How old do kittens have to be to use flea treatment?
With kittens, flea treatment products place restrictions on the minimum age of the pet using the product. Look at the age restrictions for the following products: Advantage - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. Frontline® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. Revolution® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older.
Should you treat your kitten or puppy for ticks and fleas?
But what if you’re treating a young kitten or puppy? When it comes to tick and flea prevention, puppies and kittens require special care. Most of the products available are not recommended for use on animals younger than 8 weeks old, and that can leave new pet parents in a pickle.
Can flea treatment kill a kitten?
Blood sucking parasites can be fatal to kittens as they can cause anemia, or a low red blood cell count, or carry Lyme disease. However, most professional flea and tick products contain toxic ingredients that can be fatal to kittens.
Can you use cat flea treatment on kittens?
If fleas or flea dirt are present, treat the kitten for fleas right away. Never use a topical chemical treatment on a neonatal kitten, as this may be toxic to a young kitten. Instead, you will need to provide the kitten with a bath.
Can you put flea medicine on a 3 week old kitten?
Do not use flea products on newborn kittens; it's not safe as they are too young. If you see fleas on the kittens, you can bathe them using Dawn dishwashing liquid and use a small flea comb as needed to get the fleas off. Avoid antibacterial soaps.
What flea treatment is safe for kittens?
Available without a prescription, Capstar is the only flea control product safe for kittens as young as 4 weeks and weighing at least 2 pounds. With other flea control products, whether topical or oral, kittens must be at least 8 weeks old, and sometimes older.
When should I first flea my kitten?
around 8-10 weeksFleas on kittens Similarly to the way you treat an adult cat, kittens should be given flea treatment regularly for the best protection and this can normally occur from around 8-10 weeks. During your first vet visit with your kitten, your vet will talk you through the different options available and how to use them.
Can 6 week old kittens get flea medicine?
Capstar is a popular flea product that works within 6 hours to kill 90% of fleas, and it can be used on kittens as young as 4 weeks of age and older, provided the kitten weighs at least 2 pounds.
What can you put on a 6 week old kitten for fleas?
Add a few drops of dish detergent and lather up your kitten. Let the kitten stay soapy for a total of five minutes. This should be sufficient time to kill all of the fleas. Rinse your kitten off and then dry her with a towel.
How old does a kitten have to be to wear a flea collar?
A kitten can wear a flea collar at the age of 12 weeks but must be used safely. According to the Pet Poison Helpline, flea collars can be life-threatening when used incorrectly. Always consult your veterinarian before using flea collars or any flea products on your kitten.
What can you put on 8 week old kittens for fleas?
Both FRONTLINE® Spot On and FRONTLINE Plus® are suitable flea treatments for kittens aged 8 weeks and over, as long as they weigh at least 1 kg.
How do I get rid of fleas on a 5 week old kitten?
Put a small amount of mild dish detergent into your palm and gently rub it into the kitten's fur. Thoroughly coat the the entire kitten. Take extra care around the eyes, ears and mouth. Place the kitten back in the water and rinse well.
When should kittens be Flead and wormed?
Worming at 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 6 weeks of age. Flea and worming: Monthly from 10 weeks. A combined flea and worm treatment, including protection against mites.
Do all kittens have fleas?
Fleas can find their way to a kitten in many ways, even if the kitten is strictly an indoor-only cat. For example, the mom cat may have fleas, other pets may have brought in fleas, and sand tracked indoors can even contain fleas. As soon as you notice there are fleas either in the house or on a pet, take action.
At what age should kittens be dewormed?
6 weeksThe recommended deworming schedule for kittens is to begin deworming at 6 weeks of age and repeat deworming at 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. Nursing dams should also be treated concurrently. Kittens should then be dewormed every month until 6 months of age.
How old do puppies need to be to get flea and tick treatment?
Most of the products available are not recommended for use on animals younger than 8 weeks old, and that can leave new pet parents in a pickle. Thankfully, there are safe and effective options for young puppies and kittens. Read on to learn more about flea and tick ...
What is the first step in flea prevention for kittens?
