# Found a little kitten



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

Dawn Dish liquid. Soap him up really good and let it soak a couple of minutes. I'd probably lather him once with no soak and then do a second lather and let it soak as long as he'll stand it. 

Dawn is gentle enough for baby animals. They use it to remove oil from animals caught in an oil spill. 

It cuts grease and oils and makes it hard for the fleas to hold on the suds will help drown the fleas. 

Be sure you treat your other pets. I'd also treat your others to a Dawn bath and I'd repeat their regular treatment to 20 days instead of 30 days for a couple of months to be sure you stay on top of any possible outbreak.


----------



## Tiny Poodles (Jun 20, 2013)

itzmeigh said:


> Dawn Dish liquid. Soap him up really good and let it soak a couple of minutes. I'd probably lather him once with no soak and then do a second lather and let it soak as long as he'll stand it.
> 
> Dawn is gentle enough for baby animals. They use it to remove oil from animals caught in an oil spill.
> 
> ...



My vet said that ivory dish soap will do just as good a job and is gentler on the skin.


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Thank you. I did do a dawn bath yesterday and today and there's still a few holding on lol. I've never had to deal with fleas before, they're tough little buggers! How long until they are totally gone?


----------



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I'd wash him again. You want to kill the fleas before they have a chance to lay bunch of eggs. I found a whole litter about 3 years ago and they were all infested with fleas. Washed all five in Dawn and blow dried them and never had another problem. We still have one of the kittens...now cat....Jon Snow. He is a horribly naughty cat!


----------



## itzmeigh (Apr 28, 2014)

AnneMarie said:


> Thank you. I did do a dawn bath yesterday and today and there's still a few holding on lol. I've never had to deal with fleas before, they're tough little buggers! How long until they are totally gone?


You might try to get him into the vet. They might be able to better predict him age and may be able to give him a dose of some flea meds. It seems like in remembering that there is something on the market that is safe in ferrets that is also safe on young puppies and kittens but I can't remember if I'm remembering correctly. 

Otherwise, it's just keep shampooing him every couple of days until they are gone.

If you have other animals in the house who are already treated their treatment should help to keep an infestation from breaking out and will help to protect the baby until he can get on meds too.


----------



## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

The dish soap only removes what it removes and has no residual effect. Fleas can make a baby kitten go anemic, so it will be good to get rid of the rest asap. A flea comb will be a big help. Sit down with the kitten, put a glass of water with shampoo or dish soap mixed in, and as you comb off a flea, stick it in the soapy water. You should be able to get rid of them. Someone I know suggests diatomaceous earth (must be the food grade not pool grade) and a flea comb.

A vet trip as soon as possible would help establish age and could lead to safe ways to get the fleas, too.

No essential oils, because many times even if they are okay on dogs, they are deadly to cats (example: tea tree).

Sweet ikitten is so lucky to have ended up at your home. I wonder where the others are from her litter... Can you keep her ?


----------



## fjm (Jun 4, 2010)

I have used the flea comb and bowl of soapy water method on very young kittens - if the comb is moist it helps to trap the fleas for those few vital moments. Do it several times a day, and wash bedding daily in very hot water. Treat other animals with a product that stops the fleas reproducing, as well as killing them. I would second a vet trip, too, to be sure she isn't carrying any other problems.


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

First off , thank you SO much for saving this baby kitten! I love cats with all of my heart, and I'm so thankful when people care enough to save these 
babies. 

I also agree with the others, Dawn liquid soap is what I would recommend, and also getting the baby into the vet as soon as possible. He needs a complete checkup. Is he eating pretty good?


----------



## twyla (Apr 28, 2010)

I agree with everyone and emphasize that you need to get the little fellow to the vet, ages ago I had 3-4 week old kittens that had conjuctivitus, giardia, coccidia and ringworm. As cute as it may seem you also need to keep the kittten seperate from current pets to prevent the spread of disease.


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Thank you everyone. We do plan on keeping the kitten, we also looked around outside for any other babies a few times. We have a stray cat problem in this city, they are everywhere. I just moved here and I've never seen all these animal issues. Seems people dump their pets outside all the time here. 

