Flea Control for Cats That Are Nursing Kittens

Most commercial flea control products are not suitable for young kittens, and so you cannot apply them to a cat that is still nursing. Cat owners have to be creative when it comes to applying flea control to a cat that is nursing kittens to ensure that the kittens are not exposed to harmful chemicals or anything that could hurt them.

  1. Considerations

    • When a mother cat nurses her kittens, the nutrients in her body are shared with the kittens. If a mother cat receives exposure to a chemical flea preventative or parasiticide, the toxins in that product may be exposed to the kittens. Before eight weeks of age, kittens are simply too young to deal with these toxic chemicals, and may die from exposure. This is true for most over-the-counter flea preventative products.

    Types

    • There are essentially two different ways that you can control fleas when young kittens are involved. The first is to take a natural route, using gentle flea baths and common table salt to deal with the fleas in a manner that is not harmful to the mother cat or her babies. The second approach is to use an over the counter, veterinarian-approved flea preventative, of which there is only one type that is suitable for nursing mothers.

    Natural Flea Control

    • There are a number of different options available to a homeowner looking to prevent fleas without harming a mother cat or her kittens. To eliminate flea eggs that are already in the home, lay table salt down on soft surfaces like carpets, upholstery, furniture and bedding. Allow the salt to sit for 24 hours before you vacuum it all up. Dispose of the bag immediately. Another option is to flea bathe mom and babies using a mild dish soap and warm water. This will kill and remove fleas from the cats without harming the cats in the process. These methods are not as effective as pesticides in most instances, but can still be quite helpful.

    Parasiticide Flea Control

    • There is only one type of parasiticide flea control that is approved for use with pregnant and nursing cats. This flea preventative is Revolution, a type of parasiticide that you apply directly to the cat's skin. You can apply this to the mother cat at the base of her neck and it will treat and prevent heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, sarcoptic mange, ear mites and fleas. Revolution is a medication that you can generally only obtain through a veterinarian, although it may be found through pet specialty stores and pet pharmacies online.

    Warnings

    • Before you use any type of flea preventative or flea control product on a pregnant or nursing cat, consult your veterinarian. Your veterinarian can examine your cat and her kittens to make sure that they are healthy enough for a recommended flea preventative. Your veterinarian may also be able to recommend additional types of flea preventative to make sure that you eliminate the flea problem without causing harm to your cat or her kittens.