At what age should a kitten be treated for fleas? How to get rid of fleas on a kitten. Treatment of fleas in adult cats
Can be determined by the following signs.
For kittens or a pregnant cat, the safest method is to comb out the bloodsuckers using a fine comb. Complete disposal of bloodsuckers can be achieved by daily combing the animal's fur. Periodically, the comb should be washed with water and wiped with a light cloth. Combed fleas, their larvae, eggs and excrement are burned or destroyed manually.
Today there are a lot of products that will help rid your cat of fleas.
Shampoo
One of the means that can remove fleas from a cat is. Its use gives a good effect, however, not every pet likes it. The method of using anti-flea shampoo is quite simple. The detergent must be well lathered on the cat’s fur and left for a couple of minutes, then rinsed thoroughly with clean water.
When buying shampoo, you should pay attention to the composition of the drug: it should not contain components harmful to the health of the animal. Shampoos, Insectin and Phytoelite are especially popular today.
Injections and tablets
If you find fleas on a domestic cat, you can help the animal get rid of them using injectable medications. Their advantage is the safety of the pet in case of possible contact with its relatives. Flea injections are contraindicated for nursing and pregnant cats due to the fact that the active substance of the drug can harm the health of kittens. You can get a flea injection in almost any veterinary office.
They have a similar effect. The advantage of this method is that it works from the inside, which limits the ability of the cat to lick the drug from the surface of its fur. Contents in tablets active substance, getting into the blood of an animal, has a detrimental effect on insects that bite it. Achieve maximum effect possible when combined this method with other methods of struggle.
Drops
Collars
Sprays
Folk remedies
How to get rid of fleas on a cat is very simple.
Removing fleas from cats at home is a simple process, however, it requires patience.
Appearance in the house little kitten can change the life of any person, because the baby requires careful care and concern for his nutrition and health. One of the problems that often arises with domestic and, especially, selected street animals is the presence of . The problem with how to remove fleas from kittens is that the use chemicals for cubs is unacceptable due to their strong toxicity and danger to the fragile young organism.
Where do fleas come from in kittens?
In small cat children, as in adults, they can lodge in their fur. blood-sucking insects. Fleas get on them in various ways, which depends on the conditions of detention:
On a note!
good and caring owners The pet should be taken care of in advance, even before mating with the cat. Moreover, this also applies to pregnant animals expecting offspring. There are special ones that are soft enough and do not pose a danger to mothers and babies.
The danger of flea bites for kittens
Fleas on a kitten can cause him trouble and pose a threat to his health, because the immune system in cubs it is formed only at the age of six months. And newborn or month-old babies are completely defenseless and are at risk of contracting infections and diseases that can be transmitted by blood-sucking insects.
Possible health problems:
If the baby shows any of the listed symptoms, then it is necessary to examine him carefully. Knowing what fleas look like on kittens, and these are small white and black dots among the fur, you can immediately determine the source of the animal’s poor health.
Methods for removing fleas from a kitten depend on its age: the older the cub, the more of them there are. It should be borne in mind that treatments and products suitable for a 3-month-old baby are not suitable at all for a baby less than 1 month old and pose a threat to his life.
Treatment of newborns and kittens up to 1 month
If there is only one kitten with fleas, then the safest and the best remedy from fleas for him - mechanically combing them out of the wool using a comb. To do this, you can use a soft plastic comb with fine teeth, blunt at the tips (so as not to injure the baby’s delicate skin).
It is better to start the procedure from the scruff of the neck, holding the baby under the stomach, then you need to turn him over on his back and comb him on the lower part of the body. It is not recommended to comb on the forehead and neck to avoid injury. It is also better not to touch the paws. Combing is done twice a day, every day, until there are no more insects left. After this, be sure to periodically check the baby’s fur, because... the remaining eggs and larvae may mature.
Methods and natural remedies how to remove fleas from small kittens:
The most effective shampoos:
- Mr. Swiss-made Kiss can be used from the age of 1 month, but not more than once every 10 days (price about 150 rubles);
- Rolf Club – applies from 2 months, price 250 rub.