We will be getting him to the vet soon. Just waiting for payday, vet prices here are outrageous. 

As for his fleas, they are tiny, they go right through the teeth of the flea comb. I bought a natural spray that is safe for young kittens and can be used on furniture. It seems to help a little. My pup was never on any preventative, we don't have fleas or barely any bugs for that matter where we used to live. Would you suggest the collar, drops, or chewables? Have any of you had success with any of these? I've read a lot of bad reviews but I figure every medicine type thing will have good and bad effects.


----------



## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

The dish soap will kill the fleas if you leave it on long enough before rinsing. Wet the kitty, put a ring of soap around its neck first, then do as much of the head as you can, then the body. Leave it on for at least 15 minutes. Rinse it off, trying to get all the fleas off. Hopefully, they will all be dead by then. The soap coats them and suffocates them.


----------



## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Agree with Sidewinder, just would add warm up the room a lot first and keep it very warm until kitten is dry.

You could try spraying that spray into a washcloth, then holding it around the kitten for a while.


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

You mention you have never had to deal wirth fleas before but now you have moved to a place where they obviously can be a problem. My advice would be to ask other owners what is working for their dogs where you are now living, as in some places fleas become immune to different manufacturers......Here in San Diego 'Frontline' is becoming less effective and Advantage is also becoming that way.......Comfortis seems to be the choice here!
Nothing worse in my book than a flea infestation UGH!!!!!


----------



## West U (Jul 30, 2014)

Aww a new kitty, our kitty (now 14) was only 7 oz when we got her. Look up Coconut oil / cats / fleas. Good luck!


----------



## ApricotsRock (Jan 10, 2014)

Just an FYI if the kitten is extremely young you can buy kitten formula at pecto etc along with a kitten bottle. We had a similar situation as yours ( minus the fleas) with cat #2 who we found at our work. We had to bottle feed him for a week or so. And on the bright side he is now ten years old and asleep right next to me.:bounce:


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Thank you everyone. He has an appointment tomorrow. I will try another bath and let it soak longer, hopefully I can finally get rid of these buggers!


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

I thought you would all like an update on the kitty. The vet said he was surprisingly healthy, a little dehydrated, and he's actually 10wks old just very very tiny!


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

Glad to hear he's healthy! Now, what did you name your new kitty? LOL!

I just noticed that in my previous post I said 'dog' but I meant the info to mean 'cat' ........... same meds!
My DIL has 3 cats and uses the comfortis..............


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

How about a picture AnneMarie?


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Here is kitty 'Jedi' with big sister/mom Princess (Lhasapoo).


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

AnneMarie said:


> Here is kitty 'Jedi' with big sister/mom Princess (Lhasapoo).


A www, what a pretty little thing!!! I ❤ Kitties!


----------



## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

Oh, isn't Jedi adorable! Love his colors and pattern !!!


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Two gorgeous babies and it looks like they have become buddies already! How wonderful that you have given Jedi a home. Hugs.


----------



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

One of my favorite cat colors! Second only to solid orange tabby! He is darling!


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

N2Mischief said:


> One of my favorite cat colors! Second only to solid orange tabby! Could be the picture, but he looks closer to 6 weeks to me. He is darling!


I agree. Jedi looks 6 to maybe 7 weeks. The reason why I say 6 to 7 weeks is because our very first kitten, Puddin, had the same coloring, and the same look, as this kitten, and when I first saw the picture of Jedi, I said to myself, "that looks just like Puddin". Puddin was born March 10, 1975, and we got her at 6 weeks of age. 

But, I don't know, I guess the vet would know more than we would...right?

Regardless, he's definitely adorable!!

Still no sign of a momma or siblings???


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Yes he is VERY tiny for his age. The vet said he has all his teeth which only fully come in after 8wks old, so he's guessing about 10wks. 

Princess is varied on her attitude with him. She plays and licks him so sweet but if we're all laying down for bed or a nap and he tries to play she growls at him. I guess she's trying to teach him rules. She has had two poop accidents (she's fully potty trained so I feel these were more oh he did it why can't I lol) right after he did. She's such a brat sometimes and jealous lol. 

