How to get rid of fleas in small kittens. Fleas in a kitten: how to get rid of parasites and not harm your pet

The ways in which various bloodsuckers appear in cat babies can be quite diverse, and strongly depend on the conditions - where, by whom and how they are kept.

Usually infection occurs:

1. from mother;
2. from brothers and sisters in the litter;
3. from relatives in the yard or on the street;
4. from another pet that has fleas or can bring them into the house.

Also, the owners of the “groom” would be nice to take care of such an important aspect before mating, how to rid their cat of fleas in order to avoid their transfer to the “bride”, and later on to small crumbs. Otherwise, fleas in such a kitten, which is then put up for sale, may be found in the new owners of the purchased baby.

If the cat couple is treated for bloodsuckers before the “date”, and the cat does not further contact with homeless relatives, then, as a rule, babies are born clean. And their new owners will not have a headache about what to do if the purchased kitten has fleas.

It also happens when a cat walks on its own and chooses a cat for itself. For example, such a free lifestyle is often found in country or country cats, in rural areas or in the private sector. They breed freely, and even when treated periodically, they can become infected with fleas through close contact from a cat or other cats.

In the case when another pet already lives in the family, or even several of them, then before bringing the baby into the house, you need to check your animals for fleas and take them out when they are found.

We will consider, given these circumstances with the owners, all possible options and give recipes for what to do in such cases and how to get fleas out of a kitten.

How dangerous are fleas for a small kitten

These insidious bloodsuckers, which threaten the health of adult cats with their bites, are much more dangerous for babies. The immune system in newly born cats is formed for 6 months, so the baby, especially if it is less than a month old, is defenseless against infection with serious infections that are transmitted through flea bites.

The presence of fleas for a baby is fraught with problems that threaten not only his health, but also his life.

• Anxiety due to severe itching, loss of appetite.
• Purulent lesions of the skin in bitten places.
• Allergic severe manifestations.
• Anemia due to loss of blood in violent and frequent attacks.
• Severe helminthic infestations.

Important! If the baby experiences torment through the fault of bloodsuckers, then you need to study how you can treat the kitten from fleas, and be sure to save the pet from suffering as soon as possible.

The importance of the age of the kitten when choosing methods to combat bloodsuckers

Methods suitable for a newborn kitten up to 2 months

Given that after birth, the first month the babies are with the cat, then if the mother is infected with fleas, then the litter also has them. Therefore, first of all, it is necessary to carry out the processing procedure for the cat and flea poisoning in the place where the litter is located.

But what can you do with such tiny cats? How to remove fleas from a kitten if he is not 1 month old? There are few safe ways for such babies, but there are.

• Surround the place where the cat lives with offspring, fresh branches of wormwood. She perfectly drives out settled bloodsuckers and scares off new ones.
• In the absence of fresh greenery of wormwood, you can bathe babies in its warm broth, making sure that water does not get into the ears and nose. Tansy can be added to wormwood when brewing.
• Suitable for crumbs, if kittens have fleas already at 1 month old, bathing with tar soap. The baby should be left soaped for 15 minutes and thoroughly rinse off the remaining foam along with the dead fleas. After drying, it is better to comb out the fur additionally in order to remove fleas lingering between the villi.
• Bathing with a shampoo found in a veterinary pharmacy for the tiniest cats will be effective. This shampoo will last for about a month.
• There are veterinary products and sprays designed for newborn kittens. They are safe but expensive. It is necessary to process carefully and carefully, and then dry it so that the baby does not lick off the drug. For long-haired such sprays are ineffective. Valid up to six months.

Important! Drops and collars are not suitable for babies at this age!

Methods suitable for kittens from 2 to 6 months

The problem is already being solved more widely when fleas started in a kitten 2 months after birth. By this time, the cat usually stops feeding with its milk, during which antibodies are transferred that trigger the immune system.

Only after the pet reaches six months of age can insecticides be used.

• When purchasing insecticidal collars, drops, sprays and shampoos, it is necessary to take into account the age and weight of the baby!
• If an allergy occurs to an insecticide, then do not rush to completely abandon pest control. It is enough just to change the agent or manufacturer.