When considering flea and tick prevention for kittens and puppies, your first step should be a visit to your veterinarian to discuss options that are right for your situation.
What do fleas eat?
Adult fleas deposit white, oval, 0.5 mm-long eggs on the pet, which then fall into the environment—like the pet’s bed, the carpet or the couch. Shortly thereafter, larvae come out of their shells and feed on blood contained in adult flea feces and organic debris like flakes of skin.
What does a flea or tick feed do?
When a flea or tick feeds, it takes in the chemical.”. The active ingredients in the topical and systemic treatments eradicate the insects in various ways, Dr. Dryden says. Some kill adult fleas and ticks. Others kill the larvae or sterilize the eggs.
Why is flea prevention important for dogs?
Kitten and puppy flea and tick prevention is important for your pet’s health and happiness—and your own health and happiness, too. Those little bloodsuckers can cause distress and anemia in young animals, not to mention skin irritation or worse, Dr. Dryden says.
What is the most common type of flea in dogs?
Fleas. The most common type of flea to affect dogs and cats is the cat flea, Ctenocephalides felis, according to the Companion Animal Parasite Counsel. C. felis goes through a four-stage life cycle: egg, larva, pupa and adult.
How long does it take for a tick to develop?
Many hard ticks follow a three-host lifecycle that can take two or three years to complete.
How old do kittens have to be to get flea treatment?
With kittens, flea treatment products place restrictions on the minimum age of the pet using the product. Look at the age restrictions for the following products: Advantage - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. Frontline® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. Revolution® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older.
How to treat fleas on kittens?
When you want a safer method of kitten flea treatment for your pet, purchase a box of Borax Powder, some baby shampoo or Dawn dish soap and a flea comb. Make sure your bathroom is warm, use a space heater to heat the area up.
How to get rid of a kitten's fur?
Make sure your bathroom is warm, use a space heater to heat the area up. Bathe the kitten in warm water using the baby shampoo or dish soap, avoiding the nose and eyes, to create suds in the kitten's fur. Leave the suds for five minutes before rinsing.
How to get fleas off a kitten's head?
Fleas will crawl to areas on the head, such as the nose, eyes and ears. Pick them off with fingernails or blunt-tipped tweezers. Wrap the kitten up in a warm towel and scrub well. Once the kitten's fur is drier, use a flea comb to remove any addition fleas or flea eggs.
What is the best flea treatment for kittens?
Topical flea treatments effectively kill fleas and the eggs they lay. They require a prescription from your veterinarian. With kittens, flea treatment products place restrictions on the minimum age of the pet using the product. Look at the age restrictions for the following products: 1 Advantage - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. 2 Frontline® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older. 3 Revolution® - Kittens must be eight weeks or older.
Why are kittens anemic?
Younger kittens can become anemic as fleas feast on their blood. Fleas multiply quickly, so you must take immediate action on removing these parasites. However, kittens are often too young for commercialized flea treatments.
How old do kittens need to be to use flea shampoo?
Most flea dip or flea shampoo products, like Ectokyl, state that the treatment product should not be used on kittens under the age of 12 weeks. Veterinarians may recommend a diluted version of these products for younger kittens, but you must ask first.
How long after applying flea and tick preventive to cat?
For the several hours following application of a flea and tick preventive product, keep an eye on your cat for any reactions or sensitivity to the product. This is especially important when using a flea and tick product for the first time. Keep the packaging for the product for at least a day after application so that you have information as to ...
What to do if your cat has a flea or tick?
If you believe your cat has had an adverse reaction to a flea or tick preventive product, call your veterinarian and report the problem right away. Your veterinarian has access to a national reporting center that will inform the EPA. You may also wish to inform the company that manufactured the product.
How to reduce cat flea and tick reaction?
Working with your veterinarian and carefully reading labels will help reduce the incidence of reactions to flea and tick products. Make sure you know your cat’s correct weight and the proper application technique for the product. If you are careful, there is a much lower possibility of your cat experiencing any adverse effects.
What is the best way to kill ticks and fleas?
