Please help...

[rainbowtrout]

So, I seem to have been acquired by a very tiny kitten. Basically it somehow found it''s way into the house and I realized if I put it back on the street it would die (no mother was present).

I took it to the free clinic (it''s the only vet care, period) here. They gave it some worming meds, checked it out, and told me the normal flea stuff was too strong for a 28 day old kitten. They also said to bottle feed him, which I''ve been doing. No Kitten Rep. Milk here, so powdered milk with an egg and some canola oil....

My problem is the FLEAS. The vet rubbed some supposedly anti-flea powder on him and said to bathe him in 3 days. Well that''s tomorrow, and the fleas are still alive and well, I see one crawling around every few minutes....I looked and looked for a flea comb, but he is too skinny to really use one effectively, and good luck finding a flea shampoo or flea collar here!

So I desperately need tips for home-flea-busters, if you have any that are safe for young kittens. I bought some baby shampoo, but that won''t kill the fleas. He''s confined to a playpen and a towel on my lap right now in a vain effort to keep them from spreading. I''m afraid the playpen will keep re-infecting him though!

Gah sorry for the rambling. I really wasn''t expecting this...

 

[VegasAngel]

Ok, I am by no means a vet or pro. but I have heard rubbing some vegetable/olive/lavender oil into the cats fur, leaving it on for a fews hours then a bath with Dawn works. maybe you can try something from here http://www.grizzlybird.net/2006/07/green-cat-flee-fleas-integrated-pest.html

 

[FireGoddess]

RT I've never had such a young kitten but some searching turned up this (see bottom of page). A few other sites recommended the same thing.

http://www.catsofaustralia.com/kitten_fleas.htm

I'm sure some of our resident experts will respond to your thread!!

You are doing such a great thing...thank you!!!

 

[scarleta]

I don''t have a kitten ( Have a dog) Anyways I can tell you that after you get rid of those creatures and put your kitten on natural diet ( raw ) the flees won''t like your kitten''s smell anymore.I never believed in this when I was told untill I actually put my dog on natural diet.Gone are all flee pills and collars etc.If I see a flee on him ( maybe one in 3,or 4 years ) I just use the shampoo for that purpose.So for later you may want to consider this...

 

[scarleta]

Sorry forgot to congratulate you on new family member..Good luck

 

[rainbowtrout]

I heard Dawn searching on the Web but if I could get a cat-spert to let me know it''d help.

Thanks!


I can''t get the Dawn brand-name here, so I hope it isn''t specific to Dawn per se....anyone know?


Update: also having some tummy issues...the cow milk seems to give him a bit of trouble. I''ll see if I can find goat milk tomorrow and give him more solids.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Date: 5/9/2007 7:58:03 PM
Author: scarleta
I don't have a kitten ( Have a dog) Anyways I can tell you that after you get rid of those creatures and put your kitten on natural diet ( raw ) the flees won't like your kitten's smell anymore.I never believed in this when I was told untill I actually put my dog on natural diet.Gone are all flee pills and collars etc.If I see a flee on him ( maybe one in 3,or 4 years ) I just use the shampoo for that purpose.So for later you may want to consider this...

I did quite a bit of research into raw diets for a friend. Unfort. I cannot get feline vitamins here in Morocco but it's a thought for the USA. Thanks though, it's good info to have.

 

[Morticia]

http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/fleas.html

I saw this post re: kittens.
MISC REMEDIES FOR FLEAS
11/21/2006: Candice from Victorville, CA writes, "We rescued two kittens, just to find out that they were infested with fleas. Since they were so young they could not use the traditional flea baths/powers/creams. This is when I searched (earthclinic) and seen the remedy. I decided to combine a couple of them.

USED:
*Dish soap (Ajax, but any will do).
*Rice Vinegar (this is just what I had)
*Baby shampoo
*tweezers
*Heating pad (optional)

First-what I did was filled up the sink half way with lukewarm (make sure not too hot, because what is comfortable to us is hot to them) I then added the VINEGAR (any vinegar will work!) I put a very good helping.

Second-I dipped the kittens in the vinegar solution (minus their heads) then I began to massage the DISH SOAP on. YOU WILL SEE THE FLEAS RUNNING! They will be running towards the head. This is when you lather the kitten with the BABY SHAMPOO ... try your hardest not to get any in the eyes.

Third-Now dip the kitten back into the solution (making sure not to get the head wet) and use a cup or your hands to make sure that you are saturating the fur entirely.