I take a look around our building every time I take Princess potty, but I haven't seen any other babies. There could be a few I would guess as mom, there's so many stray cats here, but they all seem so feral.


----------



## N2Mischief (Dec 3, 2012)

I just saw your vet aged him at 10 weeks, so much better than 4 weeks! Hopefully he weaned naturally from mom. I'm sure he will do great!


----------



## MollyMuiMa (Oct 13, 2012)

I love orange tabbys! Jedi matches his 'Princess'! The pic of him and Phoebe is darling!


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Thank you. I thought it was funny how they matched with their coat colors being the same shade lol


----------



## sidewinder (Feb 3, 2016)

I love marmalade tabbies! They are nearly always boys (it's a sex-liked trait), and always have the best personalities! If he seems "tame", then he was never feral. Somebody must have dumped him. Feral kittens are like little wild animals, even at 5 or 6 weeks old, they will spit claw and bite to get away from you! I tamed a couple feral babies many years ago, but they never became as friendly as a kitten raised from birth with handling by people.


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

I started to think he was dumped since he's so sweet. There's a huge problem of dumping animals here, it's terrible. I recently saw a pit bull running loose in our gated apartments.


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

I thought you all would like to see how well behaved the kitten is. Our house rules: no pets in the kitchen. He's catching on so well! Lol


----------



## Beaches (Jan 25, 2014)

Thanks for sharing the pictures. They are both adorable!


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

AnneMarie said:


> I thought you all would like to see how well behaved the kitten is. Our house rules: no pets in the kitchen. He's catching on so well! Lol



OMG, look at that face! I am SO in love!!! ❤

I'm so happy that he's fitting in, and look at him... he looks so happy and well! It was definitely meant to be for you to find this little guy!


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

AnneMarie said:


> I started to think he was dumped since he's so sweet. There's a huge problem of dumping animals here, it's terrible. I recently saw a pit bull running loose in our gated apartments.




I'm betting you're right. I'm out in the country and we get cats dumped out here from time to time. 

Just to share a story without making it too long, but in June of 1993, I was looking for a kitten, and one day, I checked the ads in the newspaper. The people were giving away 3 tiny kittens. They found the kittens, not more than a couple of weeks old, in a box, along a country road. No mother, just the babies. It was a good thing that they found them before dark, or the kittens probably wouldn't have made it through the night with flying predators around.

The good samaritans took care of the babies, bottled fed them, until they were 4 weeks of age and started eating good on their own. We picked out one of the kittens, and we named her Tabitha ( because she was a Tabby). She lived to almost 17, and I loved her with all of my heart. ❤ 

I'm just so thankful to those people for saving those precious babies, that some heartless person chose to dump along side of a road.


----------



## TrixieTreasure (May 24, 2015)

AnneMarie said:


> I thought you all would like to see how well behaved the kitten is. Our house rules: no pets in the kitchen. He's catching on so well! Lol


I just looked at that picture again, and I can't get over how well behaved Jedi is! My gosh, most cats would be running every which way, lol. 
That would make a really cute greeting card!


----------



## peccan (Aug 26, 2014)

Looks like Jedi is all but announced an honorary Poodle ^.^ be sure to teach him a few tricks ^_^


----------



## AnneMarie (Feb 19, 2016)

Haha I agree! He will copy Princess with everything and follows her around. I think I'll try to teach him her favorite trick; to dance! ?


----------



## Streetcar (Apr 13, 2014)

AnneMarie said:


> I take a look around our building every time I take Princess potty, but I haven't seen any other babies. There could be a few I would guess as mom, there's so many stray cats here, but they all seem so feral.


I'd wager Jedi was not born feral, although he could have been. I've adopted two kittens, one at about five months, the other somewhere between 7 and 8 weeks, who were feral-born, and while both tamed up brilliantly for me, they were a bit different from Jedi at the beginninig. Btw, both became heart cats, incredibly loving and close pets, and the one acquired younger has adapted pretty well to other people as well. We did lots of practice vet visits when he was young. Did the vet check for a microchip? Even if he'd had a home, no proper home would let a tiny kitten out like that. He's so lucky you found him!


----------

