Getting Rid of Fleas on Kittens

Tap to Read ➤ Ashwini Kulkarni Sule

Flea infestation is pretty common in cats and young kittens. Here are some tips on getting rid of fleas present on kittens.

Flea infestation is common in pets. Young kittens are quite vulnerable to it. Not only are fleas harmful to kittens, but they can also be equally annoying. Moreover, you cannot use those methods on your kitten which you use on a cat. Hence, you have to look for entirely new and potentially harmless solutions to this problem. Some of these are listed here.

Bathing

Bathing your kitten in warm water every alternate day is a good option. Use the sink of your bathroom for this purpose. A bathtub full of water will scare the kitten. Fill the sink with warm water and dip your pet in it. Make sure that the water level does not reach its head.

However, there is no harm in spraying water on its face and ears. Once it is thoroughly wet, dab some dawn dishwasher solution on its body and gently massage it. Rinse it off by dipping the kitten again in water. Wrap your pet in a warm towel and dry it thoroughly to prevent it from catching a cold or pneumonia.

Combing

Combing is the next step after bathing. Take a flea comb which is easily available in the market and comb it through the body of your pet. You will find dead fleas and eggs getting stuck to the comb. You may also find some live fleas, which should be instantly killed. Keep a bowl of hot water nearby to put the live fleas in it.

Avoid using cold water for this purpose, because fleas have a tendency to jump off the water and back onto the animal. You may also try using a sticky tape so as to prevent them from jumping off.

Handpicking

Handpicking the fleas is a tiresome and strenuous job for your eyes. However, it is the best way to kill fleas on kittens that are too young to bathe. Pick the fleas from its body one by one, using your thumb and forefinger, and kill them by the methods mentioned before. Also watch for tiny, black spots and remove them, since these are the flea eggs.

It is very important to get rid of these eggs because they hatch within 1-2 days and worsen the infestation. You need to repeat this procedure at least every 2 days to prevent the fleas from multiplying. You might have to do it as long as there are traces of an infestation.

Top Spot Products

These products are commercially available, or you can also order them from the Internet. Some of these are to be applied topically while some are to be fed to the pet. Their effectiveness may vary depending upon several factors.

Also, some of these products are pretty expensive, hence always do some research before you decide to use them. It is recommended that you use these products on older kittens.

These methods of ridding fleas are only effective if you clear your house of the infestation as well. Getting rid of fleas in the house is extremely important to prevent them from coming back to your kitten. Thus, both the flea elimination methods should begin simultaneously for best results.