Hey everyone. I found 3 little kitties and they have a ton of fleas. They are around 4 weeks old now. I found them in my front yard. They're super cute and I want to be able to hug and socialize them, but the fleas are bad and I don't want to put anything too harsh on them. I have used the petroleum/comb method, but it obviously didn't work. I heard that Listerine works, but am scared it is toxic.
The best way to get rid of fleas on young kittens is to purchase a mild flea shampoo from your local pet store or retail outlet. You can also purchase a tube of advantage from your veterinarian and use it. This is a tad bit more expensive but highly effective.
I feel so sorry for my poor cat when she has fleas and is forever scratching. I haven't tried this personally yet, but apparently brushing essential oil of lavender into their coats once a week should help.
Once you treat the cat with whatever method you choose you need to make sure that their bedding area is also treated otherwise they will just get reinfested. So clean out the bedding.
I have heard that putting a bit of garlic in their food...repels the fleas but some websites say not to give kittens garlic, others say it is ok, so perhaps steer clear of that one? What I did read and used successfully on kittens we found...was a mixture of lemon rubbed into their coats. It worked, although they are not fans of citrus themselves...but it worked. I also heard that rubbing yeast (regular brewer's yeast) into their coats repel fleas as the brewer's yeast is a natural pro-biotic. You can also make a powder with certain herbs in or get one from a natural pet store. They should not react to these. Enjoy them!!
I was told not to use flea sprays and shampoos on kittens younger than twelve weeks. Someone at Petsmart suggested using Dawn dish soap. When I Googled it said that Dawn suffocates the fleas. I also out of curiosity mixed water and vinegar in a spray bottle, sprayed it on the kitten and it seems to be working. Fleas are really bad here this year.
