Fleas are common parasites even for pets that spend their entire lives in an apartment. People bring parasite eggs from the street on shoes or clothes, and they also get from neighbors through open doors and even windows. If for adult animals fleas are a nuisance that can be quickly dealt with, then for a small kitten it is a problem that poses a threat to health and life.
Insects are carriers of diseases and distributors of helminths, and if there are too many of them, they will “eat” the baby, greatly weakening the body and weakening the immune system. There is only one conclusion - fleas need to be destroyed. But this must be done wisely, because the use of certain products depends on a number of conditions, especially on the age of the kitten.
The advisability of bathing
First of all, this is an opportunity to get rid of insects that parasitize a small pet. The active substances that make up industrial sprays, tablets and gels are quite aggressive. The baby’s immunity is just beginning to develop and any poisoning caused by toxic drugs can be fatal.
Bathing a kitten with flea shampoo is the only panacea for blood-sucking parasites. Therapeutic water procedures are especially important for purebred cats, for example, Scottish or British, because they have a very difficult time being around these insects.
Bathing
For reference! Some cat breeds love to swim and enjoy spending time in the water. Among them are Maine Coons, Bobtails, Egyptian Mau and Bengal cats.
What to wash with?
Shampoo for kittens is different from shampoo for humans. This is due to differences in acid-base balance. Regular shampoo can also damage your pet's fur and skin.
If the kitten is a little dirty, you can wipe the stain with a damp cloth.
There are several types of special shampoos:
- Liquid shampoo can be used on small kittens and adult cats. With it you can achieve silky and soft wool. It should be used in small quantities, as it will be difficult to wash off a lot of foam.
- Dry shampoo is a salvation for panic fear of water. It is applied to the skin, then combed from the fur along with the dirt. Dry shampoo can be used more often than usual, as it does not upset the oil balance and does not lead to dry skin. Allowed for use from three months of age. Before applying it to your pet, you need to make sure that the skin is completely dry.
- Spray shampoo should be applied to wet fur. You can use it from the age of six months, because it has a distinct smell.
Kittens do not need to be washed with adult cat shampoo. Small pets have more delicate skin, so they are at risk of getting dermatitis.
Contraindications
Despite the apparent safety of this enterprise, it has a number of contraindications. The critical point is age. Under no circumstances should kittens under 3 months of age be allowed to participate in water procedures. During the washing process, skin lubricant dissolves, which opens up wide possibilities for dermatitis and other skin problems.
Swimming restrictions:
- Disease . If the kitten is sick (problems with the gastrointestinal tract, helminths, lichen, infections, etc.), then before bathing you should consult a specialist.
- Vaccination . Your pet should not come into contact with water for two weeks after any vaccinations.
- Surgical intervention . If there are fresh stitches on the body, then water procedures are strictly prohibited.
- Stress . When a cat is psychologically unstable, it cannot be treated with detergents and water. This will only aggravate stress and discourage your pet from water procedures.
How to understand that a kitten is infected
Kittens can get more than just cat fleas, Ctenocephalides felis. They can be equally parasitized by dog, rabbit and rat fleas. They can get to kittens in different ways:
- from other animals living in the house;
- from basements and attics of houses;
- from parents.
Kittens can become infected with fleas from other animals living in the house.
It is quite easy to understand at home that a kitten has become infected. It is worth paying attention if:
- the kitten itches often;
- the kitten rubs its head with its paws;
- scratches and wounds appear on the body;
- the kitten is restless.
At what age can you bathe a kitten?
Is it possible to bathe a kitten that is a week old or a little more? Absolutely not. Babies, unlike adults, are more vulnerable to diseases due to weak, immature immunity. Water violates the integrity of the protective film, which is fraught with the penetration and development of harmful microorganisms, including fleas.
There is no need to wash your pet for the first 2 months of life . All hygiene procedures, as well as cleaning from blood-sucking and other parasites, are undertaken by the kitten’s mother. If for some reason the latter is absent, then procedures can begin at 30 days of age.
At 3 months, the baby will already be stronger and bathing will not cause him any significant harm. Breeders do not recommend postponing the procedure to a later date. The older your pet gets, the more difficult it will be for him to get used to water. So the question: “When can you wash a kitten?” can be answered with confidence - upon reaching 3 months of age.
How often to wash?
