I just brought home a kitten from my neighbors house. To make a long story short the house is nasty this kitten didn't have a home and is only 6 weeks old, but they want them gone so I took her home. Now the problem... she has fleas... lots of fleas. I think I've probably drowned at least 25 so far and I can still see some on her. She is in my bathroom right now away from my other cats. I know that flea products aren't safe on kittens this little. I called my emergency vets and there is a product I can get from the vets but not until tomorrow cause they don't carry it at the clinic. I'm very concerned about anemia. I think I've gotten most of them off using water and a flea comb, but I feel awful for this sweet littel girl. Does anyone know of something I can get that will help get the rest of the fleas gone? I don't want her getting bitten anymore.
-
Too many ads? Join our community of cat lovers now to reduce ads by 90%! Click here to join for free!
Help please
- Thread starter motherofeight
- Start Date
I know it is a pain in the butt to keep combing, but it is the best way to handle fleas in a little kitten. While there are some who would suggest that one of the spot-on type flea preventatives are safe for kittens, I continue to have my doubts and wouldn't use anything but a comb. Wash everything that has come into contact with this baby in hot water and bleach and continue to comb the fleas off - if you are diligent about it, you'll have this under control in no time.
For now, get some KMR or goat's milk for this little one to help rehydrate and restore balance to his system. Look at his gums ... are they healthy and pink or are they pale and white-ish? If pale then get him in to see the vet.
For now, get some KMR or goat's milk for this little one to help rehydrate and restore balance to his system. Look at his gums ... are they healthy and pink or are they pale and white-ish? If pale then get him in to see the vet.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2004
- Messages
- 14,540
- Purraise
- 2
I seem to remember Hissy recommending a drop or two of Dawn dishsoap in warm water, and giving a bath. She said that it stuns the fleas for awhile, but you still have to "kill" them...I think you still comb them, though.
Motherofeight, I'm sorry you're in this situation.
Last summer I had a feral momma & 5 newborns with fleas...nightmare...I feel your pain.
Motherofeight, I'm sorry you're in this situation.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #4
I just checked her gums and they are a light pink, but she is very active. Right now she is bathing herself after her many baths this morning. She is a very sweet and affectionate kitty I hate that she is going through this. I'm friendly with my neighbors so I don't want to say anything to upset them, but they need to know how infested their kitties are and that they need to do something about it. I'm very angry right now at the situation, and I'm even more relieved that I've gotten this little girl out of their house. This is a picture of her about a week and half ago when she was still there at their house. She is still very small for a six week old kitten she looks more like four weeks. I keep combing her, and I've been drowning the fleas in a mixture of water and flea shampoo which is killing them very well. Her is my little girl Hermione, finally getting the life she deserves.
Awwww, what a little precious puddin! And I LOVE the name Hermione. If you are like me and come up with all sorts of affectionate nicknames for your cats, that name is a great one that rhymes with "hiney" and well, the list for potential nicknames with that is endless. *ROFL*
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #6
Well... I was very fortunate to get all the fleas off of Hermione, and to have found her a great home. She is going to her new home on Monday and they have already made a vet appointment and gotten her too much stuff that she doesn't need. She's going to be spoiled rotten.
The neighbor I got her from has gotten another cat and that cat turned out to be pregnant, and her other momma cat I believe is pregnant again. I have talked with her about it, but she is only 17 and doesn't seem to be all that concerned. She wants to get them spayed, in fact, that's how she found out the new kitty was pregnant and is already almost 50 days into it, but she isn't making an attempt to keep them inside or to keep her entact males away from them. It's very frustrating. I do have a question about the new kitty. She is a DSH and the father is supposed to be a Manx with papers and everything... is there a good chance the kittens will have no tail or a bob tail?
I hope the manx doesn't show up in the kittens, because from what I have heard, manx kittens have more health problems initially!
Can you treat the pregnant cats with the advantage flea drops? That will at least give the new kittens a better chance of survival.
Best of luck in convincing her to spay them.
Can you treat the pregnant cats with the advantage flea drops? That will at least give the new kittens a better chance of survival.
Best of luck in convincing her to spay them.
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #8
I've talked to my neighbor about the fleas and she doesn't really care. She says because of the dogs which are inside outside dogs, that it's impossible to keep them out so they don't treat them. I wish they were my cats and I could do something. It's really frustrating cause I can tell them what they should do, but they don't really care so nothing gets done. I'm going to help them find homes for all the kittens and before they go I'm going to treat them for the fleas myself. I told her I'd take a kitten with no tail or one with a bob tail if that happens cause I've always wanted one, but I can only take one cause I already have quite a few kitties myself. I wish there was more i could do.
I would make her aware that her cats can become pregnant again within a week after giving birth if they are not confined indoors only. The other issue is that her cats could deliver outside, which would be far less safe and if either has complications during labor outdoors...it could risk the mom and the kittens. She really needs to confine her mother cats until she can safely have them spayed.Originally Posted by Motherofeight
Well... I was very fortunate to get all the fleas off of Hermione, and to have found her a great home. She is going to her new home on Monday and they have already made a vet appointment and gotten her too much stuff that she doesn't need. She's going to be spoiled rotten.The neighbor I got her from has gotten another cat and that cat turned out to be pregnant, and her other momma cat I believe is pregnant again. I have talked with her about it, but she is only 17 and doesn't seem to be all that concerned. She wants to get them spayed, in fact, that's how she found out the new kitty was pregnant and is already almost 50 days into it, but she isn't making an attempt to keep them inside or to keep her entact males away from them. It's very frustrating. I do have a question about the new kitty. She is a DSH and the father is supposed to be a Manx with papers and everything... is there a good chance the kittens will have no tail or a bob tail?
Katie
I would just treat the momcats without telling her. If they come outside, you can easily treat them. It won't end the problem if the dogs and the carpets still have fleas, but it may make less fleas on the cats, therefore less on the kittens.
It is hard when you feel like someone won't listen. And then they get another preggers cat!
It is hard when you feel like someone won't listen. And then they get another preggers cat!
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #11
I spoke with my neighbor about keeping the kitties inside which I think that Socks, the new preg kitty, does stay indoors, but when I went last night to check out Erin again, she was outside. She still looks pregnant to me, but she goes to the vet on Friday and they will find out for sure. I've already told her that I'll take one of her pregnant kitties over here to care for it through the birth and until the kittens are weaned, that way I can make sure she stays inside, I can treat the fleas, and the kittens will have a better start. My sister isn't happy about this, but she agrees that it is a good solution for the kitties. I don't know what more I can do about educating my neighbor because everything I tell her just goes in one ear and out the other, of she is a teenager so what do I expect.
You need to get those males done as soon as possible - it costs a lot less for them then the females. Is there any clinics or rescue groups that offer low cost spay/neuter in your area?
- Thread Starter Thread Starter
- #13
Yes the Humane society here does low cost neuters and spays, but my neighbors are not concerned with getting their male cats done. I've tried to talk to them about it, but they just don't seem to be listening. If I could afford I would take them in myself and do it, but I'm still getting all mine done so it's just not possible for me to get theirs done as well right now. I'm going to keep talking to them and hopefully they will listen.
