Newborn Kittens Have Fleas

Fleas can make kittens itchy and spread disease and if they re really severe they can even cause serious blood loss and illness.

Newborn kittens have fleas. Apply a new layer with a towel every couple of days. The worst thing you can do is nothing. Then rub the towel over the baby kitten being sure not to get it in its eyes ears or mouth. Take a dry hand towel and spray the ovitrol or other flea tick spray and cover the towel.

Check the kitten for fleas by combing through the fur with your fingers or with a flea comb. In consultation with your vet kittens over 4 weeks old may be treated with capstar there is a minimum weight requirement. Fleas can make a new home on your kitten in many ways even in indoor cats. As soon as you notice there are fleas either in the house or on a pet take action.

Slightly older kittens may be able to handle some medication or a flea brush but make sure to consult your vet first to avoid harming your kittens. Again newborn kittens need manual flea removal. Newborn kittens with fleas or ticks should be treated immediately. Other flea medications safe for kittens list 8 weeks of age as a minimum.

Fleas hate it but it is safe for your pet. Cats with a heavy infestation or pale coats are easier to diagnose fleas. Signs of fleas on kittens close up of a flea and flea dirt in a cat s coat a flea infestation isn t always evident especially if the cat has a dark coat or the flea population is low. Have tweezers at your side.

Some methods for getting fleas off of pets such as flea combing and bathing will only kill the adult fleas on your kitten they don t prevent new fleas from jumping on them. While you can safely use flea medications on nursing mothers manual removal is usually necessary for newborn kittens. This application kills the adult fleas but not their offspring. When the fleas surface pluck them out and send down the drain.

However most professional flea and tick products contain toxic ingredients that can be fatal to kittens. Every foster parent should have a flea comb. Blood sucking parasites can be fatal to kittens as they can cause anemia or a low red blood cell count or carry lyme disease. It hasn t let me down yet.