Important! When choosing a protective product, look for one designed only for kittens! Means for puppies are absolutely not suitable for a meowing pet!

If you find flea bites on your baby's body, or if his behavior has become restless, do not panic. Now you know how to remove fleas from a small kitten without harming him.

Removing fleas from a kitten is not a trivial task. Here, a lot needs to be taken into account and acted with the utmost care: the body of a baby up to one and a half to two months old can react very sharply to any unwanted substances that it has to deal with.

If you decide to remove fleas from a kitten that has not yet been weaned from its mother, you should remember that the baby is in very close contact with her: the cat constantly licks him and takes care of him. Accordingly, if any insecticides remain on the fur of the cub, they will certainly enter the mother's body, and then with milk - into the digestive tract of the kitten itself. Therefore, at this point, it is necessary to take into account

There are few main ones in kittens. These include:

• combing and mechanical destruction of fleas
• bathing a kitten with special shampoos
• and the use of flea drops for babies over a certain age.

Do not worry too much if a few fleas were found on a small - a few days old - kitten. Single insects will not cause him any particular harm, and literally in a month and a half the baby can be treated with reliable means.

Getting rid of fleas kittens up to two months: accuracy is paramount

Single preparations that are acceptable for use in kittens under two months of age imply their use in cubs already weaned from their mother. As long as the kitten lives with its mother, the drugs that it will be treated with will enter its own body.

On a note

In newborn kittens, fleas should only be removed with a comb.

For kittens already weaned from their mother, over the age of one month, insecticidal preparations can be used. One of the safest, but at the same time quite effective shampoo is Mr. Kiss made in Switzerland. It can be used on kittens over four weeks old, following the usual procedure:

• 1 ml of shampoo diluted in 300-400 ml of water
• stir until foam appears
• the kitten sits in the water and is washed so that his eyes, mouth and nose do not get wet
• shampoo is aged on the kitten's fur for 3-4 minutes, and then washed off with plenty of warm water.

After bathing, the kitten must be dried with a hairdryer and ensure that it is not in a draft or in a cold room for 8-10 hours.

You can not bathe a kitten using Mr. Kiss more than once every ten days.

At a month and a half, the kitten can already be rubbed into the wool at the withers drops for kittens Stronghold.

It is important!

At such a young age, it is impossible to immediately apply the shampoo or drops recommended even for kittens. The first time the baby should be treated only as a test - whether his body will react to the insecticidal preparation. And only then the agent can be used in the amount recommended by the manufacturer.

All flea remedies for kittens can be used no earlier than two weeks after vaccination.

“Sometimes even my kittens get fleas. Still, visitors often bring infection into the nursery. I take Stronghold and rub each kitten literally one drop. This is enough for him not to have fleas. I never noticed any side effects after that either in the Siamese or in the Persians. It is very important to rub the drops thoroughly so that when the kitten is returned to the cat, they have already been absorbed into the skin and she could not lick them off.

Maria, Kaluga

After two months of age, the range of products that can be used to fight fleas expands significantly. When deciding how to remove fleas from a kitten during this period, you can look at the following drugs:

“I have tried, probably, all flea remedies for kittens. Powders are the most trustworthy. They are easy to rub in, fleas disappear immediately, and allergies in animals never occur.

Olga, Tula

Today, the choice of a cat breeder is not limited only by these means. You can buy analogues from other manufacturers, carefully studying the instructions, contraindications and side effects. And before full-scale use, it is imperative to conduct a test treatment of a small pet to identify possible allergic reactions.

Kittens older than three months: full arsenal available

After three months, the kitten is no longer a baby, but a kind of feline "teenager". He is already almost completely independent, walks by himself, and by himself catches fleas on every corner.

At this age, almost any anti-flea remedy used for adult cats can be used for a pet:

• Drops on the withers of Advantix, very effective and long-lasting.
• Drops and sprays Beaphar, with the most gentle action.
• Flea collars. For example, Hartz collars (protection effect - up to 4 months).

