5 day old kittens with fleas

Would it be safe to use Borax on the floors? I want to use Borax and let it sit for 24 hours but mom walks all around the house and then goes back in with the kittens. It will only be on her feet but she'll probably get some on thier bedding. What do you all think?

I went ahead and gave them a bath tonight. I decided to because I noticed one of the kittens wasn't as active as the others. I toweled dried them all and put a hot towel in the little box that I used while I was bathing the next kitten. As soon as I was done mom ran to the box and waited for me to put them all in there. She is nursing and licking them right now. The most fleas that I saw on one kitten was 4. I was only able to keep them in the water for about 2 minutes during rinsing. They were really fighting me. That's a good sign right!? What else should I do? All pets have been treated. I'm vacumming and carpet cleaning daily. Chaning bedding daily. I don't know what else to do. Also there was no blood in the rinse water. I did see a few specks of blood on the kittens as I washed them. I've washed 8 week old kittens before and they turned the water bright red. I was helping a friend get rid of fleas in her house. I'm hoping that the fleas aren't that bad yet and that I managed to catch them in time. They are 9 days old now. Is there anything I should be watching for? Im so worried about them.

lorindaleigh said:

Would it be safe to use Borax on the floors? I want to use Borax and let it sit for 24 hours but mom walks all around the house and then goes back in with the kittens. It will only be on her feet but she'll probably get some on thier bedding. What do you all think?

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Borax dont seems to be poisonous for mammals. Quick googling told  It is used as a additive in food, E 285 Natriumtetraborat (borax), and also in a earlier commonly used night cream, the Cold cream.   I have a weak memory it was also used in some medical solutions, for wounds that wont heal, for sore eyes and so.  But I shall try too look a little more before I swear on anything. Memory can cheat!

Anyway, a weak solution should be OK.  You can also perhaps try to limit moms access to rest of the house??

Another thing you CAN do, harmless and rather efficient, is to use Di-atomeus earth,  the  DE - google, and there is many threads about it here on this site. Some forumists use it and are happy.  Works on most parasites, outer and internal.

It looks like earth, or when you buy a good product, a powder, but it si NOT common dirt, but it contains millions of old silicon algae shells, living millions years ago.  These shell are sharp, and cuts the skin of most parasites, killing them.

But is harmless for mammals.

Make sure you buy it "human grade" or "food grade".

You can spread it a little around, AFTER you did your vacuum, its like a powder.

You can also have it on the cats.  The mom will lick some of it in, but as hinted, it can be used also internally...

These forumites who did tried it, they are pleased with effects.

Look around, and make your decision.  

Good the washing off was so successfull, and there wasnt much blood in the water. Very encouraging!

Good luck!   *vibes*

So glad I gave them a bath. After they took a long nap they started moving around a lot more than what they have been. I don't spot any fleas on them at all. How often should I give them a bath? Every other day as long as I spot fleas or?

We had fleas last year and I tried DE and didn't work at all. It just made a big huge icky mess. The dust from it irritated my lungs.

Borax again...  As said, it is or was, heavily used, for external use, in cremes and medical solutions.

Even a food conservative E285 (or 284 - in another place), used in cavior.

But there ARE also warnings. Nowadays it is known to be poisonous if eaten or coming inside the body...

So my advice would be, if you wash off the flat with borax-solution, limit the moms access to these parts, at least till everything had dried up.  If there are several possible solution, use the mildest at first.

My guess is the small microscopic traces she may pick up when walking on the dry floor, shouldnt be dangerous for her not the kittens.

30 hours later and I don't see any fleas on the kittens. YAY!

I am going to do borax but only a few hours not 24 hours. Hopefully it will still work.

So glad u got ahold of the fleas early on. I too have had very small kittens anemic from fleas, it is so sad to see.

On using Dawn.....when used correctly, Dawn is safe to use on animals. It is actually one of the tools they use on wild animals that are covered in oil from oil spills. It seperates the oil, just like it does to your dishes. I've used it successfully many times. It's the warmth part that can be tricky, especially if there is no mama cat. But it sounds like you did a great job!

Keep us posted on their progress.

I was worried about the water being too hot. I made it a little less warm then what I could tolerate.

I found a flea today on one of the kittens. How often can I safely give the kittens a bath? I'm guessing I should wait until I see more than one? Of course I realize tthat they have more than one flea on them and I'll be able to see more when they are loaded.

Getting ready to vaccum and carpet clean again. YAY!