One product (spot-on or spray, etc.) should be all that is necessary to kill or repel fleas and/or ticks for the time period indicated on the package. To prevent accidental contact with flea and tick products during application, you can wear disposable gloves to protect your skin.
How do experienced vets answer your pet questions?
Experienced vets answer all your pet questions via chat or video.
Can PetMD answer pet health questions?
Note: PetMD isn’t able to respond to pet health questions or to offer veterinary advice.
Can you use more than one cat spray?
Once you’ve read all the directions for proper application, be sure that you use only the amount required for your cat. Do not use more product than indicated and do not use more than one product at one time. One product (spot-on or spray, etc.) should be all that is necessary to kill or repel fleas and/or ticks for the time period indicated on the package.
How to get rid of fleas and ticks on kittens?
To deal with fleas and ticks with newborn kittens, get a flea comb from your local pet store and comb the fleas off your kitten, putting them in a bowl of warm water with a few drops of liquid detergent to kill them. For ticks, put on gloves and use fine-tipped tweezers to pull, not twist, the tick from your kitten’s skin. Then, drop the tick into a jar of insecticide or rubbing alcohol to kill it. Since fleas and ticks can live in fabrics, you also need to wash all your bedding on the hottest setting and vacuum all surfaces of your home to fully eradicate them. For more help from our Veterinary co-author, including how to use a professional pest control product to get rid of fleas and ticks in your home, read on!
How old do kittens need to be to take flea medicine?
Other medications require your kitten to be at least eight weeks old for safe use and can kill any flea offspring. But you should always check with your vet before applying any flea medications to avoid harming your kitten. Avoid using natural oils on your kitten to remove fleas.
How to get fleas off a kitten's coat?
Comb the fleas off of your kitten and place the fleas in the water. Swish the water around so the fleas drown. You can also dilute five parts water to one part bath oil and sponge or spray it onto the kitten’s coat. Then, use the flea comb to remove the fleas off her damp coat.
How to get fleas out of kittens?
Always comb out your kitten in a warm room so she does not get a chill or develop a cold, which could be fatal to a kitten. Put warm water in a bowl with a few drops of liquid detergent.
What happens if you don't clean your cat's environment?
If you do not clean your kitten’s living environment, there could be persistent flea and tick outbreaks that could cause infection or illness for your kitten.
How to get rid of ticks in your house?
Use fine-tipped tweezers to remove ticks. You will also need a pair of gloves to protect your hands and a jar of insecticide or rubbing alcohol to drop the ticks into and kill them.
How to get ticks out of kitten's skin?
Place the tweezers close to your kitten’s skin and grasp the tick’s head. Pull, rather than twist, the tick from the skin. Avoid crushing or squeezing the tick’s body, which will flood your kitten’s bloodstream with harmful bacteria.
How to help feral cats with fleas?
“Ferals living in managed colonies—that is, with caretakers who have the cats spayed and neutered, then provide their furry charges with regular meals and adequate shelter—are far less likely to suffer from flea infestations,” Richmond says. She also explains that cats who are continually reproducing will often be weaker and more vulnerable to parasites, so calling a local organization that practices TNR is a great first step toward protecting the cats and ridding the area of fleas.
How do experienced vets answer your pet questions?
Experienced vets answer all your pet questions via chat or video.
Can fleas kill feral cats?
First of all, “Fleas’ impact on feral cat colonies can be easily misunderstood and overstated,” says Alice Burton, associate director of animal shelter and animal control engagement with Alley Cat Allies. (Burton notes that she has rarely encountered any issues with ticks.) “Sometimes communities mistakenly try to link flea-borne diseases to feral cats to justify killing the cats,” she says, “ [but] in fact, flea-borne diseases are spread by fleas, not cats, and fleas can find many hosts.”
Can feral cats be adopted?
That’s a huge number, particularly considering that feral cats are not socialized to humans, and therefore unlikely to be rescued and adopted. Luckily, in the past 25 years or so, support systems for these cats have grown exponentially. While euthanasia was previously the preferred method for controlling feral cat populations, ...