“I keep a cattery of angora cats. We regularly carry out preventive procedures for the safety of animals, and we also provide quarantine for purchased animals. For fleas, we apply drops on the withers of Hartz. When we take animals to exhibitions or for sale, we put on collars. By the way, you won’t be able to remove fleas, in any case you will need to pickle. But you can protect yourself from the attack of new ones.

Irina, St. Petersburg

It is especially difficult to protect a kitten from fleas, which is planned to be shown at exhibitions. For example, sphinxes are not recommended to wear collars, and it is undesirable for Angora cats to rub drops. In cats with pure white hair, after treatment with an aerosol, an ugly shade of whiteness can be established, which will disappear only after the next molt.

All these features of each breed must be known and taken into account when choosing a drug for a kitten: in a young animal, the effect of a flea remedy will be more pronounced than in an adult.

But, as you know, the prevention of any trouble is easier than getting rid of it. Much smarter:

• remove fleas from a cat before pregnancy and care for her before and after childbirth
• make sure that the kitten itself does not communicate with flea relatives
• maintain cleanliness where the pet stays most of the time
• take measures to repel fleas.

And then you hardly have to worry about how to remove fleas from a kitten using insecticidal preparations. These measures will be both less labor-intensive and safer for the pet.

Useful video: how to wash a kitten

Nowadays, pet stores provide a wide range of tools with which you can remove fleas from pets. But how to remove fleas from a kitten? As you know, cats are very sensitive to any "chemistry", and even more so small kittens. Babies up to 1.5-2 months of age are not recommended to be treated with pharmaceutical preparations. Such crumbs are easy to poison - the kitten's body does not tolerate the effects of drugs, and in addition, the cat mother constantly licks her child. Everything that is on his fur will enter the digestive tract, and from there into milk. This should always be considered when treating lactating cats.

Combing

The easiest and most natural way is mechanical combing of the hair. Of course, it is quite laborious, but if you have only one "flea" in your care, use it. Lay your baby on your lap with a light-coloured cotton diaper underneath. Comb the crumbs with a fine comb in the direction of the coat. A comb can be purchased at a pet store, or you can use a human comb with short, fine teeth. Fleas caught in this way must be crushed or dropped into a container of water. Pay special attention to the tummy, groin and armpits.

After weaning kittens from the mother, insecticides can be used.

Attention!

Any drugs with insecticides are prohibited for use in lactating cats and suckling kittens.

The annotation for any drug indicates the dosage, method of administration and age from which it can be used. Only buy products that are made for cats. Do not use insecticides for other animal species or adult cats on kittens.

Consider what preparations for kittens are offered to us in pet stores.

Shampoos

Shampoos are quite effective and safe for removing fleas from small kittens. The concentration of the active substance in them is insignificant, but due to good contact with wool and skin, it works well. The only negative is that the kitten will have to be washed, which is not always good and creates a stressful situation for the baby. Here are some shampoos that can be used on kittens.

• Mr. Kiss - for kittens over the age of one month.
• "Phytoelita" - on infusions of medicinal herbs.
• "Doctor ZOO" - contains natural insecticides based on herbs and essential oils. Approved for use from two weeks of age.
• "Chistotel Junior" - contains permethrin 0.4%. Can be used from two months of age.
• "Gamma for Kittens" - contains permethrin 0.4%. Used from two months of age.

You can not apply shampoo directly to the kitten. The washing process looks like this:

• take about 1 ml of shampoo, dilute it in 200-300 ml of water;
• the kitten is put in a basin, the wool is moistened with water and thoroughly lathered with a shampoo solution;
• do not wash the kitten’s head so that the product does not get into the eyes and ears;
• stand for several minutes and wash the wool with warm water.

After bathing, the kitten is wrapped in a warm towel, if he is not afraid of a hair dryer, then the fur is dried. On the day of bathing, you can not take the baby outside or leave it in a cold room, in drafts.

Vetapteka

There are other flea treatments available at the pet store.