At this age, it is already possible to treat kittens with flea products containing insecticides: sprays, and collars. When choosing different medications, you should carefully read the instructions and take into account the weight and age of the kitten.
The most common and effective remedies for kittens:
- Hartz: drops (3 pipettes cost about 150 rubles) and a collar (price about 450 rubles) are allowed from 3 months;
- Beaphar: spray, collar (180-220 rubles) and soft-action drops (pack of 3 pipettes - about 480 rubles);
- Advantix flea drops can be applied from 2 months, have a prolonged effect, the cost of a package is 1000-1200 rubles.
When choosing an anti-flea product, you must take into account the recommendations in the instructions; you should absolutely not use those that are designed for puppies.
Before starting treatment and deciding how to get rid of fleas from a kitten of any age, experts recommend first assessing the number of parasites in its fur: if there are not very many of them, then it will be easier to comb them out or catch them by hand, so as not to risk the baby’s health. If the degree of infection by bloodsuckers is high, then more effective methods and means, and also contact veterinarian for help.
With adult cats, the problem is easily regulated: they use insecticides whose active ingredients are toxic to cold-blooded cats and are not able to penetrate the blood through the skin.
Kittens have not developed a defense mechanism against pesticides used to poison fleas. Therefore, the removal of the young appears to be the physical removal of insects. It is necessary to treat the mother, littermates, and surfaces with which he came into contact. In this article, fellinologists will learn about ways to get rid of fleas in kittens that are under their mothers.
Causes of flea infestation in a kitten
At 5...6 weeks of age, the cub has already erupted teeth, they are able to eat meat, cottage cheese, and ready-made food.
The reasons for infection of a baby under the mother and a weaned baby are different. Those who are with a cat only get fleas from it. Even if the animal has been treated for insects, when it leaves the nest, it acquires them on the street.
The kitten arrives to its new owners at two months of age. If there are arthropod eggs on it that the previous owners did not notice, larvae hatch from them, attack the baby, feed and turn into adult insects.
If there are other cats nearby, the insect will inevitably jump to a new hunting object. Finally, arthropod eggs can be brought by the owner on the soles of shoes.
The harmfulness of fleas
The situation is complicated by the fact that if fleas are found on one baby, they will have to be expelled from littermates and the mother. Disinfestation of cats is carried out before mating, and during pregnancy and lactation they keep the premises clean. A nursing mother cannot be treated with usual means: toxic substance will enter the suckling's alimentary tract and cause poisoning.
Therefore, the fight against fleas in small kittens is divided into the following measures:
- Removing insects from the baby.
- Disinsection of the premises.
Removing fleas from a kitten
There are the following ways to rid a baby of annoying arthropods:
- Mechanical combing.
- Bathing by special means.
Mechanical combing
Bathing with special means
Grown-up babies are bathed using specialized shampoos. They drive away insects, but do not provide protection against subsequent attacks. The first bath is carried out using half the amount of the drug indicated in the instructions. It is necessary to ensure that the cleaning solution does not get into the mouth, eyes and nostrils.
After treatment, the kitten is rinsed warm water, dry with a hairdryer, isolate for half a day from places where there are drafts. Repeated treatment is carried out no earlier than after a decade. The bedding on which the kittens are located is washed in hot water.
Disinsection of a lactating cat
If you do not expel the insects from the cat, they will again pass on to the children. Of course, finding fleas on a kitten means that there are fleas on the mother as well. You cannot wet the cat with conventional means - Stomazan or its analogues; the active components will be excreted in the milk or licked by the baby from the mother. In this regard, Stronghold drops are relatively safe; the active ingredient, Selamectin, is not excreted in milk. The drug is sold packaged in pipettes, the contents of which are applied between the shoulder blades.
The insecticide is allowed to dry. This takes two hours. After this, the poison becomes insoluble in the kitten’s saliva. The trouble is that all the drops do not act simultaneously. It takes a day for the fleas to leave the cat or die. The insects still have a chance to jump onto the baby. Therefore, it is necessary to observe the kitten for a day or two, and if insects are found again, comb them out.
