Question: Safe Flea Shampoo for Kitten?
"I have looked all over and haven't been able to find a flea and tick shampoo that isn't harsh and might hurt kittens. I have two, ages eight and nine months, and they have fleas. We use a shampoo that is mild, but it doesn't get rid of the problem. Is there a product on the market that you could recommend that wouldn't hurt the kittens and get rid of the fleas? I appreciate your help."
Answer: While bathing your kittens with a mild shampoo, such as a baby shampoo, might kill the fleas on the kittens, the fleas die by drowning. I don't really recommend any flea shampoo products, as the insecticides they contain may be harmful to cats of any age. I also do not recommend flea collars, sprays, or powders, for the same reason. They may be safe, but I wouldn't take the chance with my own cats, so I won't recommend them to others. (Read this article for more information.)
In any case, until you get rid of any residual fleas and their eggs from your home, killing them on the kittens is only a stop-gap measure. If your kittens are indoors-only, chances are that you are carrying fleas inside on your shoes or clothing. My article, Don't Flee the Flea! gives advice for ridding carpeting, bedding, and drapes of flea eggs. I'd use the insect bomb as a very last resort, and board out your kitten for a couple of days, if it comes to that.
Once you get the fleas in the house under control, a good topical flea control product, combined with regular vacuuming of carpeting, will keep your kittens flea-free. Although the label recommendations are for monthly application, I've found that we only need to apply it every second or third month year-round, except during the really heavy spring-summer flea season.
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