Newborn Kittens Have Fleas

Check the kitten for fleas by combing through the fur with your fingers or with a flea comb.

Newborn kittens have fleas. You may see active live fleas which will appear as fast moving small dark brown bugs that quickly dart through the fur seeking refuge in the cat s face belly and armpits. When the fleas surface pluck them out and send down the drain. Apply a new layer with a towel every couple of days. Other flea medications safe for kittens list 8 weeks of age as a minimum.

In consultation with your vet kittens over 4 weeks old may be treated with capstar there is a minimum weight requirement. However most professional flea and tick products contain toxic ingredients that can be fatal to kittens. Blood sucking parasites can be fatal to kittens as they can cause anemia or a low red blood cell count or carry lyme disease. Fleas can make kittens itchy and spread disease and if they re really severe they can even cause serious blood loss and illness.

One old myth says that kittens can be born with fleas but this is not true. Signs of fleas on kittens close up of a flea and flea dirt in a cat s coat a flea infestation isn t always evident especially if the cat has a dark coat or the flea population is low. The mother may have fleas the kitten may have picked them up outside or sand tracked indoors can even contain fleas. The worst thing you can do is nothing.

Most of the fleas will die and those that won t will be stunned enough so that they re easy to pick off. Cats with a heavy infestation or pale coats are easier to diagnose fleas. This application kills the adult fleas but not their offspring. As for getting the fleas off of the kittens bathe them in warm water and dawn dish detergent.

Then rub the towel over the baby kitten being sure not to get it in its eyes ears or mouth. Some methods for getting fleas off of pets such as flea combing and bathing will only kill the adult fleas on your kitten they don t prevent new fleas from jumping on them. As soon as you notice there are fleas either in the house or on a pet take action. Fleas hate it but it is safe for your pet.

However if the queen has fleas or if there are fleas on other pets or soft furnishings in the home kittens can catch fleas pretty much immediately after they are born. Put a thick soapy lather of dawn around the neck and ears first as they will run fast and far to get away from the soap. Have tweezers at your side. It hasn t let me down yet.

Every foster parent should have a flea comb. While you re drying them pick the fleas off with tweezers and wash them down the sink. Fleas can make a new home on your kitten in many ways even in indoor cats.