• Drops. Apply to the skin in the withers or behind the ears. The insecticides contained in the liquid penetrate into the fatty layer of the skin and spread over its entire surface. Drops are valid for 1-2 months, unlike shampoos, the duration of which is short. In addition, the drops will repel new fleas. The disadvantage is that the most gentle flea drops can only be used after reaching the age of two months. For kittens six months old and older, preparations for adult cats are quite suitable.
• Spray . It has a comfortable shape, it is easy to apply to the coat. Do not spray directly on the kitten. First, apply the product on your hands (with gloves), then “smooth” the coat with them. The mechanism of action of the spray is the same as that of the drops.

Do a tolerance test before using insecticides on a kitten. Apply a small amount of the drug to the skin and wait for a day. If there are no negative consequences - redness, itching, depression of the general condition - then you can use the product according to the instructions.

Here are a few medications that can be given to kittens up to six months of age.

Drops (restrictions - up to two months):

• drops and spray "Frontline" - from 8 weeks;
• drops "Advantage" - from 8 weeks;

• drops "Beafar" - from 12 weeks;

• drops and spray "Bars" - from 10 weeks;
• drops and spray "Celandine" - from 8 weeks.

There are also flea collars. They are put on the cat after flea treatment as a preventive measure. It is not recommended to wear a collar on kittens due to possible toxicity.

Wormwood repels fleas with its pungent smell

Folk remedies for fleas

There are also folk remedies for fleas in kittens. They are based on natural insecticides - herbs, essential oils. Their action at home will not be as strong as that of pharmaceutical preparations. There are no complications from them, but the effect is less pronounced. Traditional medicine offers the following remedies.

• . The smell of this herb repels most insects, and fleas are no exception. A decoction is prepared at the rate of two tablespoons of dry raw materials per half liter of water. The resulting solution is moistened with a kitten's fur. In this case, the fleas will leave the animal - take measures so that they do not scatter around the room. The effect lasts as long as the smell of wormwood from the animal's skin is felt.
• Garlic . Crush or rub a few cloves on a fine grater. From the resulting slurry, make an infusion for 3-4 glasses of water during the day. Moisten the wool with this solution in the area of ​​​​the spine - where the kitten does not reach with its tongue.

Repel fleas and other herbs:

• tansy;
• geranium;
• lavender.

They are used in decoctions or as essential oils. Essential oils are diluted in water and used in the same way as decoctions.

If the house contains several animals, then you need to poison fleas for everyone at the same time.

Read in this article

Before dealing with fleas in cats, you should make sure that they are present. You can do this by examining the animal at home on your own. To do this, stock up on a rare comb or comb. While parting and combing the coat, you should carefully examine the pet's skin. You can blow through the fur to improve visibility. The presence of fleas is evidenced by black dots found on the skin in the form of pieces of dirt (excrement) and adult specimens of insects themselves.

If it was not possible to detect uninvited guests when examining the pet, and the behavior of the animal indicates their presence, you should proceed as follows:

1. Take a sheet of white paper;
2. Carefully comb the fur coat with a slicker brush or a comb with frequent teeth;
3. Place the contents of the comb on a sheet of paper.

On a white background, flea excrement will be clearly visible.

Effective remedies for getting rid of

Flea shampoos

Most often, owners purchase anti-flea shampoos for home treatment of their pets. They are easy to use, do not have high toxicity. Shampoos can be used on small kittens, unlike other flea products. If the pet has thick and long hair, shampoo is one of the most effective means by which you can quickly get rid of fleas in a cat.

They include special substances - insecticides that have a detrimental effect on both adults and insect larvae, for example, permethrin, phenothrin, etofenprox. In addition, manufacturers add herbal extracts to shampoos, which have an anti-inflammatory effect and eliminate itching from bites. Almost all detergents are hypoallergenic for cats.

With strict observance of the instructions, shampoos allow you to destroy blood-sucking insects and not harm your pet. However, frequent use of detergents against fleas is not recommended, as toxic substances accumulate in the cat's body.

Every person has experienced fleas at least once. If a cat is infected with fleas, the first desire of the owner is to get rid of them. However, the first attempt may turn out to be a failure. It is very difficult to get cat fleas out, sometimes even "grandmother's" methods do not help. But the choice of modern means is so great that there is a “government” for any flea. You just need to compare all the different ways and make the right choice.

