What can I do to combat fleas in 6 week old kittens?

Question

Cat people rock...thank you all for your sincere and helpful answers!

Answer 1

Call around and get the best price on ADVANTAGE for 1 application.

Answer 2

I had tiny orphaned flea infested kittens last fall, so I know what you are facing! They are too tiny (about 12 days old) to put anything directly on them.

My vet recommended "mycodex" by SensiCare, Flea & Tick Spray. It was less than $20. The vet's instructions were to only spray their bedding and it does have a nice fragrance.

But when they were about the age of yours, I did spray some on a Q-tip and rub it on the back of their neck and spine, it was just damp and let it dry. This is an area they couldn't reach to groom anyway. I didn't have any problems and in a few weeks we were flea-free.

The other thing to do is wash their bedding frequently to combat the egg and larva stages of the flea cycle. Use the flea comb like someone above said to trap and kill the adult fleas.

Good Luck with your battle!

Answer 3

Don't buy anything over counter, Hartz, etc, 5 of my 12 cats literally almost died when I tried their product instead of my usual Advantage, (trying to save a buck, which I'll never do again) and I ended up with huge vet bill. Thank God they all made it, and when I contacted Hartz, they said mail in the original package and they will refund, well I didn't know my cats were going to get sick and had thrown them away, I won't buy anything from them again, they are NOT a pet company, just a pet corporation that sells pet products.
Anyway, you can bathe them in ORIGINAL DAWN dishwashing liquid, any vet or rescue will tell you same thing. It is perfectly safe (don't get in eyes), it's what they use on all our wildlife that gets subjected to oil, etc. It does work also. And change their bedding immediately after washing. In 2 more weeks they will be old enough for advantage or frontline also. They are both very good products, but call your vet and just check out what they suggest, usually someone there will be more than willing to share some info on this common pest problem and babies. If the babies have too many they can actually go into anemia and get very sick. So good luck to you and kitties.

Answer 4

Frontline spray is about the only safe product. The Frontline drops can only be used on an animal of at least 8 weeks of age, but the spray is safe for use in kittens from 2 days of age. Go to a vets to get some now.

Hope no one suggests the usual crackpot rubbish - ignore any suggestions involving dish soap or any form of bathing - kitties do not need or like baths, and it doesn't work!!

Chalice

EDIT: Flea combs are for testing for the presence of fleas and removing flea dirts - don't even BOTHER trying to comb the fleas out, you and the kitten will die of old age before you even make a dent in the number of them! Fleas need to be KILLED - you probably need to spray your house as well by the way, because the fleas are laying eggs in it. Again, get stuff from a vets.

Answer 5

I used to use flea powder on my cats, and it worked fine; but then they came out with flea drops. That is so much easier. Once a month, you just rub a few drops into the fur on the back of their neck and down their back. I think WalMart probably sells some that aren't so expensive by Hartz or some other company. I think Frontline is two or three times more expensive. You should probably get some flea powder to treat their bedding.

Answer 6

When my gf and I got our second kitten it was infested with fleas and infested our entire apartment. I put both cats in the bathroom and sprayed the entire apartment with some flea spray I got at the grocery store, I dont remember its name but it was in a purple bottle.

After I sprayed the entire room I gave both the cats a bath. Dont believe people that say this wont work because it does. Just leave them sudded up with soap for like 10 minutes and dry rinse them off really good and wrap them in a towel and kill as many fleas as you can. You can just squish them with your fingernails. Since you can kill a good amount this way and the fleas are dead in the apartment. few fleas will be around.

I gave my cats bathes everyday for like 3 or 4 days and we got rid of the fleas.

Answer 7

Advantage and Frontline are safe for kittens as small as a few days old, but not in a full dose. I recommend you ask a vet for the correct dosage for your kittens when you buy the product.

Don't use any over-the-counter flea stuff from a pet store or a grocery store. They contain insecticides that can make a cat sick and can kill a kitten.

Answer 8

I had this problem with puppies that were fostered by my family. When we spoke with out vet they told us that if the fleas are bad enough to get front line flea spray and spray a little on your fingers and put it on the back and belly of the pet. Not alot though. Fleas can get really bad and sometime kill little babies. It's scary but, you should call our vet and see what they recommend.

Answer 9

Frontline, available from your vet, will rid you of fleas and other stuff for at least 6 weeks.

Answer 10

Get a flea comb (metal teeth work best) and comb the fleas and eggs off of them at least once daily until they are old enough to be treated.