Help with fleas in kittens?

mandyflowers · Oct 7, 2015

Hi everyone

My cat got pregnant (she was a feral and she only likes to be inside to eat and sleep, but she never learned how to use a litter box, always manages to find a way to go outside or else she poops inside, and that's how she got pregnant, i'm sorry but i don't feel good about restricting a cat inside if she really wants to go outside to eliminate.)

She gave birth to four kittens a week and five days ago, they are all healthy although one seems thinner than the rest and is the latest one to open his eyes, he is just starting now to open one, but the other three all have their eyes completely open by now.

I picked up one of the kittens the other day and saw to fleas, tried to take them out but i couldn't have a grasp at them, it's so hard to do it manually.

So what is your recommendation? I know the kittens are way too young to take any medications, also i never saw any fleas on the mother, but maybe that's because she has very long fur and they hide well, but i think that if the kittens have fleas, the mother obviously has them too. So, do i treat the mother and then manually take the fleas off of the kittens? Does water harm the kittens at this young of an age? Do i use any soap? If i use a flea comb will that hurt them?

Also i'm really frustrated because i told my mother this and she told me 'all kittens have fleas, is normal and you shouldn't worry about it' Yeah, we'll see how you like that when they die of anemia.

So clearly i'm alone in this, and i need any advice you might have.

Also, the thinnest kitten... is it normal that he is so slow at developing or is he maybe having a problem? I think he's just the slowest one.

I'm sorry if i did some thing wrong, please don't be judgemental, i'm completlely alone in this and have no experience at all, but want to learn and do my best.

Also sorry for my poor english.

StefanZ · Oct 8, 2015

MandyFlowers said:
Hi everyone

My cat got pregnant (she was a feral and she only likes to be inside to eat and sleep, but she never learned how to use a litter box, always manages to find a way to go outside or else she poops inside, and that's how she got pregnant, i'm sorry but i don't feel good about restricting a cat inside if she really wants to go outside to eliminate.)

She gave birth to four kittens a week and five days ago, they are all healthy although one seems thinner than the rest and is the latest one to open his eyes, he is just starting now to open one, but the other three all have their eyes completely open by now.

I picked up one of the kittens the other day and saw to fleas, tried to take them out but i couldn't have a grasp at them, it's so hard to do it manually.

So what is your recommendation? I know the kittens are way too young to take any medications, also i never saw any fleas on the mother, but maybe that's because she has very long fur and they hide well, but i think that if the kittens have fleas, the mother obviously has them too. So, do i treat the mother and then manually take the fleas off of the kittens? Does water harm the kittens at this young of an age? Do i use any soap? If i use a flea comb will that hurt them?

Also i'm really frustrated because i told my mother this and she told me 'all kittens have fleas, is normal and you shouldn't worry about it' Yeah, we'll see how you like that when they die of anemia.

So clearly i'm alone in this, and i need any advice you might have.

Also, the thinnest kitten... is it normal that he is so slow at developing or is he maybe having a problem? I think he's just the slowest one.

I'm sorry if i did some thing wrong, please don't be judgemental, i'm completlely alone in this and have no experience at all, but want to learn and do my best.

Also sorry for my poor english.

Its easier to comb out the fleas, if you cant pluck them out. Drown them in a bowl with water and some liquid soap or dish washing mild soap.

If they are really heavy infested, its possible to bathe them with a mild liquid soap, alike Blue Dawn, but its verry necessary to be cautios and make everything they dont get chilled out...

Here it doenst sound they are that heavy infested, but I do agree with you, its better to get rid of these fleas, than leave them be. More than one kitten has perished from fleas.

Consider to give the thinner one some extra food, alike kmr or goat milk. You will prob need to use a needleless syringe.

Exactly HOW to do it, we will take later, but begin to planning on it.

Also, it helps to weigh them on a scale every day, so you see if they gain properly, should be about 10 grammes a day.

Sarthur2 · Oct 8, 2015

Put a tube of Advantage on the mother cat's neck. It should help the kittens too. In another couple of weeks you can put a tiny drop on the back of each kitten's neck.

Other over-the-counter preparations are not effective, and some, like Hartz products, burn a cat's skin. You can buy Advantage from a vet, a pet store, or Amazon. It comes in 4-packs, is not cheap, but works very well. Since this cat goes outside, you'll need to apply it once a month. The kittens got their fleas from her whether you see them or not.