Can you mix flea medicine with cat food?
Burton recommends oral flea medications that can be mixed into the cat’s food and don’t require a prescription. For a more natural option, she suggests “supplementing the cat’s food with about a teaspoon of unprocessed brewer's yeast daily to help repel [but not kill] fleas.”
Do you consult your veterinarian for flea prevention?
And as in any health-related situation, Burton says, “It is always recommended that you consult your veterinarian, so they can help with your flea prevention plan.”. On the strength of the efforts of advocacy/TNR groups and kitty-loving citizens, feral cats should continue to lead better and better lives.
Is fleas a problem for cats?
Susan Richmond, executive director of Neighborhood Cats in New York City, agrees that fleas are not a very big threat to feral cats and communities, but rather a manageable part of life. “Fleas are present in just about every outdoor environment,” she says.
What About Flea Medicine for Kittens?
There are flea medications readily available to treat the mother or adult cat.
What to do if a kitten has fleas?
Vacuum any areas the kitten has come in contact with, and treat any other kittens (or the mother, if present and also carrying fleas).
Why are my kitten's gums pink?
Make sure your kittens gums are pink since this condition can be deadly, and bring your kitten to the veterinarian if you notice a discoloration. Fleas on kittens (and on any other animal) can also cause excessive scratching and skin irritation. Kittens are especially delicate, and some flea treatments are not safe.
How to get rid of a kitten that is still damp?
While the kitten’s fur is still damp, go over the kitten with a simple flea comb.
How to remove fleas from a kitten?
A kitten’s body is small so there isn’t a large area to cover, and you should be able to remove the fleas with your fingers or tweezers easily. Because of newborn kittens’ young age and fragility, do not apply any type ...
How to get fleas out of kittens?
How to Safely Remove Fleas From Kittens. 1. Dampen the kitten’s coat. First, dampen the kitten’s coat with warm (not hot) water. “Exercise caution when bathing the kitten, as baths can be traumatic to a kitten if done incorrectly,” says Hannah Shaw, who has fostered many young kittens. “Try to complete the entire bath in less than 2 minutes, ...
How to keep a kitten warm?
Towel dry the kitten. Dry the kitten right away — and completely. “Place the kitten back into a warm environment, such as a heating disk or baby blanket,” says Shaw. “Kittens can easily become chilled from a bath, and it is of utmost importance that the kitten be kept warm.”. 4.
How to treat fleas on kittens?
If your kitten weighs at least 2 pounds, you can give her a Capstar pill. These pills kill all living fleas on the kitten and can provide your kitten relief within the first few hours after the medication is administered.
Where to apply flea treatment for kittens?
Topical flea treatments are drops or gels that are applied at the base of your kitten's neck. Because topical flea medications are pesticides, it's very important to follow the manufacturer's directions carefully and only use products labeled for use on kittens. Topical flea treatment meant for dogs can be toxic to cats.
How to tell if a kitten has flea anemia?
If your kitten is acting different, appears weak, loses his appetite and sleeps more than normal, he may be showing signs of anemia. In severe cases, his fur may look dull, he may lose weight and his gums may appear pale. If you notice any of these warning signs, let your veterinarian know right away. Flea anemia in kittens can be fatal if not treated promptly.
Can fleas be treated on kittens?
Kitten Flea Treatment. i. Jupiterimages/Photos.com/Getty Images. Flea infestation is not only uncomfortable for your kitten, it can also cause severe health problems, ranging from open sores to anemia if left untreated. The challenge in treating a flea-bitten kitten is that most readily available topical flea treatments cannot be used ...
Can flea products cause seizures in kittens?
Avoid using any flea products that claim to be "all natural" unless they are recommended by your veterinarian. Many of these products are not regulated and can cause serious side-effects in kittens, ranging from drooling to seizures.
Can flea shampoo kill fleas?
Flea shampoos and flea combs are effective for removing adult fleas from your kitten's fur, but they do not prevent re-infestation. If your kitten is too young to use a topical flea treatment or Capstar, consult your veterinarian before using any products that claim to kill fleas.