Why do cats get fleas

Fleas are characterized by a body that is flat on the sides.

The cat flea can be black or brown. The size of the insect depends on the degree of satiety. A hungry flea can be 2-3 mm long, while a well-fed one reaches 5 mm. And also the size of the flea depends on its age (older fleas are larger). The body of the insect is flat, without wings, but it has long hind legs. Due to this body structure, the flea can jump long distances (up to 50 cm). On this basis, fleas can be distinguished from many other insects - fleas almost instantly disappear from sight.

Signs of infection

In places of strong scratching, sores appear that get wet or bleed. They will not be able to heal quickly, as the cat will continue to itch. In addition, insect excrement (small black grains) will appear on the cat's fur. If fleas have appeared for a long time, then the coat may become thinner, fistulas, abscesses or allergic dermatitis may appear.

Photo gallery: symptoms of flea infestation

With increased attempts to comb the itchy place, small sores first appear. To see the excrement of fleas on the cat's fur, you need to slightly part the hair with your fingers, creating a parting. An abscess is a convex purulent abscess (when it "breaks", a fistula will appear - a hole in the skin) With allergic dermatitis, everything the body is covered with red spots (they are easiest to see on the stomach)

Why fleas are dangerous for animals and humans

The owner of a cat is threatened not only by infection with worms. Of course, a flea cannot live permanently on the human body, but even one bite of it can lead to trouble. Fleas are carriers of blood and lymph diseases (for example, erythrema is a lesion of the lymphatic system, leading to severe inflammation of the skin). And through a flea bite, you can become infected with pulicosis (a very itchy rash all over the body). After this disease, scars remain on the skin that do not heal even with time.

If the cat began to feel bad, and later someone from the household joined her, then this is probably dipilidosis. Symptoms of this disease are weakness, nausea, vomiting. With this disease, the organs of the digestive system are affected, hence the symptoms, as with intoxication. Another danger is brucellosis (symptoms: high fever, aches, joint pain, sweating). Of course, if it comes to such serious symptoms, then you need to urgently see a doctor, and the cat needs to be taken to the veterinarian.

If the owner of the cat was bitten by a flea, and later unpleasant symptoms appeared, an urgent need to consult a doctor

How to get rid of cat fleas at home

If you already found fleas in your cat, then you do not need to wait until the fleas bite someone else. The main remedy for fleas and the prevention of their appearance is regular cleaning. Most flea eggs are left on the floor, so keeping this spot in the house clean is the most important thing. The owner of the cat needs to know that sweeping the floor with a broom and mopping is not a guarantee of cleanliness of the floor. Only a vacuum cleaner will help here, it can extract (even from the carpet) fleas, larvae and eggs. It is especially important to use a vacuum cleaner for those people who live in a private house. Surely the cat has access to the street, besides, fleas can come through cracks in the wooden floor.

However, if fleas have already appeared, then a vacuum cleaner alone will not help. For the complete extermination of fleas, a lot of complex work is needed:

• chemicals for treating cats (spray, drops, etc.);
• complete sanitization of all rooms in the apartment (house);
• protection of adults and children from infection, etc.

sanitary cleaning of the entire apartment is one of the important rules in the presence of cat fleas in the house

Insecticides

Almost all insecticides for fleas affect the nervous system of insects. The chemicals that make up the product block the transmission of nerve impulses, the flea is paralyzed and it dies. The main differences between different means are the form of release of the drug and the active substance itself. Modern cat flea treatments include either pyrethroids or organophosphates.

Pyrethroids include components such as permethrin, phenothrin and etofenprox. They have a slightly delayed (prolonged) type of impact, so the effect of such a drug lasts longer. And organophosphorus compounds are characterized by a powerful, momentary action, sometimes dangerous for animals, but irreplaceable. By the way, Karbofos and Dichlorvos are made on the basis of organophosphorus.

