Cat de-fleaing (not horsey I know)

Nightmare before Christmas

Nightmare before Christmas

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Hi,

Not horsey but just want some advice (think I know the answer)

Got two lovely kittens (8 weeks) yesterday, noticed they have a couple of fleas. The woman said she wormed and fleaed them about a week and a half ago. I believe the treatment should have kicked in by now and the fleas be gone.

Ive ordered some treatment for the future as I know I cant use vet strength flea treatments for another 4-5 weeks. I have ordered some spray also as the tablets dont kill the eggs, only the live fleas.

I want to double check, can I use the spray (diluted) to try and eradicate the last few fleas or can I use a diluted kitten safe flea shampoo?

I dont want to leave the kittens with the fleas until I can treat again as they are with me in my student house until they are big enough and come home to start life as my new yard kittens.

I know there any many cat people out there who can help me
 
That may get rid of the actual fleas (if you can keep up with them!) but wont get rid of the eggs. I just want to know if I am safe to use a diluted spray or shampoo. Ive only found 2 across both kittens, not a big problem but can soon become one!

I used to work for pets at home, I should know, but ive forgotten enough to be confident in my judgement of using diluted not vet strength sprays and shampoos so wanted someone a bit more clued up to give me their opinion!
 
Flea comb as a temporary measure and then call vet for advice re further correct treatment on Monday. Do you know what they were treated with previously?
 
speak to your vet - some 'vet' flea sprays can be used from 2 days old and most spot ons are dependant on weight not just age. you also need to spray the house and treat any other in contact pets
 
Yeah I know all this. I just wanted to make sure that I would be okay to treat the last few fleas with a spray and a bath until I can next use a prescription application.

:D

I have had them a day and have locked them in a room with no carpets ect. So the lino floor is easy to disinfect

I spoke to someone I used to work with and I can treat the Kittens with diluted spray and shampoo and treat in three-four weeks with spot on

Thanks for all your help :D
 
When you say shampoo,do you intend to bathe the kittens?
Personally I would let them settle into their new home,comb out the worst of the fleas and wait 'til monday when you can get advice from the vet.
As a general rule cats HATE being treated for fleas and the REALLY HATE being bathed!
Many pet shop flea sprays are ineffective,so you will have to repeat the 'cruelty' with an effective product from your vet anyway.....speak to any cat and they will confirm that flea treatments are 'cruelty':D
Cat fleas do not live on any other animal, so as long as you treat the room and treat the kittens with an effective product the problem will only be short term. You may get a flea bite or two in the meantime but this will do you no harm.
 
Frontline spray from the vets can be used on much younger kittens than yours. Most vets will do a free kitten check this then means the vet has seen them and can legally dispense frontline spray to you
 
If you've only found a couple then the treatment has worked - they will pick up fleas as they are just around but the treatment will kill the ones that find them.

What you can do to help is to treat your home with either a bug bomb or a flea carpet powder or do what I've often done, spray the floor, bedding and your furrniture lightly with fly spray.
 
As said above, frontline spray can be used on kittens, I've used it on 2 day old kittens before for lice. I wouldn't want to bath young kittens.
 
Frontline spray is not rubbish, people just don't use it correctly , ie they will bath an animal and strip it's oils from the coat so the spray can't spread through the skin as it should, or people don't apply it to the skin!

Anyway in our practice when we are doing ops etc if we see a spray we spray the animal with Frontline, we don't give 2 hoots if it has already been treated with anything, so it will be perfectly safe to Frontline kittens now! Don't use anything diluted down as someone else said it won't work! Spray the room with a decent spray like Indorex .. that way when you put the kittens back in they can't multiply!! X
 
Awesome thanks guys, I never got as far as doing my exams to be able to sell and advise on frontline. I shall keep them confined to the kitchen and treat as advised.

Ive had them two days now and they are putting on weight and doing well.

Treatments are in the post so hopefully they will be flea free soon. Looking forward till they are big enough to be on the yard now, the have such characters!

Thanks again :)
 
Okay I will spray and brush and pick the odd flea thats left out and frontline in 3 weeks or so as I should be fine (asked someone I worked with who is qualified to sell frontline).

All this would be much easier if older haha
 
We don't use frontline, we take ours to the vet to have the injection version - can't remember what it's called.

As to bathing kittens/cats. We had to bathe our cat when as a kitten he managed to get covered in oil when he dived under the car on the drive. Ever since if we leave the bathroom door open he sometimes goes and sits under the shower and waits for us to turn it on. If he comes in and it's been raining or it's cold he scratches at the bathroom door and almost demands a warm shower.

He is half persian so he has quite long hair - when he's wet he looks like a drowned rat - but he likes to have a blowdry :)

I just think he's a weird cat
 
Devonshire dumpling said:
Frontline spray is not rubbish, people just don't use it correctly , ie they will bath an animal and strip it's oils from the coat so the spray can't spread through the skin as it should, or people don't apply it to the skin!

Anyway in our practice when we are doing ops etc if we see a spray we spray the animal with Frontline, we don't give 2 hoots if it has already been treated with anything, so it will be perfectly safe to Frontline kittens now! Don't use anything diluted down as someone else said it won't work! Spray the room with a decent spray like Indorex .. that way when you put the kittens back in they can't multiply!! X
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It is rubbish! I do not bath my cats - not sure why anyone would do that anyway. And, yes I can read instructions. It is a well known fact that fleas have become resistant to frontline. Stronghold is much better and I wouldn't even waste my money on Frontline any more. I suggest you do some better homework if you work in a veterinary surgery!
 
Checked the kittens today and can literally find one flea! Ill treat with some spray (i know its not as good but I cant use any spot on for a few more weeks and its better than nothing as it will kill any eggs).

I dont see the problems with giving the kittens a bath for fleas? It removes any flea crap and can be soothing. I know cats dont like water that much but these dont seem to mind (found them sitting in their water bowl today!)

In 4 weeks they will be at my new house outside hopefully enjoying the nice weather I just need to get rid of any fleas while they are in my student house, once on the yard I can keep on top of it without worry on the house becoming a breeding ground.

Your comments have been helpful as have your opinions of certain products.
 
mcnaughty said:
It is rubbish! I do not bath my cats - not sure why anyone would do that anyway. And, yes I can read instructions. It is a well known fact that fleas have become resistant to frontline. Stronghold is much better and I wouldn't even waste my money on Frontline any more. I suggest you do some better homework if you work in a veterinary surgery!
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HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA someone is a little rattled!!!!!!!!! Yep I do with 22, nearly 23 yrs experience, i live and breathe fleas, there are tonnes of products we sell and some work better than others on some animals, Stronghold isn't always effective either... But on the whole when we do it outselves for the client we seem to get better results, no idea why!
 
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