How do I deal with fleas and worms?
The most dreaded issue with the hygiene of any pet is having to deal with nasty fleas and worms. Don’t worry, it’s not as bad as it seems. We have you covered.
Fleas
Some cats may harbour fleas without showing any signs of irritation, but in general, they will react by licking, scratching, and biting themselves excessively, especially along the back and around the base of the tail. Some cats are allergic to the flea's saliva and for these cats, the bite of a single flea is enough to provoke a violent skin reaction.
Symptoms
- Fleas are easy to spot and easy to treat. They’re brownish-black in colour, and you’ll be able to see them moving about on your kitten’s coat.
- There might be dark specks of material ('flea dirt') in her coat.
- You might also see your kitten scratching or biting herself.
Treatment
- Your veterinarian will recommend a suitable de-fleaing agent and will advise you on an effective flea-eradication programme.
- Do not use sprays or powders without your vet advise as some may be toxic to cats
- Alternatively, get an off-the-shelf treatment from any good pet shop – buy what is suitable for kittens/adults – as the case may be.
- Not just your kitten, but treat your entire home. Those fleas won’t just have stayed on her! Fleas spend more of their life away from their host than on the host.
Worms
As part of your kitten’s general health care, you need to treat her regularly for roundworms and tapeworms, especially if she is in close contact with young children.
Symptoms
- There are two types - Roundworms and Tapeworms
- Roundworms make your kitten pot-bellied and cause vomiting in some cases. Tapeworms look like grains of rice in her litter tray, or around your kitten’s bottom.
Treatment
- Worms are also easy to treat and easy to prevent too. For most adult cats, it is sufficient to worm them routinely every 6 months and kittens every 2-3 weeks until 6 months of age, but if you actually see worms, you will have to treat your kitten or cat more often.
- There are many safe, effective products available which will eliminate these worms and your veterinarian will be able to prescribe a suitable treatment. Please ask your veterinarian for advice.