Means for cat fleas are sold at any zoo pharmacy. The owner of the animal can compare the qualities of all the products offered and choose the most suitable one:

• shampoo;
• drops;
• etc.

Modern pet stores and veterinary pharmacies have such a wide range of products that there is any remedy that you ask for.

Flea shampoos

Shampoos are convenient because they are easy to use: just lather the animal, wait a bit, and then wash off the foam. In addition, with the help of shampoo it is convenient to remove fleas and long-haired cats. The preventive composition also has a beneficial effect on the coat - it becomes softer, easy to comb. Some owners of fluffy cats use this remedy for the prevention of tangles. Many shampoos are suitable even for kittens. Another advantage of flea shampoo is its low price. The first thing the veterinarian will prescribe in case of fleas in your pet is shampoo. However, it should be understood that a soft, gentle remedy does not always have a 100% effect.

Insect repellent collars

Some cat owners believe that shampoos, drops and other similar products can poison the pet. It seems to such people that the flea collar is a milder tool, but in fact the collar differs from other insecticidal products only in shape. Anti-flea collars are saturated with the same poisons found in shampoos, sprays and drops. The constant, indelible presence of the collar on the body of the animal is good because it kills existing fleas and does not let those that are nearby. However, the collar is powerless against larvae and eggs. Even if the larva experiences the effect of the poison, it will not physically be able to leave the animal's coat.

One of my cats had fleas (it is not known how they appeared in the apartment, because I never walked that cat). The cat was still small (7-8 months), so the veterinarian advised to just buy a collar, they say, with a small number of young fleas, this remedy will quickly help. The collar was inexpensive (about 30 rubles), its size was regulated with a plaque. Indeed, the insects completely disappeared after a couple of days, but I did not remove the gadget for about 2 more weeks (in the instructions for the collar it was said that it was effective for about 30 days). The bloodsuckers no longer appeared, but they were few in number. Perhaps, in advanced cases, this effect will not be.

Photo gallery: anti-flea collars of different brands

"Celandine" collars are sold in every pet pharmacy
Collars differ in validity period (from 30 to 180 days) Some collars can only be worn by adult cats, but there are also gadgets for kittens

Insecticide drops

• small cats and cats - 0.5 ml (about 15 drops);
• medium-sized cats (from 5 kg) - 1 ml;
• big cats (10-20 kg) - 2 ml.

Table: comparison of drops from different manufacturers

Flea Sprays

• neem oil and silicone oil (dimethicone);
• wintergreen, glycerin;
• oat amino acids;
• geranium essential oil;
• extracts of peppermint, aloe vera, cloves, etc.

Photo gallery: examples of flea sprays

IMMOShield (Netherlands) is a mid-price spray
Ark Naturals Flea Flicker Tick Kicker - American-made flea spray, the price exceeds 1400 rubles
Camon on is made in Italy, its price ranges from 400 to 600 rubles

The disadvantage of such a drug is that it is ineffective against fleas that have already appeared in the house. Maybe they will not bite a cat, as long as traces of an aerosol are present on its fur, but fleas will multiply on the floor, furniture and clothes of the owner. Therefore, the apartment will have to be processed additionally. To do this, repellent manufacturers produce insecticidal sprays for indoor treatment. The composition of these funds already includes more powerful chemical components. Such aerosols should be used with caution.

Name of the drug	Active substances	Number of pieces in a package	Exposure time	From what age can it be used	Price
Comfortis 270 mg	spinosad (a naturally occurring insecticide that excites flea neurons, resulting in their death)	6 tablets	after 15 minutes, the drug is absorbed into the cat's blood, after which it begins to act (complete elimination from the body occurs after a week)	from 3.5 months	3500 rubles
Lufenuron 95 mg	lufenuron (the action is aimed at stopping the development of the chitinous cover and the formation of eggs)	12 capsules	valid for 1 month, but to achieve the desired effect, a therapeutic dose must accumulate in the cat's blood	from 3 months	from 800 rubles
Capstar 57 mg	nitenpyram (leads to paralysis of insects)	6 tablets	Activates 2-3 hours after ingestion, lasts 1-2 days	from 2 months	from 480 rubles

Folk remedies

The most environmentally friendly and inexpensive are folk methods of flea control.

