When you look at the beautiful new kitten in your home, it’s hard to imagine that your kitten could have fleas. Unfortunately, it’s not unheard of for young kittens to have fleas; it all very much depends upon the environment in which it lived before you brought it home to live with you. For example, if the mother cat had fleas, then it’s almost a certainty that all the kittens in that litter will also have fleas. If there was another pet in the home such as another cat or dog, there’s a possibility that even though the mother cat was flea free and wasn’t allowed out while she was nursing her kittens, fleas were brought in by the other pets. Remember how curious and adventuresome kittens are! Were you aware that even we can bring fleas into a home on our shoes or clothes?
One of the first things you should purchase for your kitten first aid kit is a flea comb. As soon as you bring the kitten home and after you’ve given it some food and water, take it to the bathroom and gently talk to it as you glide the flea comb through the its fur. Pay special attention to the area at the base of the tail, or behind the ears – if a kitten has fleas, you’re bound to find some there. And at this point, one is all you need to find out that you have a problem that needs immediate attention. I suggest using the bathroom as it is much easier to see fleas against tiles and you can shut the door to keep them from jumping out. I think you’d be amazed at how far a flea can jump.
In your kitten first aid kit, you should also have something natural that will both kill off the fleas and still be safe for a young kitten. Have this ready before you bring the kitten into your home. If you do find a flea on your kitten, just follow the instructions on the box or bottle. Please, don’t use chemicals on your young kitten, they will be far too strong for his skin. Dr Andrew Jones has many *natural flea remedies in his ebook Veterinary Secrets Revealed which will not harm your kitten. Remember, he is just like a baby and will already be feeling very insecure at this point, so just keep talking gently to him so as to not frighten him any more than necessary. It’s much better if you can do this on your own without any other family members/pets in the room so as to keep the environment calm. Once he’s clean, allow him to meet the rest of the family, but don’t allow him back into the cat carrier, or onto any bedding/toys that had contact with him before you did the flea treatment. Make sure that you wash these all out thoroughly before he’s allowed to have them back.
Kittens purchased from reputable breeders or pet shops should be flea free. It is the kitten you pick up from the neighbor down the road who’s cat unexpectedly had kittens that might prove problematic.
By taking these few simple precautions so that you’re prepared “just in case” he does, will make a potentially big job painless for both you and the kitten. Don’t think it can’t happen to you, make sure to check - your kitten could have fleas.
Continue reading about Your Kitten Could Have Fleas – Check First Thing
Cat fleas can truly irritate cats and also cause skin irrations in humans.
Seeing your cat scratching could be an indication of fleas, ticks, grass seeds or a skin condition. With both my cats, it can also indicate a prickes or similar caught in the fur. During the summer months both Tikki and Cassie will come in daily when I am working and rub against me, which is an indication that they want seeds removed from their tail or body. This action is quite different to when they just want attention or to tell me it’s time to knock off work for the day.
If your cat is unlucky enough to get a grass seed in its eye, take it straight to the vet. This is not something you want to deal with yourself.
Fleas can be picked up from just about anywhere. Another neighborhood cat or dog would be the most likely culprits. If you find your cat does have a flea problem, check with your local pet store to see if there is a natural treatment available. You don’t want to be putting chemicals directly onto your cat’s skin via a chemical flea collar or cream. These treatments can make your cat quite ill and if you have a child who regularly pets the cat, the chemicals can easily be transferred onto the child’s skin or into his or her mouth.
If your cat does have a flea problem, wash all the bedding your cat uses in water as hot as possible. Vacuum the house (preferably twice) and all the furniture your cat uses. Spray the outside areas with a natural insect repellent and hose down as well.
You might need to repeat the above instructions for a couple of weeks to make sure the cycle has been broken.
Your cat having fleas is one of the lesser joys of owning a cat. Proper cat care in eliminating these pests is not hard, and is really just a part of make sure your cats health is optimum at all times.
