How To Deal With Fleas on Young Kittens

A question that I've heard from many cat owners is "What flea treatment can be used on tiny kittens?" Many kittens that find homes through shelters or rescue groups may have come from litters born outside where the cats were susceptible to fleas. If the pregnant cat and/or kittens become infested with fleas, what are your options for safely treating these delicate pets?

"Very Young" is a relative term when it comes to flea products.

I've read several product brochures for flea products and even those that say they're safe to use on very young puppies and kittens are not safe for animals under twelve weeks of age. Be sure to read the labels very carefully even if the product says "safe for cats and kittens." I read one brochure for a natural flea control product that said specifically that the ingredients were safe for young, old, pregnant, nursing and debilitated animals, but further in the brochure it says it's safe to treat kittens twelve weeks or older. Not many kittens are still nursing at twelve weeks of age.

Natural doesn't necessarily mean "Safe."

I reviewed a sampling of some of the chemical-free, or natural flea products that are available for cats and kittens. NaturVet herbal flea spray and powder says you can use these products on kittens as young as six weeks of age and is made with a blend of rosemary and cedar oils--but the product is stated to repel fleas, not kill fleas.

Sentry Natural Defense flea & tick spray for cats and kittens is made with peppermint, cinnamon, lemon grass and thyme oils. Sounds safe right? Well, on one product review page for this product, several cat owners reported their cats having reactions ranging from foaming at the mouth to skin burns and hair loss. Some owners reported that it was a very effective, safe, flea product and a great alternative to chemical repellents but the point is, many cats are sensitive to flea products, even natural ones.

Some of the veterinary flea products like Capstar, are safe for kittens as young as four weeks of age, but are also recommended for kittens that weigh 2lb or more. Most kittens don't reach that weight until they are six to eight weeks at the minimum. So again, there's no product that can be used on very young kittens.

Topical flea treatments like Advantage, Frontline and Revolution, can be used on kittens eight weeks of age and older.

Shampooing should be done with caution, too, if the kittens are very young. Care needs to be taken to thoroughly dry their fur to prevent loss of body heat.

The solution that I've found to be the safest for kittens under six weeks of age and even their nursing mother is to use a good ol' flea comb and a bowl of soapy water to remove any fleas from their skin and coat. It's not the quickest method, but works well and helps get the kittens used to gentle handling. If you have a litter of kittens that have fleas, grab a buddy or two, arm yourself with flea combs and get combing, to catch and remove the nasty fleas.

Pay close attention to areas like the back of the neck, the base of the tail and the belly as those are areas where fleas like to hide out. When you trap a flea in the comb, either flick the flea into the bowl of soapy water or dunk the whole comb in to drown the flea. The soap makes the flea sink into the water more easily. When you're finished, flush the bowl of soapy water and fleas down the toilet.

If the mother cat and/or kittens have access to the entire home, you may need to consider treating the home to prevent flea infestation. Review any home treatments to be sure the products can be safely used around young animals. Most are safe as long as the surface has had time to dry before the pets resume contact.

And remember when dealing with the little baby kittens themselves, be sure that you are using the safest treatment of all, which may just be combing the fleas off, one by one.
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