Reptile & Amphibian Forums

My Kitty, Belle just had four kittens. I noticed today that they have bugs on them. I've never really seen a flea, but when i looked it up online-the bugs I'm pulling off of them don't look like the picture of a flea on the 'net. I always pictured them smaller too (well, they are on 3 week old kittens...but). I just gave them all baths and the bugs died, but thats not to stop whatever it is from crawling back onto them from my other 3 cats and from my carpets and furniture. What should I do? If its not fleas, what could it be? HELP

TOTALLY GROSSED OUT

Please don't bathe the kittens again because if you are not careful the soap you use might harm their delicate systems. If the bugs reappear, see if you can get one and take it to a vet to find out what exactly it is. Then you can get the safest and most effective treatment for it. I can't imagine what else it could be, but fleas are pretty tiny and not easy to pull off - they tend to move quickly and to jump.

Good luck. I hope that the bugs will stay away!
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!

Not only the soap can harm the kittens, they can catch a cold as well, and that can be very dangerous for kittens.

You can also find out if it's fleas by searching their fur for what looks like small pieces of dirt. Put them on a tissue and put a drop of water on them. If a red halo forms, it is flea poo (the red would be from your cat's blood).

If it turns out to be fleas: do NOT use ANY flea treatments on the mother or kittens! The kittens are too young and will not be able to cope with the chemicals and could even die from it.

Instead: change and wash all their beddings, pillows etc, where they sleep. Vacuum the whole area where they sleep DAILY. Buy a flea collar and cut it up and put it into the vacuum bag, that way the fleas will die inside and not simply crawl out again. Vacuum your whole house daily. Wash everything else the mother cat sleeps and sits on, pillows, sofa etc.

Then buy a flea comb and comb mother and kittens daily until you find no more fleas. Make sure to check daily if new ones have appeared.

Fleas can be dangerous for young kittens and lead to anaemia, so you have to make sure to get this under control, but please not with chemicals (not even the normally safe ones) until the kittens are at least 3 months of age.

Good luck!

Thank you so much!! I also have two other cats; is it safe to use a chemical on them? If so, which one is the best? I heard that one gave cats seizures. I've never had fleas before and my neighbor says she sees dust on her cats all the time. I think it may be our apartment. We're not itching tho--I wouldn't even of thought twice about it if I didn't see the little buggers.

Don't put anything on your cat that isn't prescribed by your vet. Over-the-counter preparations can be dangerous or fatal. I still think you've got something other than fleas going here - so if you can catch a sample bug, do so and take it to the vet. S/he will be able to spot exactly what it is.
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Smile, it will make them wonder what you are up to!