I've been bathing my kitten every other day and combing her several times daily with a metal flea comb to rid her of the fleas she had when I adopted her, but now she seems to have ear mites as well!! I've been cleaning her ears twice daily (GENTLY) with Q-Tips and baby oil, but I'm not sure if it's the right thing to be doing -- any suggestions??
2007-11-14 02:33:22 · 7 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pets ➔ Cats
I've been bathing her just with Ivory dish washing liquid, and now when I comb her I find no fleas and next to no flea dirt... I've also been vacuuming daily and I think the fleas may be more or less under control. I know I can't treat her with anything too strong because she is only 4 weeks old, which is why I am hesitant as to what to do about her ear mites
2007-11-14 02:46:19 · update #1
Is that Revolution treatment safe for a kitten this young though? (she's 4 weeks)... ?
2007-11-14 04:02:08 · update #2
The vet can give you a medicine that kills ear mites and fleas- you sound like a good, caring cat mom! :)
2007-11-14 03:04:13 · answer #1 · answered by ThatGirl 4 · 0⤊ 1⤋
The vet can give you some medication that will work much better than your system of cleaning. The vet can also clean out the ears properly.
Also, if you are using a flea bath from the petstore, stop immediately and get your cat to the vet. Those flea products sold in the store are not safe to use on animals, especially young animals such as a kitten.
EDIT: I have heard the Ivory dish soap rumor too, and you should not use that on your kitten. It may get rid of fleas, but it is not good for the kittens skin. Please just call up the vet and get the proper medication for fleas and ear mites. Let them know everything you have been doing to the kitten to try to treat the problems with home remedies.
2007-11-14 10:40:42 · answer #2 · answered by Crystal 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Revolution cannot be used on a kitten this young unfortunately. Go to the vets, they can provide you with some different treatment for ear mites.
You also need to get some proper flea treatment for your cat - bathing is not going to sort out a flea infestation, and bathing every other day will really dry out poor kitty's skin! I don't imagine she enjoys it much either!
Please get some Frontline Spray from you vet - this can be used on kittens from 2 days of age. It's the only safe thing to use that actually works on cats this young.
People on here always say that bathing is the only way to get rid of fleas on young animals - it really winds me up! Bathing is NEVER a useful way to deal with fleas, even if it's with a flea shampoo, which are useless.
Chalice
2007-11-14 16:34:14 · answer #3 · answered by Chalice 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Mineral oil and cotton balls. Soak a cotton ball in mineral oil and gently rub in the ear. Do NOT pour liquid in their ears, it can cause an infection. Try to stay away from using Q-tips as you don't want to get into their ear canal, you just want to get the dirt out and the mites covered in oil. Using the soaked cotton ball, gently rub and try to get as much of the mites/dirt out. Once the cotton ball is dirty, throw it away and start again. Do this until the cotton ball comes out clean. You will have to repeat this until the ear mites are gone.
As for bathing your kitten, too much bathing can cause skin problems including drying their skin out, hair loss and allergies. If she no longer is showing evidence of fleas, a bath is not necessary but once a month. Because she is so young and you want to promote good hygeine, wipe her down with a warm, damp washcloth before and after meals. Also, stop using human soap/shampoo. This, too, will cause skin irritations and lead to bigger problems. Most grocery stores/supermarkets have cat/kitten shampoo which is not overly expensive.
***She is too young for Revolution
2007-11-14 10:59:56 · answer #4 · answered by karenmae583 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Poor little kittens can have such problems. Cleaning the ears will not get rid of mites and a serious infestation needs a shot or medication from a vet. The ears can become infected and the cat can lose hearing or get other complications from having them.
Do it the right way and have a vet treat them.
2007-11-14 10:40:11 · answer #5 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Go to the vet and get Revolution for cats - it cures fleas, ear mites, round worms, and ticks. You put it on the skin at the back of the cat's neck (so it can't lick it off). One dose lasts for a whole month, and it costs $15.00.
2007-11-14 11:53:39 · answer #6 · answered by teacherhelper 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
They're pretty easy to get rid of. Just go to the vet and tell them you have a kitten with ear mites and they'll give you ear drops to use.
2007-11-14 10:44:17 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