Too frequent procedures deteriorate the quality of the coat. It is necessary to treat a kitten for fleas taking into account its breed, the specificity of its hair coat and its state of health. When it comes to pets that do not leave the apartment, they need to be bathed approximately 6 times a year .
Important! If fleas or worms appear, the procedure should be carried out immediately, even if the last contact with water was very recent.
As such, there are no restrictions in cats with little or no fur, like Sphynxes or Abyssinian cats. They get dirty noticeably faster, so the frequency of their bathing is reduced to once a month .
How quickly do fleas die after using shampoo?
After
If you treat your pet
fleas
should die within 24 hours and will also be less likely to lay eggs (as egg laying usually begins 24 hours
after
feeding).
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Detergents
Regular soaps or shampoos will not work for humans. The kitten needs special products for bathing, and in case of flea infestation - containing active substances of a medical nature. In pet stores and veterinary pharmacies you can always find solutions depending on your situation and your budget.
Shampoos
Popular flea shampoos for kittens:
- Kiss;
- AVZ Elite Organic;
- Api-San;
- Beaphar;
- Lugovoy;
- Leopard.
Existing methods of getting rid of fleas
The simplest method to help remove parasites is to comb out and catch fleas by hand. It can be used in the youngest kittens, as well as in small numbers of pests.
Veterinary pharmacies offer a wide range of products designed to effectively combat insects:
- Shampoos. They often combine not only insecticides, but also antifungal components. Such products are selected strictly in accordance with the age of the kitten.
- Drops. They act very quickly and are usually well tolerated by cats.
- Sprays. Effective means, but requiring a certain dexterity in use and work in the open air (or with intensive ventilation). In this case, there is a risk of getting into the eyes or respiratory tract of a tiny pet.
- Powders. They are rubbed into the “fur coat”, left to act, and then thoroughly combed out with a brush.
In all cases, you need to make sure that the active substances do not get on the mucous membranes and that the kitten does not have the opportunity to lick the drug after treatment - otherwise it may become poisoned.
How to properly bathe a kitten for the first time?
This is an important and responsible moment not only for the baby, but also for his owner. If the kitten does not experience stress the first time, then subsequent procedures will also take place without incidents - dissatisfied meowing and scratched hands.
Important! Breeders advise bathing the baby in a basin, and not in the bathtub. In such conditions it is much easier to hold it, and the pet will feel more confident in a small container.
Bathing process:
- Fill 2 basins with warm water so that it reaches the kitten’s belly.
- We cover the pet's ears with cotton pads, and it is also advisable to wear a harness.
- While stroking the kitten, we lower it into the basin.
- We scoop up the water with our hands and pour it over the baby.
- Add flea shampoo, lather and apply to the coat.
- Rinse the kitten in foam, and then in clean water.
After bathing, you need to wrap your pet in a towel, trying to squeeze out as much moisture as possible from the fur. After a couple of minutes, change it to dry. As soon as the water has drained, you can transfer the kitten to its usual environment - a house or to its mother cat. The latter itself will rid the baby of residual moisture.
Important! You cannot use the shower when bathing your pet. The kitten may be frightened by the strong jet and noise, which will discourage repeated procedures.
Traditional methods
You can get rid of fleas on a kitten at home without the use of special chemicals. This is especially true if the baby is less than 2 months old. Traditional methods are gentle and harmless, but sometimes tedious and not effective enough. But if you have no choice, it's worth trying them. How to remove fleas from a kitten using traditional methods: manually or using natural remedies.
Mechanical removal
By rights, the safest method of getting rid of fleas is mechanical, which allows you to remove insects even from newborn kittens. At the same time, it is the most labor-intensive and time-consuming, since it is not possible to quickly get rid of fleas by combing due to the presence of numerous clutches of eggs.
To carry out the procedure, you will need a hard plastic comb with frequent rounded teeth and a white sheet of paper. Combing fleas should begin from the back, gradually moving to the abdomen and paws. It is not recommended to manipulate the pet's head - you can injure the kitten's ears, nose and eyes. Any fleas on the paper should be immediately crushed or thrown into a container of water. The processing comb also needs to be periodically cleaned of accumulations of insects and hair.
You need to carry out the procedure twice a day until the fleas disappear. One combing session should take about 10 minutes on average. As a rule, it takes 1 month to solve the problem. Afterwards, it is necessary to check the fur for several weeks, since new individuals could emerge from the remaining eggs.