The kittens themselves can be treated with this product after weaning and reaching six weeks of age.
Disinsection of premises
The flea is a mobile insect that shoots eggs that spread everywhere. Therefore, it is necessary to destroy arthropods on carpets, furniture upholstery, balconies, closets, and bathrooms. By optimal means, combining price and quality are drugs containing Cypermethrin.
The surfaces to be treated are thoroughly washed, the debris on them is removed, the furniture is moved away from the walls, freeing up approaches to the baseboards. All creatures, including aquarium fish, are removed from the apartment.
The operator puts on glasses special clothes and takes a dozen pills Activated carbon. The surfaces are irrigated with a working solution prepared according to the attached instructions. The rugs must be rolled and processed with reverse side. The apartment is left for a period of time sufficient for the drug to take effect according to the instructions for use of the disinfestant.
The event ends wet cleaning. Since blog eggs are invulnerable to the action of insecticides, the treatment is duplicated within 14 days. So that the hatched larvae do not have time to mature and lay a new batch of eggs.
It is important to understand that treatment of kittens for fleas is required in any case if they are infected. Fleas cause severe itching in the animal, sometimes allergies and dermatitis, and if seriously infested, they lead to exhaustion of the baby and the development of blood diseases.
On a note
In the photo below there are fleas in a kitten's fur:
Today it is produced and sold to rid kittens of fleas a large number of effective means, they all have their own specifics and require a careful and thoughtful approach to use. You should immediately be prepared for the fact that treating kittens for fleas requires a little more effort than in the case of adult animals - due to the need to observe increased safety measures.
Symptoms of fleas in kittens
Finding out whether a kitten has fleas is quite simple: their bites cause constant itching in the animal, and the baby often itches behind the ears with his paws and tries to bite insects out of the fur. Particularly strong bites may cause a kitten to twitch and wake up, abruptly break away from food and play.
The photo below shows fleas close-up– the culprits of the kitten’s torment:
On a note
If the kitten itches, but does not have fleas, just as the mother cat does not have them, you should show the baby to the veterinarian - the cause of the itching may be subcutaneous mites or dermatological diseases. These diseases should be treated in completely different ways.
An indirect sign that a kitten has fleas is helminths. This is especially true for kittens that have not yet started eating meat and fish. For example, in a one-month-old kitten, fleas and worms usually appear simultaneously - first the fleas begin to feed on the animal, and after a week or two the baby becomes infected with worms from them.
An important point: when you find fleas on a small kitten, you should not immediately rush for the first product you come across and treat the baby with it. The specificity of removing fleas from kittens lies in strict adherence to strict safety measures.
Safety rules: when medications are more dangerous than fleas themselves
For example, some organophosphate insecticides (Malathion, Dichlorvos), as well as pyrethroids (Permethrin and its derivatives Cypermethrin, Deltamethrin, Alphamethrin) are dangerous for kittens. If flea medicine for kittens contains these ingredients, it should not be used on kittens under 6 months of age.
You should also remember that you can treat kittens for fleas only after weaning them from their mother: all flea remedies remain on the baby’s fur for some time, and if the mother cat licks him, part of the drug will definitely get into her milk. The nursing cat itself is also not allowed to use chemicals.
Kittens of different breeds and ages: what medications are suitable for them?
Depending on the age and breed, getting rid of fleas on a kitten should be done using the best means for it.
Let's look at the main ones:
Finally, from the age of three months, you can rid your kitten of fleas with Advantix drops, Bars products for kittens, and specialized preparations Hartz and Blokhnet.
A British kitten, bobtail, Persian, or Himalayan kitten can usually get rid of fleas using shampoos. Kittens with short hair are easier to treat for fleas with drops or sprays.
Gennady, Tver
Individually, a kitten may develop allergies or side effects from one means or another. In this case, you should stop using the drug and buy a product with another active ingredient. At strong reaction The kitten should be shown to a veterinarian for the drug.
On a note
It is believed that the safest way to rid kittens of fleas is to use special insecticidal powders. However, their use in kittens of long-haired breeds is quite problematic.