Fourth-This is where it gets tricky. Using a pair of tweezers, tweeze off all of the fleas that you can. THIS IS TIME CONSUMING! But it is worth it! When done tweezing, redip and then rinse off with lukewarm (not too warm) water, and towel dry.

This is when the heating pad will come in handy. What I did was set it on LOW, and put a towel/small blanket over it and then set the kitten down on top if it (first checking to make sure that it wasn't too hot) this is when I went flea hunting once again. This was about an hour process, with two kittens. Once I was finished, I towel dried them very well, and the kittens went right to sleep. I haven't had any reinfestations and I only did this the one time. I have 10 (all rescued) cats and it would be very hard for me if they became reinfested, but so far so good!"

Good luck!

 

[Tacori E-ring]

Please take a photo! I don''t think I have ever seen a kitten that small. Our last cat was 5 weeks when we got him and very infected. The vet treated him and the fleas all died (and he got de-wormed a week later). Fleas are very dangerous for small animals. I guess they feel like the medicine is more. Our cat was anemic after b/c he lost so much blood. He is a healthy, (fat), happy cat now but he had a rough start. I hate to be a downer but fleas reproduce at an alarming rate so your home is probably already infected. I guess you could tough it out for a few weeks and then treat the kitten AND your home (and other animals you have). If you have carpet you could sweep it daily (and empty the bag OUTSIDE) to try to help control it.

 

[rainbowtrout]

Date: 5/9/2007 9:58:59 PM
Author: Morticia
http://www.earthclinic.com/Pets/fleas.html


I saw this post re: kittens.

MISC REMEDIES FOR FLEAS

11/21/2006: Candice from Victorville, CA writes, ''We rescued two kittens, just to find out that they were infested with fleas. Since they were so young they could not use the traditional flea baths/powers/creams. This is when I searched (earthclinic) and seen the remedy. I decided to combine a couple of them.


USED:

*Dish soap (Ajax, but any will do).

*Rice Vinegar (this is just what I had)

*Baby shampoo

*tweezers

*Heating pad (optional)


First-what I did was filled up the sink half way with lukewarm (make sure not too hot, because what is comfortable to us is hot to them) I then added the VINEGAR (any vinegar will work!) I put a very good helping.


Second-I dipped the kittens in the vinegar solution (minus their heads) then I began to massage the DISH SOAP on. YOU WILL SEE THE FLEAS RUNNING! They will be running towards the head. This is when you lather the kitten with the BABY SHAMPOO ... try your hardest not to get any in the eyes.


Third-Now dip the kitten back into the solution (making sure not to get the head wet) and use a cup or your hands to make sure that you are saturating the fur entirely.


Fourth-This is where it gets tricky. Using a pair of tweezers, tweeze off all of the fleas that you can. THIS IS TIME CONSUMING! But it is worth it! When done tweezing, redip and then rinse off with lukewarm (not too warm) water, and towel dry.


This is when the heating pad will come in handy. What I did was set it on LOW, and put a towel/small blanket over it and then set the kitten down on top if it (first checking to make sure that it wasn''t too hot) this is when I went flea hunting once again. This was about an hour process, with two kittens. Once I was finished, I towel dried them very well, and the kittens went right to sleep. I haven''t had any reinfestations and I only did this the one time. I have 10 (all rescued) cats and it would be very hard for me if they became reinfested, but so far so good!''


Good luck!

This. is. GENIUS! I had no cheap vinegar in the house so I used my rosemary flavored cooking vinegar..cat smells slightly of rosemary now, hah.

I made a dishsoap wet ring around his neck first to trap the fleas on his body. I must have pulled 15 or 20 dead fleas, and one very grouchy tick, off of the poor thing. It also let me see how thin he is...just skin and some fluff over bones. He''s got a few sores from the fleas but they look OK, not infected and scabbed over.


I soaped him twice just because it seemed so impt to catch them all..he was scarily exhausted afterwards and just collapsed to sleep, but he''s up and perky now.


Pics to follow in a bit, I have to go bleach his pen first to kill any flea eggs.

 

[Lorelei]

RT I am late to this but well done for helping this baby. What became of the friend''s puppy you posted about a while back, did they keep it?

 

[rainbowtrout]

After some lecturing at the girl who actually adopted it, she did take the puppy to the vet and became much more patient house-training it. Also the house cleared out a lot, two of the people who were the big culprits went back to US.

So she''s vaccinated now and growing well, I check on her from time to time. I did mention to them earlier on that if they feel overwhelmed to come talk to me, but nothing so far.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/10/2007 8:57:57 AM
Author: rainbowtrout
After some lecturing at the girl who actually adopted it, she did take the puppy to the vet and became much more patient house-training it. Also the house cleared out a lot, two of the people who were the big culprits went back to US.

