When kittens are born, why are they covered with tiny fleas?

Question

I have 4 calico kittens and they all have little fleas crawling all over them. What can I do?

Answer 1

I have seen a lot of kittens with fleas just after they're born. It seems like they have a lot but I think it's just because the fleas are so enormous that they look more than they are. They get them from the mother cat. I wouldn't worry about it, the mother knows how to deal with it.

Although I could be wrong, maybe your kittens do have tiny fleas but the mother will still take care of that.

Answer 2

They've picked up fleas from the environment. I think there are mild flea treatments especially for kittens but you shouldn't use the adult treatments as it will harm them. Try a warm bath when they are a little older. Keep changing the bedding and keep the mum treated.

Here is some more info:
"Fleas can cause young kittens to become anemic. This is a potentially fatal condition in kittens.

# Try to get the little guys, the mother cat, the dog and their environment flea-free as soon as possible.
# Use a flea comb to gently remove the dirt and fleas from the fur.
# Ask your vet for a flea spray that is safe to use on just born kittens, if you do not find a safe spray use the flea comb (always read the warnings)
# If you used a spray, then:
Place the kitten on a towel for ~20 minutes and discard the towel with the dead and dying fleas that have come off.
After using a spray, you can give the kitten a bath in gentle soap (make sure water is lukewarm).
Towel dry the kitten towel-dry it. "

Answer 3

Kittens should not have fleas, no cat should. It's especially dangerous in kittens. Fleas are easy to treat, so there is no excuse for it.

Get some Frontline spray from your vet as soon as possible. This spray is safe to use on kittens from 2 days old. You will also need to treat the mother with this so they can't pass fleas to each other. You will need to separate mum and kittens until they are dry from the spray. It's not very nice, but it doesn't take long and it DOES need to be done.

Please don't use any petshop products or home remedies, these can be dangerous. So - no Dawn Dishwashing soap, no bathing the kittens. Kittens can get hypothermic quick when soaked, and there is no need to it. This is why suitable preparations from vets are available - use them!

Chalice

Answer 4

Get them to a vet. Kittens can be killed quickly by a flea infestation. They're too young for flea medications which can also kill them. The fleas need to be removed from the kittens as well as the mother. The areas where the kittens and their mother sleeps also needs to be cleaned up or the fleas will continue to lay eggs and reproduce.

Answer 5

Kittens are harder to treat for fleas, so any pregnant cat should be WELL TREATED for fleas BEFORE delivery to protect the newborn kits.

I read your repsonses, and you should check into the Frontline that she stated is OK to use on kittens from 2 days of age. I've never heard of that or seen that. That would be a real blessing, and you need to treat the mama cat as well, or she'll just keep giving them fleas.

There are flea combs for cats that you can get to help comb the fleas out, but have some soapy water to dump the fleas in to kill them.

If she and the kits are in the house, you need to flea treat the area where they have been staying, as fleas will reside in rugs, blankets, etc and wait for a new victim to jump on.

I treated my kits a little early with a foamy anti-flea kitten wash and it worried me as most flea treatments will harm a kit.

You will probably need to take the kits to a vet, as I don't think you can get Frontline without a Vet's authorization.

You can also get a special comb for combing fleas out of cat fur, but make sure you have a container of soapy water to dunk the comb in quickly and push the fleas into the soapy water to drown and kill them.

Answer 6

Kittens aren't born with fleas. The fleas would come from their surroundings, like the mother cat/blankets/carpet, etc. I would call the vet and ask him as you have to be very careful how you would treat the flea situation with chemicals. In the meantime, I would personally try to at least pick them off until I called the vet. Good luck on your kitties.

Answer 7

the only issues you're able to do with the kitten is a tub with very easy cleansing soap or get a flea comb and push aside the fleas, protecting a soapy water dish and dipping it so which you kill the fleas fairly of them getting away onto each and every thing you're able to try this with the mum additionally no longer very appealing, no longer very difficult, no longer very everlasting, yet risk-free for the momma and nursing kittens Take the flea collar off now, that's poisonous to the kittens and would not truly artwork do no longer take care of the momma with chemical components mutually as she is nursing, frontline etc is fantastic in any different case and truly effective, yet its too previous by apply whilst they are pregnant repeat the flea combing every day until eventually she is uninfested whilst the kittens are not from now on nursing use a flea scientific care from the vet in case you won't have the ability to make certain the fleas placed glasses on, yet it rather is an exceedingly risk-free and extremely effective approach to apply, truly the superb one for the kittens you're in a position to apply the soapy tub for the mum less difficult than combing or she could scratch and merchandise solid luck is for solid hearts

Answer 8

The mother ingested the egg from herself and the mother still could have them. You may want to ask your vet to see what you can do because flea meds could do harm to new born kittens. And if the mother is still nursing them the meds could do harm to the kittens.

Answer 9

The fleas probably came off of the mother. My sister use to breed siamese cats and this happened to her. She had to sit down and pick every single flea off of those kittens and kill the flea. They can kill the kittens and I'm sure they cause them discomfort.

Answer 10

They are not just born that way.
You have eggs and fleas in your carpet.
Send cats to groomer for bath, while you fumigate with a special egg killer.
You should purchase at your vet, so you get a brand that is effective.
They will also give instructions about clean up after fumigation.