The runt probably needs supplementing with KMR, which is kitten formula. The powdered kind is best. It's mixed with water, and you would need a 1-2 mL syringe to feed the baby tummy down, head up, drop by drop in the side of its mouth. Baby probably needs 8-10 mLs every 4 hours to put on weight.

KMR - preferably by PetAg - is found at vet's, pet stores, and some Walmarts in the US. Do not buy the liquid.

Are the kittens inside your home so you can socialize them? How many kittens are there?

Mama cat also needs a diet with lots of wet food, such as Fancy Feast, and plenty of high-calorie kitten chow to produce rich milk for nursing her kittens. She needs to eat around the clock.

You will need to get this cat to a vet to be spayed once the kittens wean, or she will produce litter after litter, which is very hard on a cat. Then she can go to the bathroom outside without getting pregnant.

mandyflowers · Oct 8, 2015

sarthur2 said:
Put a tube of Advantage on the mother cat's neck. It should help the kittens too. In another couple of weeks you can put a tiny drop on the back of each kitten's neck.

Other over-the-counter preparations are not effective, and some, like Hartz products, burn a cat's skin. You can buy Advantage from a vet, a pet store, or Amazon. It comes in 4-packs, is not cheap, but works very well. Since this cat goes outside, you'll need to apply it once a month. The kittens got their fleas from her whether you see them or not.

The runt probably needs supplementing with KMR, which is kitten formula. The powdered kind is best. It's mixed with water, and you would need a 1-2 mL syringe to feed the baby tummy down, head up, drop by drop in the side of its mouth. Baby probably needs 8-10 mLs every 4 hours to put on weight.

KMR - preferably by PetAg - is found at vet's, pet stores, and some Walmarts in the US. Do not buy the liquid.

Are the kittens inside your home so you can socialize them? How many kittens are there?

Mama cat also needs a diet with lots of wet food, such as Fancy Feast, and plenty of high-calorie kitten chow to produce rich milk for nursing her kittens. She needs to eat around the clock.

You will need to get this cat to a vet to be spayed once the kittens wean, or she will produce litter after litter, which is very hard on a cat. Then she can go to the bathroom outside without getting pregnant.

Yes, i will talk to a vet ASAP about all of these things, it's very hard to find those things you mention in the city i live, but i'll try hard.

The kittens are inside and as i pick them to check them every half and hour or so, i know they will get used to being handled soon, now they just cry. There are four kittens and the mother takes very good care of them.

The mother eats well, we feed her every time she asks for food.

Yes i will get her spayed, i don't want her to go through all the pain again, the birthing procces was very stressful for her and for me, also in my house there are already 7 cats, counting mine and her kittens (the other two are feral and live outside, i only feed them ocasionally but i love them as if they were mine) and two dogs, so...

What worries me here is that this would be the first time i'll have to do all of this by myself, i'm only 18 years old and never did any of this, and it's hard for me because some problems i have, but i guess i'll have to overcome them, because my mother clearly isn't going to help me buy all these things. I don't care, i refuse to lose any of these kittens, i know very well the pain of losing a very young pet, and i don't wanna go through it again

mandyflowers · Oct 8, 2015

You can see here the thinnest kitten (first pic) compared to the largest one (last pic), the other two, black with white patches, are somewhat inbetween the size of these two. I don't have a weight to really be sure, but maybe some of you know if the first kitten looks healthy.

DSC09210.JPG

mandyflowers
Oct 8, 2015

DSC09211.JPG

mandyflowers
Oct 8, 2015

StefanZ · Oct 8, 2015

He looks OK, but on the thin side, definitely. Telling the truth, not even the roudnest one is very round... So do plan on giving them extra, especially him you consider as thin and a little late, Either the KMR mentioned - or other good brand you find - or goat milk if its easier for you to get..

They aren tiny and weak, so syringe feeding isnt not any longer as dangerous as with the weak ones, whom barely manage to swallow. So you will do all right, as long as you are careful.

I hope you find a low cost spaying clinic nearby - its definitely useful for the ferales you help.