I wouldn't bathe the kittens too often...just flea comb them daily and bathe maybe once a week IF you see fleas.  Meowgie had a total of 2 baths due to fleas and several rinses due to poos or bottle feeding (milk stuck in his fur ) but I tried hard not to over-do the bathing.  I would flea comb daily or even a few times a day and bath only if necessary.

You can use Revolution (which takes care of worms, fleas, heartworm prevention, etc.) when they are 6-8 weeks old.    My vet says it is fine at 6 weeks if you are having an issue.  With Meowgie, we waited until he was 8 weeks.

Does revolution also get rid of tapeworms? Usually when we have fleas my poor babies get tapeworms as well.

lorindaleigh said:

Does revolution also get rid of tapeworms? Usually when we have fleas my poor babies get tapeworms as well.

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No Revolution isnt effective against tapeworms. It perhaps helps some, I really dont know, but I know it is not supposed to be against tapeworms. But almost everything else.  

There are other spot ons and other types, working on tapeworm and or allround.

Exactly which depends on your country...  (but beware of over the count medicines)

Yes, fleas are an in-middle host for tapeworms, so having fleas, they often do gets tapeworms afterward.

Ps. Good thinking Lorindaleigh.  You must plan also for some sort of tapeworm deworming.  Not today nor tomorrow, but soon.

Tapeworm cats can get from prey animals.  So cats going out and hunting can have tape worm. Tape worm is thus rare in kittens, if they dont get fleas.

Round worms can kittens get from moms.  So unless mom is quaranteely worm free, kittens does often have it, and must be dewormed, by revolution or by some typical anti-round worm. Feks Banminth.

Talk with your vet, is best.

Hopefully at this point I'm just being paranoid. One of the kittens keeps wandering. They are now 11 days old. Their eyes aren't open yet, but they are starting too. This one little kitten keeps crawling outside of the box. I pick him back up put him back in teh box and he crawls back out. Just exploring? Anything to worry about? He does it if mom is in the box or not.

He's just a little explorer, the only thing that I would worry about is him getting turned around and stuck behind something. His momma, if she's a good one, will keep track of him.

He's going to be a stinker!

Whew thanks She finally dragged his little butt back to the box and he hasn't left since. I guess he just needed his momma to get after him haha.

Just wanted to give everyone an update:

Kittens are doing great! I haven't seen any fleas in a few days. All of thier eyes are opened. Tonight they all left the box and started exploring. I can't get them back in! Mom is nursng them outside of the box! It scares me. I have other pets including two very large German Shepards. I'm not worried about them intentionally hurting the kittens (they have been licking and helping clean the kittens tonight) but I am worried about them accidently stepping on the kittens. Any tips on getting them back in the box? Or is that impossible at this stage? They are 15 days old today. I love them all soooo much. It's going to be so hard to part with them, but I can't afford them; that's probably apparent by the fact that I have kittens in the first place.

lorindaleigh said:

Just wanted to give everyone an update:


Kittens are doing great! I haven't seen any fleas in a few days. All of thier eyes are opened. Tonight they all left the box and started exploring. I can't get them back in! Mom is nursng them outside of the box! It scares me. I have other pets including two very large German Shepards. I'm not worried about them intentionally hurting the kittens (they have been licking and helping clean the kittens tonight) but I am worried about them accidently stepping on the kittens. Any tips on getting them back in the box? Or is that impossible at this stage? They are 15 days old today. I love them all soooo much. It's going to be so hard to part with them, but I can't afford them; that's probably apparent by the fact that I have kittens in the first place.

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You can put them back in but unless you have an enclosure or something that will limit their ability to get out,nthey will just climb right back out. Their momma will help protect them and since your shepards are doing so well with them already I wouldn't be too concerned. I might build something to keep them secure a little longer, just until they are nimble, which won't be too much longer.

And yes, it is hard to part with them but you have to know your financial limits. Try to get them placed with a no kill shelter that will make sure they are spayed/neutered before going to their forever homes.

Good luck, you will have your hands full in no time. :lol3:

Just picked up one of my 7 day old kittens, and saw fleas ! Yep, I freaked ! Called vet, NO WASHING THEM !!! only comb them. Also told me to put a flea collar in vacuum and vacuum a couple times a day. Can reuse the collar. So I am off to Walmart to get these things. I so hope that combing will get atleast some out My poor kitties  

Good you were observant, Crazee Dazee, and reacting immediately.

Keep reporting and asking!

Good luck!

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