Is it safe to bathe the kittens in shadow warm water with dawn and a wash cloth? What about the mother? Should I wait a few days/weeks and do it when they are older?I’m sure theres plenty of cat lovers with experience on mmo-champion. But please ask a Vet doctor.

Posts
19,116

Thing is, I dont have the money to take them to the vet. None of the vets around me take payments either.

19,350

Last edited by RobertoCarlos 2015-06-01 at 10:56 PM.

Google definitely has the answers for this one.

Originally Posted by True AnarchNever claimed I was a genuis. Originally Posted by Furitrix

37,913

Fairy tales are more than truenot because they tell us dragons exist, but because they tell us dragons can be beaten. -G. K. Chesterton & Neil Gaiman

Posts
19,116
2,831

#humanesociety

Posts
19,116
19,116
818
22,007

Also Check: Is Grain Bad For Cats

Drying Off The Kitten

After youve used the flea comb, dry your pet off right away using a thick towel. The cat should be placed in a warm room, wrapped in a blanket. After a bath, a kitten can easily become chilled, so its very important that you focus on keeping the kitten warm and avoid using things such as a fan or blow dryer, since they will stress out the kitten.

Back To What’s Important

Once you’ve rid your kitten, home, and yard of pesky fleas, it’s time to snuggle up with your adorable pal once again. With all of the flea business behind you, you can enjoy that love-affirming purr you’ve come to adore.

1. Senestraro, Aja. How to Get Rid of Fleas on Kittens.” PetMD, 7 April 2020, .

You May Like: How To Act Like A Cat

How To Tell If Cat Has Fleas

Watching a cat itching and licking herself, you may rush to a vet or some online pet store to get some flea medicine for cats. But before you do that, you should confirm if there are fleas on cats as cat itching and licking does not always mean that she has fleas. Cats are fastidious creatures, and she might just be doing the routine self-grooming.

Signs That There are Fleas on Kittens

Cats are stoic creatures. They dont let others get a hint about their sickness. So you will have to be vigilant about the signs of sickness in cats. As far as the fleas are concerned, you need to look for the following signs:

  • Cat itching and scratching excessively
  • Cat shaking her head
  • Cat licking her hair coat constantly
  • Hair loss in certain areas due to excessive scratching
  • Cats skin getting red and bumpy is also a sign that there are fleas on kittens.

Spotting Fleas on Kitten

  • In severe cases, you would be able to spot fleas moving on your cats body
  • In less severe cases, you may have to look for fleas in their favorite spotsarmpits and groin
  • Use a fine-toothed metal flea comb and comb your cat. The comb will remove adult fleas and their eggs from your kittens coat.

Home Remedies For Fleas On Kittens

Picking a flea off his ear.

Note: Before using any home-based remedies on your cat, you must consult with your veterinarian, who would recommend the best course of action for getting rid of fleas on kittens, considering your kittens history.

Apple Cider Vinegar for Fleas on Kittens

Apple cider vinegar is one of the most popular at-home remedies for several cat health issues. For instance, it is believed to help our cats fight feline respiratory infection and also help cats with urinary tract infection by lowering the pH of their urine. Similarly, apple cider vinegar is also believed to be an effective way of getting fleas on kittens.

ACV does not kill fleas on kittens but only acts as an irritant for fleas, making them jump off of our little furry friends. While applying ACV to your flea-infested kitten, you should be taking all the precautions as there is a huge chance that fleas may jump on you as you are spraying ACV on your kitten.

Caution!

Never use concentrated ACV on kittens. It may do more harm than good.

Mix apple cider vinegar with water in a 2:1 ratio, and you are good to spray it on your flea-infested kitten. You can also use this solution while washing the beddings of your cat.

Dawn Dish Soap for Fleas on Cats

Believe it or not, dawn dish soap is one of the most effective at-home remedies for fleas on kittens. The dish soap breaks the exoskeleton of the fleas and kills them in minutes.

Cedar Chips for Fleas on Cats

Never Use Essential Oils on Kittens

You May Like: How To Give Cat Dewormer

Was Your Pet Food Recalled

3. Towel dry the kitten.

Dry the kitten right away and completely.

Place the kitten back into a warm environment, such as a heating disk or baby blanket, says Shaw. Kittens can easily become chilled from a bath, and it is of utmost importance that the kitten be kept warm.

4. Clean the bedding or blankets.

Place the dry kitten in an area free from fleas and grab a plastic bag or trash bag. Gather up all bedding and fabric the kitten may have come in contact with and wash them in hot water.