Previously, when there were no pharmacies for animals, people treated their pets with folk remedies. Some of them have "survived" to this day. Especially often resort to those owners of cats who live in private homes. The following folk remedies are most often used:

• pine sawdust or shavings of coniferous trees;
• wormwood herb;
• common geranium;
• lavender and tansy;
• garlic;
• Brewer's yeast;
• lemon infusion.

Most folk remedies are medicinal plants. The effect is achieved due to the strong smell. Fresh plants exude a scent that is pleasant to humans, but unbearable to insects. For example, sawdust of coniferous trees. The resin contained in shavings and sawdust repels cat fleas well. It is customary to put them under the pet's bed, but some sew the chips right inside the bed.

The fresher the sawdust of a coniferous tree, the stronger the resin smells.

Wormwood has the same deterrent effect. Bitter grass will not only protect your pet from bloodsuckers, but can also become a kind of talisman at home. Wormwood scattered at the threshold will not let impudent insects into the house. For a stronger effect, it is sometimes mixed with the same sawdust.

When I was little, it was customary in my family to spend all the holidays with my grandmother. In the summer, she took me with her to the birch forest (birch grove), where we collected various medicinal herbs. Some for tea, some for ointments (my grandmother made them herself). And we also collected wormwood. Moreover, at first we collected “delicious” herbs, and wormwood - last, so as not to spoil the tea grass with bitter hands. They chose only those bushes that managed to become covered with yellow flowers. With a bitter bouquet, I swept the floor in the house, and then my grandmother crumbled this broom onto the porch. She said that the rain would beat all the bitter poison into the boards. There were never fleas in my grandmother's house.

There is another way to use wormwood. A handful of chopped (or dried) herbs should be poured with a glass of boiling water. Until the water has cooled, the broth must be put on fire and boiled over low heat for 5-10 minutes. Cool the broth and strain. With this liquid, you can treat not only the floor, but also the cat itself. After wet bitter cleaning, the floor does not need to be washed. This will prolong the effect of the decoction. In the same way, you can make a decoction of other herbs.

Wormwood is easy to recognize by its pungent, spicy smell, small yellow inflorescences and leaves that look like parsley leaves.

For those who appreciate aesthetics, geranium is suitable. A beautiful flower can be grown as a houseplant. A person gets used to its smell quickly, but insects (not only fleas, but also mosquitoes) are afraid of him like fire. Each cat breeder can afford to grow a bright flower with a fresh, tart aroma on the windowsill.

And if there are no plant care skills, then a bouquet of tansy will do. A small bunch of tansy can be placed under the cat's bed, hung on the wall next to the cat's house, or placed directly in a vase on the table. This herb will be effective even when it turns into deadwood.

Well repels blood-sucking insects and the smell of lavender. However, it is not always possible to find fresh lavender, so lavender essential oil or dried inflorescences are most often used. A drop of oil can be "smeared" on the cat's bed. And you can also add a few fragrant drops to the water with which you wash the floor. By the way, this is why many cat shampoos contain lavender extract.

lavender essential oil is sold in any pharmacy for people

Another effective and safe way to expel fleas is a lemon solution. To do this, boil a lemon without zest in 0.5 liters of water, and then let the solution brew for 7 hours. The liquid can be poured into a spray bottle. You need to apply it directly to the flea-ridden cat, at close range, so that the coat gets wet well. This homemade spray repels fleas well due to the high content of essential oils. Other citrus fruits can be used instead of lemon.

Citrus contains a large amount of essential oils, which have a strong effect on fleas.