You are planning nicely!

momofmaxwell · Oct 8, 2015

Hi MandyFlowers.With my feral kittens that I trap or find I use 5 fosters who will bottle feed if Momma is gone.They do use the KMR but do add Royal Canin babycat mixed in(small amounts) with it depending on just how young..Like a slurry.if you want to know more about kittens, this link is amazing having many kittens ,spaying & neutering & almost anything else.Defleaing.ETC. Live births o people can see but stil have their cat's fixed.For education or someone that wants their children to watch it.It is all there many domestic dumped Mommas as well as feral ,pregnant moms giving birth in captivity.I have dons some volunteer work for them.Super people.Super Shelley. www.tinykittens.com & for feral lovers ,trappers you can google People for Happier Cats.Another branch off from tinykittens.Enjoy

C. These kittens were weighed every day to show an improvement or delcine.So important that they gain weight.Shelley has a graph online shows everyone's weights etc.She uses a baby scale.You could just use a food scale ,postal scale,digital that goes way down in small ounce increments.

mandyflowers · Oct 8, 2015

My mother talked to a vet, he said there's nothing to do with the kittens, but we can treat the mother. I still don't know, i think at least i can comb the kittens with a flea comb. He didn't mention anything about that. In my city, the vets are kind of old fashioned and not very efficient, that's why i came here for advice... so sad.

Well, i'm going to see what i can do and maybe talk to another vet. Thanks everyone for offering help, it is much appreciated.

Sarthur2 · Oct 8, 2015

We've offered advice and it's not much different from the vet's. The sooner you treat mom the better. When the kittens are 4 weeks old you can put a tiny dot of Advantage on each of their necks, as I mentioned above. You can use a flea comb in the meantime. When they are 8 weeks old they can have a couple of drops of Advantage on their necks. They are too young to be bathed.

mandyflowers · Oct 8, 2015

sarthur2 said:
We've offered advice and it's not much different from the vet's. The sooner you treat mom the better. When the kittens are 4 weeks old you can put a tiny dot of Advantage on each of their necks, as I mentioned above. You can use a flea comb in the meantime. When they are 8 weeks old they can have a couple of drops of Advantage on their necks. They are too young to be bathed.

Well yes i know, but i was trying to test the vet's knowledge by asking him if he would tell me about the flea comb option and he didn't.

Something interesting he told me though, was that the mother could be bathed (with water only because shampoo may harm the kittens) and then combed, i'm going to have to try that although my experience with cat bathing was never good.

Sarthur2 · Oct 8, 2015

I would not recommend bathing a nursing mother.

You need to treat her with a topical flea preparation and gently flea comb the kittens.

Are you planning to purchase Advantage?

momofmaxwell · Oct 8, 2015

Hi MandyFlowers.

You can fill up your bathroom sink with hot water.Have a towel besides the sink.Hopefully you have counter space there.Get a flea comb.Place a towel there & start with one baby.This is hot water only.No soap.Not too hot that you cannot put your hand under it.Sit the baby on the towel you holding it with your say left hand.Do one stroke down the back of the babe very gently then take the comb & dip in the water & hold it down.You'll kinda have to do it single handed to hold the babe with your left hand not to wander.or have an assistant.Pick any hair or anything off & lve in the sink.then another stroke very gently as a comb can cut.Keep doing this staying away from their faces as they are too small.When done with one have a clean fuzzy towel & dry them off really well.So they don't get cold.Drain the sink & run continual hot water down it.If you have any flea shampoo even for dog's put a small amount in the sink add some water & let that drain in hopes of killing what went down there.Then rinse the sink really well from any flea shampoo residue.Start all over again with the next kitten being very careful.Drying etc.I used to do this with my adults only I filled the sink with hotwater & added cat flea shampoo while the water was running so the fleas would die.But NO SOAP for babes.Also if you have a plug for the sink.Put it on afterwards when done.Also a bed with a heating blanket under a towel,not too hot would be good as they CANNOT GET COLD.HTH C.You don't get them soaking wet either.I would start with backs & stay away from faces & tummy areas & legs.They CANNOT BE BATHED.C.

jen · Oct 14, 2015

The warm sink water you are dipping the flea comb into can have dawn dish soap in it. It is safe for kittens and mom and will stun the fleas as well. Works wonderfully!

Help with fleas in kittens?

mandyflowers

TCS Member

Thread starter

StefanZ

Advisor

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire

mandyflowers

TCS Member

Thread starter

mandyflowers

TCS Member

Thread starter

DSC09210.JPG

DSC09211.JPG

StefanZ

Advisor

momofmaxwell

TCS Member

mandyflowers

TCS Member

Thread starter

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire

mandyflowers

TCS Member

Thread starter

Sarthur2

Cat lady extraordinaire

momofmaxwell

TCS Member

jen

TCS Member

Latest Posts

Connect with us