Bathing
Plain water will not get rid of fleas. But if you add salt, tansy or wormwood to the bath, the insects will begin to disappear.
Salt bath. Add table salt to warm water at the rate of 1 tbsp. 200 ml, dissolve. Place your pet in the solution for 10 minutes. Then pat the fur dry with a towel and comb out with a comb. Repeat the procedure every week.
A decoction of wormwood or tansy. Brew the chopped herb in boiling water (1 tablespoon per glass). Prepare a warm bath and pour in the infusion. Keep your pet in the solution for several minutes and dry the fur well. The procedure can be carried out several times a week.
Important! When bathing, be careful not to get water into your pet's ears, nose or eyes!
Tar soap
This flea remedy for kittens is completely safe and quite effective. The soap needs to be turned into thick foam. To make the process easier, you can grate the piece and dissolve it in warm water. The foam should be rubbed into the pet’s fur and rinsed off after a few minutes. To remove dead insects, you can comb the fur after drying.
Basic rules for washing kittens
If you follow a number of simple rules, then during subsequent baths the kitten will experience noticeably less stress.
Recommendations:
- The procedure cannot be carried out immediately after eating.
- It is advisable to wash the kitten during its molting period.
- Before bathing, the coat must be combed and tangled.
- There should be no drafts in the processing area.
- For the first time, it is better to take unscented flea shampoo.
- The temperature in the basin should not exceed +40⁰С and not fall below +37⁰С.
- The head should be wetted with a sponge, not with water from your hand.
During the first bath, an assistant will also help: one person calms the baby, while the other performs all the necessary actions.
What exactly is more effective: a collar or drops?
To understand the difference between flea drops and a flea collar, you need to understand that the drops are solutions for killing fleas. They may differ in chemical composition and degree of action. Another feature of droplets is the fact that parasites can adapt to some of their types. Therefore, they need to be changed after some time.
Collar
Important! Collars do not destroy parasites, but only repel them with their smell. Therefore, to achieve the greatest effect in the fight against parasites, it is best to combine two methods. First, you will need to treat the pet's fur with drops, and then put on a collar for preventive purposes.
How to teach a kitten to bathe?
First of all, the owner himself needs to tune in. Cats feel people very subtly and the latter’s excitement is immediately transmitted to the animal. Therefore, before bathing a small kitten, you need to calm down and relax.
In the basin
Before filling the basin with water, you should put your pet in it and play with it so that it gets used to the environment. As soon as the baby gets comfortable, you can pour water. At the same time, it is very important to stroke the kitten, while talking to it in lower tones.
Prevention
Even animals that don't go outside can become infected with fleas. To protect your pets, the following conditions must be observed:
- maintain cleanliness where the pet lives;
- periodically inspect the animal for the presence of insects;
- apply antiparasitic agents;
- do not allow your four-legged friend to interact with homeless animals.
Summarizing all that has been said above, we can draw a simple conclusion: it is not difficult to remove fleas, but it is better to prevent their appearance. Therefore, the pet owner must carefully monitor the cat, as well as kittens, and do everything possible to prevent blood-sucking insects from darkening their lives.
Video
How to dry?
Immediately after bathing, the baby should be wrapped in a terry towel. At the same time, you cannot rub the fur too much, otherwise the hair will become crumpled, and then tangles will form. If the wool is long, you will need several towels.
Afterwards the pet is released: it will lick and comb itself. After bathing, the kitten should stay in a warm room for at least 12 hours. A draft or low temperature is under no circumstances acceptable.
Important! If the baby trembles for more than 5 minutes after bathing, then you should resort to using a hair dryer or heater. In this case, the air flow should not be hot. In parallel with drying, you need to comb your pet.
Folk remedies that remove fleas from baby cats
Among the folk methods of effectively combating annoying fleas are:
- sagebrush. You can use a decoction of plants to wash the fur of kittens or lay out branches of the plant on the floor of the apartment;
- combing with a thick comb (but in this way it will not be possible to completely rid the animal of parasites);
- pine sawdust. The blocks do not tolerate the smell of pine, so sawdust can be placed under the animal’s rug and spread on the floor in the apartment;
- a mixture of soda and salt. Sprinkle the powder on the carpets in the apartment, and after 4 hours vacuum them;
- tar soap. Lather the fur of a 2-month-old kitten for 5 minutes, then rinse with warm water.
