I've decided on daily flea baths for the kittens, through the rest of the week

[Siwsan]

Gotta kill those newly hatched vermin before they can start laying a new generation.

This time Madoc was resistant, and that's putting it mildly. My arms are a testament to his ability to fight. But Morgan decided as annoying as the shampooing session is, that warm water spray rinse is pretty lush.

Both are now napping on my lap. I really need to put something on these scratches and fortunately I have some CBD balm, right at hand.

[Phoenix61]

1. Diatomacious earth works wonders.

It kills the larvae the second they hatch. It’s non toxic and last until you wash their bedding or steam clean the carpet. You want to be sure to get the food quality type.
https://www.chewy.com/harris-food-grade-diatomaceous-earth/dp/226387?utm_source=google-product&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=hg&utm_content=Harris&utm_term=&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIxO3OoK6k8wIVPYpaBR1SigY_EAQYAiABEgKxGvD_BwE

[Siwsan]

2. I'm going to check out Chewy.com, so thanks!

Some places seem to have shortages of kitten food. I bought 2 bags of dry kitten food, today. There were only 3 in the store. And I bought another 24 can case of wet kitten food, even though I just opened one.

When I was talking to some Kroger employees, they told me they have noticed the shortages and have started using Chewy and Amazon for their pet food.

I did a MAJOR cleaning, yesterday but suspect I will be doing those for a while. Fortunately the kittens don't have free run of the whole house and I don't see any signs of an actual 'infestation' but I want to keep it that way.

[Rorey]

3. I agree

Diatomaceous earth is safe and effective. I don't think daily flea baths are a good idea.

A bonus with diatomaceous earth is that it's ingestible, so it won't hurt them when they lick themselves. It even works on intestinal parasites.

[spinbaby]

12. Yes, good stuff

I heartily second this recommendation.

[femmedem]

4. Have you spoken with a vet about a one-time topical flea medication?

I've always used topicals because it is less traumatic for the kittens, and it might be safer than daily doses of shampoo if it's a flea-fighting shampoo. Don't just go with an over-the-counter one, though. Ask your vet for a recommendation based on the kittens' age and weight. I would hate for baths to damage your bond with your kittens.

[Polly Hennessey]

5. I use once a month Advantage for my guys.

A daily flea bath might be too much. Anyway, I put Advantage on the back of the neck. It is dosed by weight of cat. I would definitely talk to my Vet as to what is best for you.

[Siwsan]

6. Once they get old enough, that's what I'll be doing

They will be 100% indoor cats, but I could be bringing in fleas from the ferals.

[Random Boomer]

7. Daily baths are too much

There are so many alternatives that won't endanger their coat health and that don't require nearly as much effort.

For kittens, we usually used a flea comb and then dropped the fleas into a small bowl of Lemon Joy, which kills them on contact.

[Siwsan]

8. I use a flea comb, too. Perhaps I'm just over reacting

And by daily, well, one or two more but maybe I'll space them out. They go back to the vet for their 2nd vaccination, next week. I'll ask him about the fleas, and how soon can I get the spaying and neutering done.

Until very recently, I didn't notice any, after their first flea bath. I also didn't know that most flea shampoos don't kill the eggs.

[qzwv8j]

9. As someone already stated Daily baths are too often

If you’re against the use of chemical agents such as the topical as suggested earlier, you could use diatomaceous earth — rub it onto their fur…. That helps but doesn’t dry them out like shampooing or other powders or soaps will…. BUT know that nothing you do is really going to get rid of these things unless you treat your house at the same time. Flea eggs are not sticky and they fall off the animal and get into the crevices between your floor boards, imbed in your carpet, and hide in all the furniture. They can lay dormant for months, so even when you think you’re cats are flea free you can have another outbreak.

When I had carpets, I would use baking soda on them — cover the whole of the carpets thickly, make sure you get the corners. The baking soda kills the fleas by drying them out. You could use diatomaceous earth as well (which does work better) but the advantage to baking soda is it’s readily available and it’s less expensive. AND it makes your house smell nice. Leave it on over night or longer in rooms the kittens don’t go into and then vacuum. Then vacuum some more. Then vacuum again….

I’ve got a link on all the things one can do to get rid of fleas someplace on another computer. If you’re interested, I’ll find it and send it on. It’s really not difficult to get rid of them, but it’s a pain in the tush and it really relies on persistence. Basically, You’ve got to treat your animals and vacuum.

The topical agent I prefer is Cheristan. I used to get it from the vet, but then I realized it’s available without a prescription so I’m able to save money by ordering myself online. It’s safe for kittens who way over 2 pounds.

[Siwsan]

11. I actually rethought my knee jerk reaction and have been combing

I use a few drops of Dawn dish detergent in a bowl of water. Morgan quite likes the process, while Madoc simply tolerates it.

They go to the vet, next week, for their 2nd vaccinations so I'll chat with him about the fleas (which are MUCH more under control) and when I can get them spayed/neutered.