Removing fleas with sprays
The kitten should be treated with the spray after a good feeding. The baby should hold his head so that he does not accidentally expose it to the spray of the drug, carefully part the fur and spray the exposed areas of the skin.
Care should be taken to ensure that the spray does not get into the baby's eyes. After treatment, you should play with the kitten for half an hour or an hour, and then immediately give it a bath.
Hartz and Frontline sprays are also good, but only for kittens from the age indicated in the instructions for their use.
“The easiest way to treat a kitten for fleas is with a spray. This spray costs a little more than the drops, but gives an almost instant result - the fleas either die on the kitten or jump off it. We sprayed our miracle with Hearts, there were no problems from it, the fleas disappeared immediately ... "
Irina, Moscow
Powders for kittens and rules for their use
Flea powder for kittens is suitable in most cases. Typically, Hartz or Gamma powders are used to rid kittens of fleas.
The latter can be used for a kitten up to 1 month old, provided that he does not have contact with his mother for several hours after treatment.
You can remove fleas from a kitten using insecticidal powder according to the following plan:
If the kitten continues to suckle from its mother during this period, after treatment it should be placed in a separate tray and bathed after an hour or two. After this, it can be placed under the cat again.
How to wash a kitten for fleas?
It is best to wash a kitten against fleas with Phytoelite or Mr. shampoos. Kiss - they are as safe as possible and lead to virtually no side effects.
The kitten is bathed with flea shampoo in the same way as with regular water procedures.
It is only important to thoroughly foam the product and make sure that all of the kitten’s fur is treated with it.
The foam is kept on the pet for several minutes, and then washed off with plenty of running water.
What should you do if your kitten is poisoned by flea medication?
In rare cases, a kitten may accidentally swallow flea drops or lick shampoo or powder from its fur. In most cases, this does not lead to serious consequences, but sometimes the baby develops allergies, vomiting, drooling, anxiety, shortness of breath, discharge from the nose and eyes, as well as other signs of intoxication. If you think your kitten has been poisoned by flea drops, he should be given more water or milk and show it to a veterinarian as soon as possible. First, the drops themselves can be wiped off from the kitten’s skin using a cotton swab with vegetable oil.
And finally, if the kitten’s fleas have been successfully removed, all that remains is to consolidate the result. The first thing is to buy anthelmintic drugs and treat the baby’s helminths. The second is to look for fleas in the apartment, and if they are found, remove them in any way, including treating the entire room for fleas. In the future, the kitten should buy a special “children’s” flea collar and be allowed outside only wearing it.
Pets are meant to please their owners. A person who brings a kitten into the house must understand the full responsibility of the new friend. He will have to not only play and cuddle with his pet, but also take care of it: feed, clean, treat and walk. One of the problems is fleas in small kittens. It is necessary to remove them, but as carefully as possible so as not to harm the baby.
What do fleas look like and why are they dangerous?
Fleas bring a lot of inconvenience to a pet, and can infect the owner with unpleasant diseases.
Fleas themselves cause a lot of trouble. The main problem is itching and irritation of the skin at the site of the bite. But the danger of fleas lies in the fact that they are carriers of dangerous infections (anthrax, encephalitis, hepatitis, plague, etc.), as well as helminths. The appearance of fleas in a kitten leads to infection with worms.
Sources and signs of flea infestation
A small kitten suffers from fleas more than an adult animal, so it is important to notice in time when your pet has become infected with them.
Where do fleas come from?
There are several options for the appearance of fleas in a newborn kitten. The baby can become infected from the mother cat or another animal living in the house. If a kitten is the only living creature in the apartment, then there is a possibility that it picked up fleas from its previous owner.
Another very common way is the introduction of larvae or even an adult insect on shoes or clothing. A person, without noticing it, can bring a new tenant into the apartment. After hitting favorable conditions individuals feed on the blood of new hosts, mate and reproduce. After 21 days, the laid larvae develop into adults and are life cycle repeats itself.
