8 ounce Kitten and Fleas

So some of you have seen my thread about Nermal. He is gaining weight now and acting sooo much more energetic. But... we seem to still be fighting the flea battle. I have bathed him ever so carefully in Dawn which definitely helped, flea combed him with a dab of petroleum jelly, washed his bedding regularly. My other cat and dog are treated with Capstar. It is just that time of year here where it is constant, and he is still way too little for meds. How often can I bathe him in the Dawn? Any other suggestions? Thanks.

Hello! I'm new here, but I'm not new to cat and kitten rescue. Kittens can safely be bathed once a day in Dawn as long as the following items are accounted for: 

1. The bath must be nice and warm

2. Soap must not be allowed in the kitten's eyes

3. Water should not enter the ears

4. The kitten must be immediately towel dried and then blow dried with heat turned on to prevent chilling

5. If the kitten is having trouble staying warm after blow drying (i.e. shivering) it should be wrapped in a warm blanket or towel (I suggest having one warming in the dryer while bathing the kitten). 

6. The kitten must be monitored closely until it is completely dry and is maintaining its body temperature sufficiently to prevent shivering. 

Finally, the least controllable item: 

7. The entire experience must not be traumatic and stressful for the kitten. 

I have given Dawn baths to many, many tiny kittens (some certainly smaller that yours!) and find that the kitten's responses can be classified into three basic groups: some find the experience enjoyable and purr constantly, others are indifferent, and the final group screams constantly in misery. The third group is what you need to be concerned about. If your kitten falls into this group and you are unable to make the experience less miserable for him/her, you cannot safely bathe once daily due to the increased stress. The problem with chronic stress is that it reduces the effectiveness of the immune system (this is also true for humans) and tiny orphan kittens already don't have great immune systems. 

Thanks. I've been bathing him pretty much the way you describe. Blow-drying, then snuggling him with the help of a heating pad until he is all warmed. I would say he isn't too happy about the baths, but he loooooves to be be blow dried and cuddled after. Then he will take a nap and wake up happy, so I don't think it is too awful stressful for him. I was concerned that maybe the Dawn would dry out or irritate his skin if I used it too often. Speaking of which, is there anything I can do for mild skin irritation caused by formula running down his chin during feeding? I keep him wiped down and clean the best I can, but it is still a bit red. I just don't want it to worsen in any way. Thanks.