Fleas

I try not to mess with the kittens too much but I took the opportunity while Bonnie was eating to check on them. They have fleas, not a lot but several. I have a fine tooth comb, kinda looks like a lice comb but it was given to me for Kailey when she was a newborn at the hospital. Could I use that? The tips of one of the kittens tail is kinda rough feeling like dry blood/scabbish. I'm going to be giving Bonnie and the other cats baths so that should loads of fun .

One more thing, they are bout a week old if that and I noticed ones eyes are starting to open. Is that too soon? Normally, I haven't seen them open thier eyes till 3-4 weeks old. Maybe I'm just being paranoid lol.

Do NOT bathe them in over-the-counter shampoo. That stuff is hightly toxic and could well kill the kittens. Can you call your vet to find out if they are too young for Advantage or Revolution? That IMO is the safest way to get rid of these fleas.

The best way to remove fleas from very young kittens:

Your lice comb will probably be fine for this. You will need a bowl of hot water to which you will add just a small drop of dishwashing liquid - you don't need much, just enough to make the water a little sudsy. Also get a bunch of dry paper towels, believe me, you will need them. Don't just take the whole roll, tear a bunch off so they are at the ready. Gently pick up a baby and comb gently in the direction of fur growth to capture the fleas on the teeth of the comb. Quickly dip the comb completely into the water. Totally submerse it to dislodge the fleas. They will float to the top and try to jump off the surface of the water. Cover the bowl when you are combing to prevent this. Dry the comb thoroughly so as not to get baby wet at all and repeat this until you have removed the fleas. Work as quickly as you can so as not to upset Momma and do not put the baby you have just finished back into the nest with the other kittens until ALL of the kittens are combed.

Once all the kittens have been combed, take out the old bedding and wash it thoroughly in hot water and bleach or discard it wrapped up in a sealed plastic trash bag. Replace the bedding with clean and then put the kittens back in the nest. You will need to replace the bedding each and every time you comb the kittens until all the fleas are gone.

THank you guys for the advice! I had an idea but was not completley sure.

My babies had fleas and they will be 4 weeks on Friday and my vet told me to get Advantage and put it on mom and that would kill the fleas on the babies and it did. My babies had blood on their tails as well and now it is no longer there!

While following the advice of your trusted vet is always best, I would be extremely hesitant to put anything like a spot-on flea treatment anywhere near one-week old kittens. Please consult with your vet before using ANY kind of treatment on or around very young kittens.

Also, I forgot to respond to the eye opening question ...

Kittens are very much little individuals and will do things like reaching milestones all in their own time. Unless you are seeing goop in those little peepers, everything should be fine with them opening their eyes now. It can happen anywhere from a couple of days to a couple of weeks so you are fine, I would think.

Thanks, yea the eyes are clean. And yea I'm prolly going to do the comb thing and bath the mom.

I am not sure a bath at 1 week is safe.. I would do the comb and sud water

My 8 week old kitten has a few fleas too. The person at the petstore said to be sure that the fleas were there (that I wasn't just paranoid ) before I use the shampoo she sold us. She said a bath at this age would traumatize him. Is that true?

At 8 weeks old, I think you could safely use one of the spot-on flea treatments which can be purchased at your vet's office. I don't like bathing kittens for fleas or for any other reason, for that matter, but especially not for fleas. There are other, equally good or even better ways to get rid of the fleas without resorting to giving a kitten a bath.

Sirah---- Just had to comment on your childs name. my oldests name is Kailey.

and the eyes should be fine. I have read most open them around 7-14 days old.

and yes just comb the kittens etc. and follow Gayes advice.