Comparison table: the pros and cons of various folk remedies

Means	pros	Minuses
Pine shavings or sawdust	the smell of resin does not disappear for a long time, and by moistening, its presence can be extended	finding coniferous sawdust is not always possible
Wormwood	easy to find (wormwood grows like a weed), has a pleasant smell, works even when dried	the bitter juice of the grass can get on the hands and then into the mouth
Geranium vulgaris	a beautiful flower that can decorate a home	the flower will have to be looked after, and its effect extends to the floor, and not to the cat
lavender oil	can be bought at any ordinary pharmacy (costs from 60 rubles), the effect is strong, it smells for a long time	Some people get migraines from the strong smell of lavender.
Brewer's yeast and garlic	strong effect, destroys fleas both on the cat and on the floor, lasts a long time	smells unpleasant, besides, it is recommended not to wash off this smell as long as possible

How to get rid of fleas on a kitten

Removing fleas from a kitten is more difficult than from an adult cat.

In theory, kittens are freed from fleas with the same means that are used for cats, but only in much more gentle versions. Most manufacturers of insecticides offer special product lines for kittens. The owner of the baby needs to be very careful when choosing a product. Kittens suffer more from fleas than cats, and react more strongly to drugs. It is most dangerous to use insecticides for flea treatment of newborn kittens (up to 1 month old). Babies still have very weak immunity, they can get poisoned and die. To get rid of such a small kitten from fleas, you can do the following:

• comb the kitten with a fine comb (fleas and their larvae will get stuck between the teeth);
• change and wash the bedding (couch) on which the kitten sleeps;
• Vacuum thoroughly the room that has fleas.

Several of my friends, when fleas appear in kittens, remember tar soap. They believe that tar soap is completely natural, and therefore safe. However, I heard that in some animals the wool becomes stiff from this soap, so I myself have never practiced this method. And I also have a familiar family where a cat named Aisha is washed with fragrant soap with black cumin oil. Such soap is brought from the Emirates and Turkey. It is not known what composition this fragrant remedy has, but the owners of Aisha claim that it kills all fleas the first time.

Video: how to safely remove fleas from small kittens

Precautions when using insecticides

Insecticides are based on poison. Both cats and their owners can be poisoned by the drug, so you need to follow some precautions:

• when treating a cat with shampoo, it is important to prevent the product from getting into the eyes and mucous membranes of the mouth and nose of the cat;
• to wash the cat with insecticide-based anti-flea products, you need to use rubber gloves;
• it is impossible to allow a cat to reach a place treated with anti-flea drops with its tongue;
• the spray must be sprayed so that not a single drop gets into the eyes, nose or mouth of the cat;
• when treating a cat with a spray, you can use a respirator and goggles;
• when processing rooms, you need to close the room and do not let cats and children go there (for the entire period specified in the instructions);
• before letting children into the treated room, it must be ventilated (at least 2 hours);
• after handling a cat or a room, as well as after putting on an anti-flea collar, you should thoroughly wash your hands with soap and water;
• if you or other family members get an insecticide in your eyes, they should be urgently rinsed with running water;
• if any insecticide gets on the mucous membrane (eyes, nose or mouth), it is recommended to consult a doctor or call an ambulance.

It is important to understand that even if the packaging of a flea remedy says that it is safe, some people may have an individual intolerance to a particular component. It is not recommended to use insecticides in the fight against cat fleas for people suffering from the following diseases:

• chronic diseases of the liver, biliary system with frequent exacerbations;
• allergic diseases, including skin;
• chronic diseases of the nervous system;
• dystrophic and allergic diseases of the upper respiratory tract;

When treating cats and rooms from fleas, it is recommended to use personal protective equipment

How to choose an effective remedy

• the age of the pet;
• features of the cat (allergy, intolerance to some component, fear of spray guns, etc.);
• the physical condition of the animal (illness, pregnancy, breastfeeding kittens, etc.);
• the specifics of the drug (what qualities it should have);
• in what conditions the product should be used (house, apartment, etc.);
• the presence of children in the house, etc.

If you know exactly how, where and why the tool will be used, then choosing it will not be difficult. The zoo pharmacist will ask you the same questions. Even if you have already decided on a specific insecticide, you still have to carefully read the instructions and annotation for the drug to make sure that the choice is made correctly. Based on the analysis of various flea remedies, we can conclude:

To save a cat from fleas and at the same time not harm her health, you need to approach the issue of choosing the best remedy with all responsibility.