Symptoms of flea infestation
It is possible to determine that a kitten has fleas only after a thorough examination. Signs to look out for:
- scratched wounds appear on the skin;
- On the belly, ears, and muzzle the insects themselves or their black excrement and white eggs attached to the fur with a sticky secretion are visible.
A thorough examination by a veterinarian can help identify fleas in a kitten.
The behavior of the small pet also changes:
- the kitten's sleep becomes restless, it twitches its paws or even jumps;
- the animal does not eat well;
- The baby constantly scratches with his paws or bites certain parts of his body with his teeth.
If your kitten is constantly itching, this may be one of the signs of flea infestation.
How to safely remove fleas from a kitten at home
The main stage of fighting fleas should begin with disinfecting the room using special means:
- Clean house,
- Karbofos,
- Raid,
- Raptor.
Before processing, it is important to read the instructions and carefully follow the manufacturer's recommendations.
To remove fleas from a kitten, you should use the safest means possible.
The last two methods are considered the safest, as they do not expose the kitten to chemical exposure.
Removing fleas from kittens depending on age
The list of means to combat fleas in kittens depends on the age of the animal. The younger the pet, the less choice medicines and with all the more caution they should be used.
Newborn kitten
If you find fleas on a newborn kitten, you can go in two ways: wait until he grows up, or immediately begin treatment. A newborn is considered to be a baby within the first month after birth. Any medicine is very dangerous for him, even those intended for two to three month old kittens. When choosing a product, be sure to consider the following points:
- Collars marked “for kittens” are designed for animals from 2–3 months, so they cannot be used.
- It is better to refrain from bathing the kitten, as it needs maternal care, and in addition, it may catch a cold. The use of shampoos is recommended only from five weeks of age.
- The use of insecticides is contraindicated, because when a mother cat licks it, it can swallow part of the drug, and the poison can be passed on to the kitten through the milk. This can lead to serious allergies in your pet.
Video: how to remove fleas from small kittens
- Combing. This is the most safe way. You will need a soft brush or comb, but you can use a damp suede cloth instead. Place a container of water nearby. Once you pick up the kitten, begin brushing it with the utmost care. Immediately send the caught fleas into the water to avoid them jumping back onto the animal.
- Powder. In pet stores you can purchase special anti-flea powder suitable for treating newborn kittens. The least harmless drugs are Gamma and Hartz. The application algorithm is as follows: rub the powder into the kitten’s skin, then comb out the fleas in the manner described above. To avoid poisoning the cat and transmitting the poison to the kitten through milk, the mother should not be allowed to see the child for 3-4 hours; she must feed the child herself.
- Bathing. If the number of fleas threatens the health or life of the baby, then you will have to take the extreme step of bathing the kitten. You should not use insecticides; you can get by with children's or tar soap. The water should be warm - 38–39 o C; it is better to measure its temperature with a thermometer. Bathing algorithm: pour water into a basin, plug the kitten’s ears with cotton wool, wet the baby with water, soap him (do not touch the face, it should remain dry). Lather the animal for three minutes, then thoroughly rinse off the foam, dry the pet with a soft cloth and comb out its fur. Most fleas will seek refuge from soap on the kitten's dry face. That's why Special attention When combing, it is important to focus on this particular part of the animal’s body. Can be used for these purposes toothbrush to prevent injury to the pet due to careless movement.
Kitten of the second month of life
A one-month-old kitten is already stronger to withstand the effects outside world. To combat fleas at this age, you can use large quantity funds, but only if he is separated from his mother. If the pet continues to suck mother's milk, then it is better to stop brushing and bathing.
After bathing the kitten, fleas should be combed out, paying special attention to the face.
So, to remove fleas from a kitten over one month old, you can use:
- Shampoo. From the age of four weeks, the use of Miss Kiss brand shampoo is allowed. 1 ml of product is pre-diluted in 400 ml warm water and then wash the kitten. Important: Do not let shampoo get into your pet's eyes, mouth or nose. The drug is left on the fur for 5–7 minutes, then it is washed off and the baby is wiped dry. For the first time, the shampoo is diluted in a lower concentration, for example, only 0.5 ml is taken per 400 ml of water. This is necessary to check whether the animal is allergic to detergent. After 2 weeks, shampooing is repeated, diluting it according to the standard scheme.
