Things You'll Need
Flea comb
Paper towel
Rubbing alcohol
Dawn dish soap
Towel
Cat collar
Cedar shavings
Cat bed
Salt
Vacuum cleaner
Fleas are one of the most prolific household pests affecting pets. Cats and dogs can both carry in fleas that can spread throughout your home if not treated quickly. Many chemical flea treatments are not safe for use on kittens; however, there are a number of natural alternatives available to keep your kitten healthy and pest-free.
Remove as many fleas from your cat as possible using a flea comb. A flea comb is a fine-toothed comb that works through the fur and down to the skin to pull fleas and their eggs off of your pet. Hold your pet gently on a stable work surface such as a table and comb your kitten from her head back towards her tail, wiping the comb on a paper towel dampened with rubbing alcohol. The alcohol sanitizes the comb and will help kill any fleas you’ve brushed from her fur.
Fill your sink with four inches of warm water and add five drops of Dawn dish soap to the water. Set your kitten gently in the sink and wet her coat with the soap mixture. Massage into her skin and allow the soap to sit on your kitten for at least five minutes before rinsing. Drain the sink and rinse the kitten with plenty of warm water to remove any soap and dead fleas. Dawn is a non-toxic soap that will kill fleas and eggs without harming your kitten.
Use cedar chips around your property to help prevent a flea infestation. Spread cedar chips around the outside of your home to keep fleas from coming inside. Unzip the cover on your kitten’s bed and add two or three handfuls of cedar chips to keep fleas out of her sleeping area.
Sprinkle salt over carpeted surfaces in your home before vacuuming to drive out any fleas hiding in the carpet. Fleas do not like salt and will move upwards through the carpet fibers, where they can be vacuumed away. Repeat the salting and vacuuming process daily until no more traces of fleas remain in your home.
Tips
Use the flea comb on the kitten daily. Make sure to bathe your kitten again in one week if the flea problem persists. Dispose of the vacuum bag in an outside trash can to prevent any fleas from escaping.
Warnings
Never apply essential oils or spray any such oils on your kitten or use collars infused with them. They can be toxic to cats. Never use any chemical flea treatments on your kitten. Most commercially produced pesticides are not made for young animals and can cause serious illnesses in kittens.
References
Photo Credits
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kitten image by AGphotographer from Fotolia.com
Writer Bio
Louise Lawson has been a published author and editor for more than 10 years. Lawson specializes in pet and food-related articles, utilizing her 15 years as a sous chef and as a dog breeder, handler and trainer to produce pieces for online and print publications.