Bathing Kittens

Imagine being a teenie tiny newborn, kitten or puppy, and you are COVERED in fleas. Most people don't see this as an issue because they're so use to seeing their adult pets with them, but when it's a baby, This will cause severe anemia, which can quickly take their little lives. 

How does this happen? Well, in a very short time a little kitten can potentially have hundreds of fleas on them, consuming more blood than the kitten can produce. It will cause them to be inactive and not eat, and unless steps are quickly taken to remove the blood-sucking parasites, the kitten(s) will not survive. 

For this reason, I have drafted this 'recipe' on how to safely and properly remove fleas off baby kittens, as well as puppies.

What you'll need and how to go about each step:

What you'll need:

• a small tub/basin

• a smallish squirt bottle

• blue Dawn dish soap

• Opti-Free (in case the soap gets in their eyes)

• a metal flea/lice comb

• glass of rubbing alcohol (with at least 90% isopropyl alcohol)

• small warm towels for after the bath a gentle hair dryer (kittens, no matter their age) shouldn’t be "left to dry themselves."

If the kitten is under 8 to 12 weeks of age, the only thing you can do is gently wash with blue Dawn dish soap 3 days in a row, preferably around the same time each day.

If you have a small tub/basin, use that, not in your sink (but next to your sink. I'll explain in a few). Place only the kitten in the basin, but no water (this lets them get used to the tub while you are next to them prepping). 

Pour some Dawn in a pitcher, or (depending on the kitten's size) a measuring cup. Then add warm water to dilute. This is what you'll be pouring on the kitten's body.

Around the kitten's neck, draw a very thin line of straight Dawn. This is to slow the fleas from retreating to the kitty's face (and into their ears, nose, eyes, mouth. . . and if the kitten swallows a flea, the chances are high that it will transform into a tapeworm once it hits the stomach)

Have a metal-toothed flea/lice comb and Opti-Free ready.

Put a little bit of the Dawn dosh soap into a pitcher and fill the pitcher with warm water. Our main goal is to remove as many fleas as possible, but the second goal is to keep the baby warm at all times

Now, pour the soapy water in the pitcher/measuring cup over the baby's body (not the head or face)

As you bathe the baby, keep its neck gently between your index and middle fingers. You don't want them accidentally going into the water that will collect in the basin.

Use the Comb to collect as many of those prehistoric demons as possible and dump them into the glass of rubbing alcohol, which should also be in your sink to catch any jumpers. This way you can quickly wash them down the drain.

Constantly check the kitten's face, making sure that it's free of bubbles and gently blowing any off IMMEDIATELY if they appear on their face (nose, mouth, eyes). Otherwise, they can suffocate.

If possible, work from the neck down. Then use the squirt bottle to do the same to the face. The squirt bottle gives you more control around those vital orifices.

Using a WARM towel (not hot) gently dry the baby off. Using a hair dryer on LOW heat may be necessary, we also use a nifty box dryer from PetTime.us.

After one kitten (or puppy) is completely dry, dump the water and prepare for the second baby. 

Always use fresh soapy water and NEVER place a baby in water from the previous wash. 

If you have any tips or tools you'd like to share, please let me know! 😺