Fleas in Cats

20 April 2018 Written by PawSpace

Fleas are small parasites that live on the skin of your kitten, they feed on blood. One flea can lay up to 200 eggs before it dies. These eggs fall off the pets coat onto the carpets, floors or furniture. The eggs then develop in larvae and then in turn into pupae. The pupae will then become adult fleas continuing on the cycle. The pupae can remain dormant in the environment of your home for along time and will only hatch when the environment is suitable (vibrations, movements, heat etc)
These triggers of movement, heat and vibration are all produced by your kitten playing, moving around and also by central heating within our homes, our walking around, hoovering etc.

The most common flea in cats is Ctenocephalides felis (cat flea). Your kitten may contract fleas from another animal, its mother or the environment of the house which has larvae/pupae present.

Fleas cause multiple problems – they cause irritation to your kitten, skin rashes/lumps from bites, allergies to flea bites causing hair loss and over grooming/biting self. The fleas feed on your kitten’s blood which in a young kitten can cause weakness and anaemia. Fleas also transmit tapeworm when they feed on your kitten. Family members within the house might get small red itchy bite marks.
What can you do? Prevention is better than cure.

Flea Control and Treatment

Natural Ways to Prevent & Get Rid of Fleas on Cats

Using a Flea Comb

A flea comb can be purchased from a pet store, alternatively you can use a super fine toothed comb (baby comb)

You will need to make sure the comb gets down close to the skin and work slowly, as the comb may pull on the hair while you are dragging it through. While combing, concentrate on the areas of your cat’s body where fleas like to hide, like the groin, armpits and base of the tail. Also, have a bowl of soapy water nearby when you use the comb so you can drown the fleas as you remove them.

Apple Cider Vinegar Bath or Spray

Fill a spray bottle with apple cider vinegar, apply directly to coat, and leave on. Alternatively you can carefully bathe your cat, either with just ACV or ACV and mild shampoo mixed together. If you are using just ACV spray a generous amount onto the fur and let it sit on your cat for 5 minutes before rinsing it off and following the bath with a flea comb.

How to remove fleas from kittens

A flea infestation can cause anemia in kittens. Kittens are especially delicate, and some treatments are not safe. Follow the advice of your vet. Also, never use medication designed for dogs or adult cats — these could be deadly to a kitten.

If you are removing fleas from a newborn kitten: Treat the mother and remove the fleas from the kitten. They are small so there isn’t a large area to cover, and you should be able to remove them with your fingers or tweezers easily. Because of their age and fragility, don’t apply any type of detergent or medication on newborn kittens.

Flea Prevention

vacuuming
use salt – alt may be sprinkled into the carpet to work as a desiccant to kill flea eggs and larvae deep in the fibers of the carpet
regularly washing bedding
flea treatment once a month