# Fleas - 8 week old kitten



## HelloKittyHannah (Nov 18, 2010)

My kitten came to me with fleas (my friend bought him and his brother at 6 weeks  couldn't cope with both so now I have one)
Apparently the "breeder" had wormed and flead them, but obviously this isn't the case.
When I took him for a check over at the vet I said I'd seen one on him. She checked his fur and said she couldn't see any and that as the breeder said she'd done them I should wait until his first injections to treat him to avoid doing it too soon.
It's become obvious though that he has quite a heavy infestation, and as his first injection isn't until December 7th I feel I should sort this sooner (and also worm him)
Can anyone tell me which is the best flea and worm treatment to use?
I was going to use Advocate if waiting until his injections, as that kills both birds with one stone, but it says from 9 weeks so I can't use that yet.

Frontline I've heard mixed reviews about, and there are so many different wormers I don't know what to choose :confused1:

I'll be doing my adult cat at the same time.

Also, will my house need treating? Obviously I'll flea treat the cats monthly which should stop the flea life cycle in the house shouldn't it? :confused1:
Will be extremely awkward to flea treat my house as I have reptiles and young children, no hope of moving all of us out of the house for the day to flea bomb it 

Ideas much appreciated!


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## 3cats (Nov 28, 2010)

What about flea powder for around the house? Frontline has worked a treat for me in the past.
Ive also heard salt helps around the house with fleas??


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## 3cats (Nov 28, 2010)

But to be honest, I think a good shampooing of kitty, and run a flea comb through it will do a good job, then put a little frontline on


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## buffie (May 31, 2010)

3cats said:


> But to be honest, I think a good shampooing of kitty, and run a flea comb through it will do a good job, then put a little frontline on


By all means comb the kitten but I would not be rushing to bath an 8 week old kitten.Phone your vet and ask advice on the best course of action.


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## Taylorbaby (Jan 10, 2009)

poor thing im surprised that its even eating food by himself yet some of mine havent even tried it at that age 

she shouldnt have left his mum till a min of 12weeks 

anyway your house will be doing they are prob everywhere by now festering, after treating him hoover treat the house and then do it again whenever the product sdays and treat him every 4 months. also check him for ear mites.


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

3cats said:


> But to be honest, I think *a good shampooing of kitty*, and run a flea comb through it will do a good job, then put a little frontline on


NOOOOOO don't do this

apart from the fact that flea shampoos are pretty hopeless

this kitten is far too young to be bathed

and Frontline should never be used after or before bathing. I think it's "do not use 3 days before or after a bath". Using it after bathing a cat or kitten would render it useless.

OP, I have occasionally had problems with Frontline, but it is still the first thing I try. Get the spray version. Check the dosage and the kittens weight accurately. Put some latex gloves on, and spray the liquid onto your hands then work it form there through the kittens fur, as far into the roots (and against the grain) as you can.

Many of the spot on treatments are not suitable for kittens under 12 weeks old. Some of the spot ons now allow kittens of 8 weeks to be treated, but they used to advice 12 weeks... for this reason alone I advice frontline as the first line of treatment and only if it didn't work (which is very rare) then I would be discussing with a VET which course of action to take. After you have frontlined the kitten, give him/her a thorough going over with a flea comb every day for about a week. If you do find fleas it is crucial to know if they are lively or very woozy... very woozy isn't so much of an issue, but they day after finding a very woozy flea it's not a good sign if you find them becoming more lively. At that point I would be calling the vet.


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## HelloKittyHannah (Nov 18, 2010)

buffie said:


> By all means comb the kitten but I would not be rushing to bath an 8 week old kitten.Phone your vet and ask advice on the best course of action.


They seemed totally unconcerned for his welfare. All the vet nurse had to say was that if I treated him myself they wouldn't give me the free flea treatment that they give with the vaccinations. I told her I was more concerned about his health than getting a free flea treatment for a kitten that could end up anaemic by the time his appointment arrives 
I've ordered some Frontline from PetMeds and when I take him to get his vaccinations I'll ask for a prescription for Advocate to start next month.

To Taylorbaby, I'm fully aware he shouldn't have left his Mum until 12 weeks, but sadly my friend was not. She saw cute furry bundles and bought them, realised that 2 was very hard work when she has 4 children and decided to rehome one. She has now been thoroughly educated on the subject and won't be making the same mistake again. Luckily the kittens are doing great (minus the fleas), but it could have been a totally different story.


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## HelloKittyHannah (Nov 18, 2010)

Tje said:


> NOOOOOO don't do this
> 
> apart from the fact that flea shampoos are pretty hopeless
> 
> ...


Sorry we were typing at the same time  I've been combing him daily, each time getting at least 2 adults off him, so I'll carry on combing him after treating him.
I didn't know that about the spot on treatments (Frontline simply says do not use on kittens under 8 weeks), I'll nip out and buy the Frontline spray instead 
Thanks very much for the advice


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## Tje (Jan 16, 2010)

HelloKittyHannah said:


> Sorry we were typing at the same time  I've been combing him daily, each time getting at least 2 adults off him, so I'll carry on combing him after treating him.
> I didn't know that about the spot on treatments (Frontline simply says do not use on kittens under 8 weeks), I'll nip out and buy the Frontline spray instead
> Thanks very much for the advice


the frontline spot-on pipets only very recently changed their guidelines from "do not use on kittens under 12 weeks of age" to "do not use on kittens under 8 weeks of age" ... it was only this year or last year that they changed this... and the "mix" hasn't changed at all.... so personally I am a bit "iffy" with this change. Also 8 weeks of age says so little... an 8 week old kitten could be 1200grams or 400grams, so I just don't like using the same "one size fits all" solution on them. At least with the frontline spray it is dosed according to weight, which I just think is a LOT safer than the spot on pipets (at this young age anyway).

if you treat him today with frontline spray .... any fleas you do find in the next few days should be "drunk" and easy to pick up and squash... if they are at all lively and can jump any higher than a few centimeters, then I'd be giving the vet a call. But honestly.... I have a lot of kittens come through my home and frontline spray is more than good for 99% of them. Though granted until maybe 2-3 years ago it did seem to work a lot better.


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