- Drops. From 5 weeks, you can use flea drops on the withers, for example, Stronghold. The product is applied to the upper part of the animal’s neck and rubbed, but so that the kitten cannot lick it off. After 2 weeks, the procedure is repeated.
Kitten in the third month of life
An older kitten can be rid of fleas in more diverse ways. In addition to traditional combing, you can use shampoos, sprays, drops and powder. Important: pay attention to the instructions, which indicate at what age the use of this or that product is permissible.
According to veterinarians, the following products are good for killing fleas in kittens:
- Phytoelite or Rolf Club shampoos;
- Gamma or Beafar powders;
- Frontline or Hartz sprays;
- Advantage or Hartz drops;
- Bolfo or Hartz collars.
Please note: all of the listed means (except for collars) can only be used when weaning a kitten from its mother. Otherwise, she will lick her cub and may get poisoned.
In the third month of a kitten’s life, you can use a flea collar
Kittens from six months and older
A four-month-old kitten usually switches to solid food, which makes it much easier to remove fleas from such a teenager. Now to treat it you can use all the means and methods suitable for an adult cat:
Of course, to carry out flea control measures, you should pay attention to the manufacturers' recommendations. Products for the treatment of kittens can be found in the drug lines: Beafar, Bolfo, Hartz, Frontline , Gamma, Advantix.
A healthy kitten brings a lot of joy to its owner
Folk remedies
In folk practice, a whole arsenal of means has accumulated for killing fleas in kittens. Unlike medications, they are based on herbs that do not harm the health of cats and kittens. These include, for example:
- Sagebrush. A tablespoon of dry leaves is poured with boiling water (500 ml) and boiled for 15 minutes. The animal is washed with the resulting decoction. A mother cat, even after licking her offspring, will not be poisoned. You can simply put fresh wormwood grass in the kittens’ house.
- Tansy. A decoction of tansy is made in the same way as wormwood. Used to treat kitten fur.
- Garlic. A head of garlic is passed through a press, poured with a liter of warm water and left for 12 hours. The resulting infusion is used to treat the kitten’s skin, especially in places where insects are most concentrated: in the armpits, on the tummy, in the groin.
- Geranium. 2 tablespoons of leaves are poured into 500 ml of water and boiled for 20 minutes. Small kittens are bathed in the broth.
- Lemon. Grind a small lemon, add a glass of water and leave for a day. Then the kitten is sprayed with the prepared infusion from a spray bottle.
- Essential oils. Oils of mint, cedar, lemon, geranium, rosemary and lavender have proven themselves to be effective against fleas. 2-3 drops of oil are diluted in 2-3 glasses of water and sprayed on the kittens.
You can get rid of fleas in another proven way: fill the kitten’s bed pine sawdust or fresh shavings.
Video: personal experience of using folk remedies against fleas
Prevention of fleas in kittens of different ages
The best treatment for fleas in a kitten is to prevent their occurrence. Of course, first of all you need to take care of eliminating fleas in the apartment. To do this, the home must be vacuumed daily. It is important to pay attention to the places where the cat appears most often. It has been noticed that up to 50% of all fleas in the house can be destroyed with this simple hygiene procedure. It is important to protect the kitten from communicating with homeless and stray animals.
You will have to process it at least once a week sleeping area kitten The litter can be vacuumed or washed. Don't forget about treating your car and cat carrier.
At the same time, it is necessary to carry out preventive treatment of the animal itself. You can put a collar on it (if age allows) and carefully examine your pet’s skin.
Important: if there is a noticeable deterioration in the kitten’s well-being, you should immediately seek help from a veterinarian.
Timely prevention of fleas is the key to a kitten’s activity and curiosity.
Little kittens need love and constant care from their owner. It will not be possible to raise a beautiful, devoted and at the same time independent person from a defenseless fluffy ball without effort. Flea control is just one of the problems encountered when caring for a kitten. But your efforts will be rewarded with happy purring and love from your pet.