One of the things that bring a person or family so much joy is the birth of a newborn. That includes animals just like our favorite domestic pets — dogs and cats.
And although many people have a preference, when it comes to young kittens, love and empathy are emotions that can be triggered by these adorable and fluffy little creatures.
However, these cute little furry friends can also turn your home into a nightmare zone if you find it scratching and covered in fleas, especially when it’s so young! And worst of all, fleas can actually turn fatal for such a small and defenseless little animal.
So, what can you do to get rid of fleas on newborn kittens? In this article, we’ll share with you how to do just that.
Fleas On Newborn Kittens
The inherent reflex in most of our brains that triggers love for cute and fluffy creatures is something that’s been acquired during the evolution of man.
Tiny furry animals with big heads and huge eyes tick all the boxes on the list of cuteness.
When you add a new addition to your family, it’s always an exciting time, and welcoming a newborn kitten is not an exception to this. But if you find fleas on your new furry bundle of joy, then it can bring tears and fears about what the best course of action to take is for your new family member.
If you find fleas on your new furry bundle of joy, then it can bring tears and fears about what the best course of action to take is for your new family member.
Fleas are annoying and parasitic vampire pests that, although small, can be a real danger to your kitten. That’s because when they bite, they can suck so much blood that they can cause a serious loss of red blood cells, which is known as flea anemia.
Flea anemia can be fatal to newborn kittens! So if you do think there are fleas on your little furry bundle, then you must take action as soon as possible. This means you will also have to treat the kitten’s mother and siblings if they’re also living in your home.
Now that they’ve set up shop in your house, they will not just go away.
The Symptoms
If you believe your newborn kitten has fleas, then there are a few things you’ll need to observe and pay close attention to. Your first course of action will be to comb your kitten’s fur with either your fingers or a fine-toothed flea comb to check for fleas.
This fine-toothed flea comb works great on kittens with short hair, and does a good job of catching fleas off of them. When combing your kitten, you may observe live active adult fleas, which look like small dark bugs that quickly move through the fur.
The fleas will hide mostly in the hair of your kitten’s belly, armpits, and face. When you’re combing, you may also find flea dirt near the kitten’s skin, which will resemble small specks that look like black pepper.
This is definitely a sign that fleas are present, even if you don’t see any adult bugs darting around when you’re combing their fur.
Time To Take Action
If the end result is that you discover either live adult fleas or flea dirt in your kitten’s fur, then it’s time to take action and treat them right away.
It’s imperative that you don’t use a normal topical treatment though. These products are too harsh and can even be so toxic that your furry friend will have other health issues to deal with after the fleas. You will have to give your kitten’s mother a topical treatment with a suitable product, however.
It’s imperative that you don’t use a normal topical treatment though. These products are too harsh and can even be so toxic that your furry friend will have other health issues to deal with after the fleas.
Instead, for your kitten, you will have to give it a special bath.
Although you can do this with a few drops of simple dishwashing liquid in water, it would be better to use a more natural solution like a lemon water bath.
If you do choose to use dishwashing liquid though, make sure that it’s not an antibacterial formula, as this chemical compound will be too harsh for your kitten’s skin.
To make a lemon water bath, all you’ll need is some hot water and a lemon. Simply cut the lemon into thin slices and place them in a pot, then add one pint of water and boil it. Allow this mixture to cool down and let it steep, either overnight or up to 24 hours.
When you’re ready to use the lemon water, warm it up slightly, and then pour it into the bowl that you’ll bathe the kitten in. Make sure that the water is warm and not hot before you gently place the kitten in the bowl, and then use the flea comb, or even a pair of blunt tweezers, to find any fleas or flea dirt.
Make sure that you don’t get your kitten’s head wet, though. If you end up finding fleas in the fur on their head, then use a cloth to clean them off. Wet it in the lemon water, and carefully wipe their head with it.
Lemons contain a compound called d-limonene, which will not only help to repel the fleas, but will also help to soothe your kitten’s skin. This whole procedure shouldn’t take you more than three to five minutes to do, because you don’t want the water to get cold.
Rinse off your kitten with some warm water in a spray bottle, and then quickly dry them by massaging them with a warm towel.
When your kitten is completely dry, make sure that you gently place them in a warm environment, such as in a baby blanket with a hot water bottle.
After a bath, your kitten’s body temperature has the potential of dropping from being wet or cold, and this could cause them to develop hypothermia, which will bring with it a host of other health problems.
Therefore, it is of extreme importance to get your kitten dry and warm, as soon as possible.
If you have any lemon water left over, then you can decant it into a clean glass jar, and refrigerate it for later use. You should consider giving your kitten a lemon water bath on a weekly basis to prevent further infestation, until it is old enough to start wearing its own flea collar. It can wear a collar typically only after it has turned 12 weeks old.
Other Considerations
As mentioned before, if you’ve found fleas on your kitten and there’s a mother involved, then she will need to be treated with a topical medication, as well as be given a flea collar to wear.
And if there are other kittens in the litter, then chances are they have also been affected, too. Therefore, you will need to go through the lemon water bath procedure with them as well.
The other things you’ll need to do are:
- Wash and dry all of the cat bedding in temperatures over 140 degrees Fahrenheit
- Do the same with your own bedding, blankets, and cushions
- Vacuum all your carpets, floorboards (including any gaps), baseboards, and furniture upholstery

Fleas Be Gone
Fleas on newborn kittens are a nightmare. And if you find yourself facing this scenario, then you need to take action as soon as possible.
In this article, we’ve shared the most natural solution that will help you to keep your little furry loved ones safe, which is the most important thing.
If this all feels too much for you, it may be time to reach out to your vet. Good luck!