So she''s vaccinated now and growing well, I check on her from time to time. I did mention to them earlier on that if they feel overwhelmed to come talk to me, but nothing so far.

Thats good news that those people have gone and that the puppy is ok. Good for you for helping there too

 

[rainbowtrout]

after bath...

 

[rainbowtrout]

lap cat

 

[Lorelei]

OMG he is so precious!!! I am drooling like you wouldn''t believe, thank goodness that little darling has you to care for him.

 

[belle]

awwwww.....adorable!
good for you rainbowtrout! keep up the good work!

 

[rainbowtrout]

thanks He''s supposed to eat 4 oz of formula a day and I am having the damndest time getting it down him. So that''s the next hurdle, but thank *goodness* the fleas are handled, at least for now.

 

[musey]

oh. my. goodness. Those pictures made my morning!!!

What a sweet looking little baby. Looks to me that you''ve made a friend for life

You''re doing a wonderful, wonderful thing here, and as a cat lover, I thank you!

 

[VegasAngel]

Sooooo cute. Will he eat wet cat food?

 

[FireGoddess]

OH. MY. GOD. WHAT A CUTIE PIE!!!!!!!!! I just want to smoosh that little baby!!!!

Great job on the bath - what a little precious kitty that is!!! It would definitely have been a goner without you.

BTW - I love its markings!!

 

[rainbowtrout]

Vegas: No, he sort of looks at me like "Seriously? Seriously???" He'll nibble little bits of mushed up liver off my finger but that's it. He like the formula mix but a) the cow milk gives him a little diarrhea and b) I can't find a nipple small enough and the formula clogs up the one I DO have because the egg yolk makes it thick!

 

[belle]

do you have access to any syringes? you could put the syringe (without any needle, of course) into his cheek pocket and feed him that way.

 

[rainbowtrout]

I have an eye dropper, I can try and use that next time. he also hasn''t been that hungry today...I got a nice amount of food in him yesterday but not today, he has mostly been sleeping or wanting to play.

 

[Lorelei]

Date: 5/10/2007 11:25:55 AM
Author: belle
do you have access to any syringes? you could put the syringe (without any needle, of course) into his cheek pocket and feed him that way.

Good idea, also keep trying with your finger, little and often is the key. It will take more work for you to get him to eat as this is something his Mother would have taught him, but you can do it. He will get the hang of it.

 

[widget]

Oh, Rainbow! He''s precious! And SO ARE YOU for taking him in!

Do keep us posted on his progress...with pictures of course!

Have you thought of a name yet?

Bless your heart for taking such good care of that sweetie!

I KNOW that in time (if you haven''t already) you''ll get tons of love and joy in return!

widget

 

[belle]

Date: 5/10/2007 11:27:52 AM
Author: rainbowtrout
I have an eye dropper, I can try and use that next time. he also hasn''t been that hungry today...I got a nice amount of food in him yesterday but not today, he has mostly been sleeping or wanting to play.

an eye dropper would work well too. the next time he is sitting with you, just squirt some in his cheek pocket. when you do that, they can''t help but eat the stuff you put in there.

i just can''t get over how cute he is! kittens are soooo cute!

 

[Gypsy]

Oh wow. What a cute little bug! He perked up my morning. Good job of getting him deloused. Frodo was 5 weeks when met him in the yard... and already eating wet food like a champ. I did rescue some kittens 20 days old, but they went immediately to our shelter manager''s home to be fostered so I dont'' know what they used on them. We used a kitten safe flea shampoo for Frodo and gave him a long bath (after which he just collapsed into a nap) with it, and it worked. I''m glad you were able to find a solution to work where you are.

Rosemary scented kittens are special. He''s a boy so can''t name him Rosemary... have you named him?

 

[Tacori E-ring]

He is SOOOOO cute!!!! What a doll face. I am so glad the special bath worked b/c fleas can be dangerous for the little ones. I bet he is SO much happier. Are you going to keep him?

 

[VegasAngel]

I aquired my cat as a tiny wild kitten not ready to be away from her momma. She wouldnt take kitten formula so I just shoved wet cat food in her mouth. Once she got a few bites she started eating it like a champ The first few weeks she would go around my house hissing at everything it was so funny. My Boston terrier who loves cats decided she was going to mother this kitten. She bugged this kitty enough that the cat was nursing from my dog. My dog produced milk to nurse this cat I couldnt believe it.