| Issue 33: September 10 |
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Dear Dr. Schelling,
I just adopted a pregnant mother cat about a month ago. The kittens are 3 weeks old now, and very cute. But there’s a problem, they are all infested with fleas. I see fleas crawling on the fur of the kittens, and lots of dark material on the skin, which I’ve learned is flea fecal matter, or flea dirt. This is really disgusting, and I want them gone. I’ve even felt a bit itchy recently. How can I get rid of them safely? The kittens are very young and the mother is still nursing. –Frustrated Feline FleabagDear Frustrated, I am so sorry for your predicament. Fleas can make young kittens very ill. My first suggestion is that you immediately make an appointment with a veterinarian to assess the general health of the mother and kittens. The veterinarian will provide information and advice about external and internal parasite prevention and control, nutrition, vaccinations, and kitten husbandry. Flea and tick control in young kittens and pregnant and lactating mothers can have unique challenges. Products that are safe in non-pregnant adults are not always safe in neonates. Click here to read the full article. -Dr. SchellingShare:                
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