My kitten has fleas and I'm freaked out. Any advice? Can you help me?

Question

OK, my family just got a new Siamese kitten a month or so ago, and we just discovered that he has fleas. (or at least I think they are fleas--they're small, black, and were crawling in the fur by the top of his head) I don't understand how he has fleas because he has never been allowed outside of the house before, and we checked the other cat (who is allowed outside) and he is completely flea-free. This new kitten, however, has recently been catching mice in the unfinished part of our basement, something the other cat has never done, so I'm wondering if he somehow got the fleas from these mice.
Only, I read online that mice don't get fleas they get mites, and if so what's the difference? I read something else that if mice do have fleas, the fleas are really dangerous and can pass on diseases to not only cats but humans. Can anyone help me out???
I sort of have a phobia of lice and fleas and things like that, so I'm really freaking out and would appreciate any help.

Answer 1

You cat wouldn't get fleas or mites from a rat. My cats are inside, and NEVER go outside, however they still get fleas sometimes. Don't worrym it is very normal. All you need to do is visit your vet and buy some flea medications. Then just give it to your cats and they should be fine in no time! :)
Good luck!

Answer 2

1. NEVER buy any flea product from the store, especially flea collars. They are toxic and too strong for any animal. There is no regulations on those products and the companies can claim anything they want as long as the pets live more often than not.

2. Get some flea medicine from your vet... it will be cheaper in the long run.

3. Clean your house really well. Vacuum daily.

4. Keep both your cats inside, or at the very least use a monthly flea preventative such as Revolution which will also protect against heartworms, ticks, and other nasties.

5. Don't let your cat eat mice. Use the "sound" traps which are safe to use around cats. I had to use them once. They just use sound waves to kill the mouse in a little box.

Answer 3

Call your vet. See if they have a product called Capstar. Capstar is a pill that taken once, fleas will start falling off within a 1/2 hour. I would also consider a flea preventative for both of your cats, which ever you would choose for the next 3 months. Be sure you do a good cleaning of your house completed with a flea spray, not bomb. If you are looking for a name: a good one is called Mycodex. You can find that at your vet's office. If you do any vacuuming, be sure you take out your vacuum bag and throw it outside, do not keep it in the vacuum cleaner or in your garbage inside your house. As the fleas could contiune breeding and get out of the vacuum. I'd also take care of the mice problem too, as that could cause more problems than just lice or fleas.

added:
stay away from flea collars. expecially for kittens. they can cause them to become sick.

Answer 4

Indoor cats still get fleas. Its a myth that they don't. Fleas can enter houses as easily as any bug. It's unlikely to have anything to do with the mice - yes, mites are more likely to have mites, these are a different species of insect to fleas. Don't worry about the mice - although if you have a cat that's eating them, she needs to be regularly wormed. Worms are often caught by eating infected mice.

You don't need to be freaked out about having fleas, they're easy enough to deal with these days. Just get something from your vets, like Frontline or Revolution, this should sort kitty right out. You should treat both cats, because even if you don't see them on the other cat they're likely to be there - animals have differing levels of susceptibility. Plus, if you treat one cat and the fleas then can't get that one, they'll turn to the other cat!

Don't use any treatments from pet stores because they don't work, and many are dangerous. Also don't use Dawn dish soap or garlic, or salt or Borax or whatever other nonsense people on here usually suggest. Just pick something up from a vets. You will probably need to treat your house as well.

Chalice

Answer 5

From my own experience with two cats, Frontline Cat is the only treatment that works. You apply it to the back of the neck where the cat can not lick it, and in 24 hours the fleas drop off dead. The cat is then protected for approx 4 weeks, before it has tpo be applied again. If you find vets charges too expensive, you can buy it on the Internet now since 2005, and much much cheaper than the vet would charge you. Dont forgewt to treat your house after treating the cat. Hope that helps you.

Answer 6

Make particular you're utilising the spot medical care from the Vet and not the over the counter spot medical care. there's a large exchange. in case you used earnings or something comparable the fleas will leave. yet, you're actually not waiting to bathe your kitten 3 days till now than or 3 days after, so only approximately, an entire week. in case you bathe the kitten any time in the time of that week the spot medical care won't artwork properly. I had a matching dilemma approximately 2 years interior the previous. We obtained a clean kitten that replaced into as quickly as infested with fleas. We obtained the earnings from the vet and interior a week the full element replaced into as quickly as large. (It makes your cat authentic right into a flea magnet, so now no longer superb does it kill the fleas on your kitten, besides the undeniable fact that it truly additionally seems in spite of each thing of the fleas interior the residence.) additionally, ascertain you're vaccuming. you will ought to vaccum a minimum of one time an afternoon till you be conscious the dilemma reducing. The fleas stay in carpeting and furniture and that's wherein they lay their eggs. sturdy sturdy fortune!

Answer 7

Both of your cats should be treated for fleas. Go to a vet and find out what they recommend doing. BE CAREFUL. You must give flea treatments intended for CATS ONLY and you must be aware of how much your kitten and cat weigh. You can seriously harm them if you give them the wrong amount or the wrong type of flea treatment. If you have strictly indoor cats you have no flea problems and they will not get hit by cars. Don't let your cats eat/kill/play with mice --- this can make them sick. Keep the cats out of the basement.

Answer 8

Fleas can be in your house without ever noticing it. They live and breed in carpet, and aren't harmful to humans, just very annoying if you have a lot. Certain cats don't seem to get fleas, while other breeds tend to get them bad. Not sure whym, but I have an easy and cheap solution. Go to Walmart or a pet store and get some flea carpet fresh for the carpet if you have some. Follow the directions on it, and then give your cat a bath in Dawn dishsoap. Kittens are not hard to give baths as long as you hold them right. The carptet stuff kills any fleas in the carpet and the dawn dish soap will kill all the fleas on your cat. I know this sounds crazy, but it works, I swear. When you get all the fleas off your kitten, go to your local vet and get the drops you put on the back of their neck. It lasts for 30 days and is fairly cheap. I know your pain, and I got rid of the fleas by doing everything I wrote here. Good Luck!

Answer 9

I use a product called Advantage which controls fleas and worms. It is great. just a small tube of liquid applied to the back of the [kitten's!] neck.

Your kitten could have picked up the fleas from just about anywhere, they could have been eggs that were present when you got himand have hatched later? Carpets can have them at certain times of the year, particularly when the house is shut up?

I have no problem with fleas on our cat using this product. You should buy it from your vet.

Answer 10

Fleas are normal.
Get yourself a good flea comb (not the 99cent safari ones).
Use that. Generally fleas are a dark reddish brown and hop like crazy. I'd suggest using the comb and every few strokes, use a paper towel, get the crud and bugs out of the comb, then throw that in a closed ziplock bag. Repeat.
Then go to the vet and order frontline, advantage, or revolution. Do not buy over the counter and especially DO NOT BUY HARTZ!!