Vacuum any areas the kitten has come in contact with, and treat any other kittens .

Its important to clean the environment as well as the animals otherwise, the fleas will be a persistent problem.

Treatment of the whole house is essential, including soft furnishings, carpet pile, gaps between floorboards and other difficult-to-reach areas, according to International Cat Care.

What Are The Signs That Your Kitten Has Fleas Or Worms

If your kitten loves to explore outside your home, then it is highly likely they will come into contact with fleas or worms while they are roaming outside. In this case, if you notice that they are scratching at themselves a lot more than normal, then you will need to get them some flea medication before the fleas can infest your home. If you notice that your kitten is vomiting up worms, then you should take them to the veterinarian in order to get dewormed. This is routine for newborn kittens up to 6 months old.

Also Check: Kittens For Free In Ct

Flea Medication For Cat & Kittens

You can use flea medication to treat an adult cat or the kittens mother. Flea products for kittens should be followed based on age. These treatments are available as flea shampoo, flea spray, topical medication, flea collars, or pills and are designed to kill both fleas and eggs. However, many types of flea products are designed for pets at least twelve weeks of age and have a powerful chemical content thats unsafe for younger animals.

How Much Does It Cost To Deworm A Kitten

How to Treat Newborn Kittens With Fleas

As previously mentioned, you can bring your kitten into the vet to be treated for worms. You can also purchase worming medication from your local pet care store where youll be assisted as to which medication works best or which would suit your breed of cat. Different medicines come in a variety of costs, depending on brand and seller etc.

Deworming is not a once off thing, regular treatment is needed to prevent re-occurrence.

Also Check: How Often Can You Give Capstar To Cats

Momma Mia 7 Important Tips When Caring For Momma Cats And Kittens

Last week we had one very pretty, very pregnant momma cat who decided to deliver her kittens right there in the trap upon her arrival at our clinic!

First bit of good news, all five of the kittens came out healthy and strong. We then determined that momma cat was a friendly stray, which was the second bit of good news. She was very tame as can be and easy to handle, so the first-time trapper who had brought momma cat in decided to foster the new happy family until the kittens are big enough to wean and adopt out.

As a caregiver, if you ever find yourself in this situation, here are seven important things you need to remember when caring for a momma cat and her nursing newborns.

1) GIVE A GIRL SOME PRIVACY.

2) FEED THE BEST QUALITY WET FOOD YOU CAN, AND LOTS OF FRESH WATER.

Momma cat will be doing most of the work, so you need to take good care of mom. She in turn will take care of the babies. Feed momma the best quality wet food you can if you also feed dry, then leave some dry available for her. Mom needs lots of good quality wet food so that the babies get the best nourishment possible from her while they are in their growth phase. Kittens will nurse every 1-3 hours for the first three weeks. Only when they hit four or five weeks old will they be ready to start weaning off mom and onto wet food.

3) CLEANLINESS IS NEXT TO GODLINESS.

4) FLEA CONTROL IS NOT A LITTLE THING.

5) USE A NON-CLUMPING CLAY LITTER .

6) CLOSELY MONITOR EVERYONES PROGRESS.

Flea Medicines For Kittens

There are a plethora of flea medicines for kittens available in the market that you can choose from. Heres what you need to consider while getting flea medicine for cats:

Permethrin for Cats is Dangerous

No doubt, permethrin is highly effective against fleas, and therefore, can be found in the ingredient section of many of the flea medicines for dogs and humans. But where permethrin is safe for dogs, it is highly toxic to cats. Therefore, you are advised to take a careful look at the ingredients of flea medicines, especially over-the-counter flea products for cats.

Before giving any flea medicine to your kitten, you should carefully take a look at labels. Even if a product is safe to use on adult cats, it is not necessary that it would be safe for young kittens as well. If you are not sure about a products safety for kittens, you must ring your vet to get a quick expert opinion.

Flea Treatment is Approved for Kittens

Most flea medicines for cats available in the market are safe for kittens over 8 to 10 weeks of age or weighing more than 1.5 to 2 pounds. These products are not tested on kittens younger than this age, so they may be inappropriate and at times fatal for young kittens as they have sensitive skin as well as internals. Never use over-the-counter flea medicines for cats on kittens younger than that age.

You May Like: Older Cat Hissing At New Kitten

More articles

Popular Articles

Fancy Feast Canned Cat Food

Brands Of Wet Cat Food