Laurence, fleas, and kitty litter

What do you guys think of the name Laurence? You know, my kitty? Wallace and Laurance. I was thinking it was a good name, a respectable name, for the poet. Laurence Sterne.

Plus I have some questions. Specifically for Brody, since I know she is involved with animal rescue stuff, and might know better, but anyone with experience with kittens:

I was reading that kittens need clay litter until they are 6 months old, is this true, and why? I was going to give him a litter like yesterday's news, or something, because of the dust problems with clay, is there some reason I shopuldn't? I want to do what's best, and it was all hit and miss with Wallace long story there, I will blog about it...

and the other thing, I am having CRAZY problems with fleas. I have given him a dish soap bath every day now, because I can't contol this problem. I am beginning to think my house may be infected, so that is why I am having problems? This morning I drenched him in oil and let it sit to drown the fleas, before I bathed him (twice) with dish soap. Some of the fleas I pulled are still alive. Is what I am doing okay for a kitten this little? From talking to people who currently have kittens about his size, they tend to think he's actually about 6 weeks. Could me taking him outside to potty be the problem? I am so stuck on this, and want him to do well here. Could me bathing him kill him? Someone told me that it could, and I don't want to hurt him...

Any ideas?

TIA

Do not use clay litter. It is bad for any age of cat. Some cats though will not use pellets. If it works, great but I actually just use cheap chicken layer feed. It doesn't clump well and you have to scoop a little extra out to get it all but it's so cheap I don't care. No dust and while it's not a healthy addition to the diet it is harmless if they eat it.

Talk to your vet about whether the kitten is old enough for a prescription flea med like advantage, frontline, capstar, revolution, etc... It will kill every flea that bites the cats without having to drown the poor things in various solutions which do not actually kill fleas or stop them from getting more the instant the bath stops. Vacuuming the house several times will help lower the population faster. If you still have fleas after a few weeks then the problem is most likely outside. Some animal has to be keeping them alive and reproducing so they can be picked up by your cats or by you and transferred to your cats. The yard will have to be treated and you may have to look in to something that repels fleas off the animals instead of just killing them or removing them. I don't know about what to use on cats for that but I use sentry products on my dog. There's both a chemical based one and a version that is just essential oils to repel various bugs while they are outside.

I like Laurence to go with Wallace.

I remember my mom bathing our cats in Pine Sol water when they had fleas. She did use this on kittens, too. It killed the fleas, and they would scramble for high ground, and we would end up with a bunch of fleas on the cat's head, where we could pick many of them off. You have to be very careful not to get the water in the cat's eyes and nose. And with the kittens, you have to make sure you keep them warm after the bath, wrapping them up and cuddling them, or blowing them dry. The Pine Sol has a short term repelling effect once the cat is dry.

When necessary, she combined that with flea bombing the house. Don't know if that is advisable with a small child... you'll have to find out. I've heard about using borax and salt on the floors, so you can look that up. It's all over the 'net.

Like Akane said, vacuum, vacuum, vacuum. Slowly and thoroughly.

Good luck!

I don't think all that bathing is a good idea. And I'd be afraid to use Pine Sol! It could lead to skin problems at the very least.

I really think you may need to get a good flea product from the vet... something specifically safe for kittens. Brody will probably know what you can use.

By the way, I think Laurence is a fine name! And it goes well with Wallace.

Thank you all! I am schedueling a trip to the vet. I think I am going to get that Care card, so I can get any care I cant pay for on time...

I was worried about the bathing, so I will need to figure it out...

And I have now officially named him Laurence! I do really like that name! <br /><br />__________ Sun Aug 29, 2010 12:16 pm __________<br /><br />Oh, and I could use Pine Sol on my carpets, that would be nice to kill and repell them, since I have a carpet cleaner. I know my brother likes to use it on his...

Lawrence is a great name
no Pinesol for the kitten ... mild soap and water will kill fleas if you really soak him - honestly he should have had a bath the first day you asked us about them - kittens can be KILLED by the anemia that comes from fleas ... I would get a prelim treatment done NOW (dry him well but blowers can cause panic and many scratches so be carefully - personally I use towels now) and then get to a vet for someting kitten safe (it is not cheap but I personally would use revolution if te fleas are bad - 2 -3 doses 1 month apart)

Clay litter is better than clumping for kittens - kittens can ingest litter and clay will pass through them - clumping can clump inside and cause real problems - a yesterdays news type litter is fine too though

hoep that helps ... sorry I'm late

I bathed him as soon as I saw the fleas, and every day after. That is why I am afraid my house is infested (when I came here, the apartment was literally CRAWLING with them) gotcha about the clay, I didn't realize they were different, or that clumping was so bad...I will get the revolution.

And I'm pine soling the carpets tonight, so it is dried before the kitten comes in contact with it.

Thanks so much!<br /><br />__________ Sun Aug 29, 2010 7:34 pm __________<br /><br />Thought I'd clarify...I actually gave him his first bath BEFORE I asked, as soon as he came in. Fleas BUG me, lol. He's had a bath every day since then.

ok - I'd back off te baths .. daily isn't needed now as you should not be seeing fleas on him anymore then ... a dose of revolution (or advantage depending on the price differential) is the next step.
He shouldn't be bathed for at least three days after topical treatment ...

Hadn't thought of doing carpets with Pine Sol. Good idea!

I figured Pine Sol on the kitten wouldn't fly here, but it had worked for us, so I posted it. No problem, I'm sure the other solutions are probably safer.

definately thanks for posting about the PIne Sol! Otherwise I wouldn't know what to use for the carpets (that didn't cost my arm and leg, lol)

Pine sol and lemon pledge do a good job of deterring various bugs, spiders, and other annoyances around the house. I just wouldn't put them on pets. Pine sol is scented with pine oil extracted from parts of pine trees. The volatile oils in pine (and other softwoods) have been well studied and can cause a variety of health issues. The most well known are respiratory problems but less noticeably liver and other internal organ damage can occur. This is the reason cedar is never suggested as an animal bedding and many won't even use pine. The idea of putting this directly on an animal does not sound very healthy to me.

You need to kill the fleas... vacuuming(everyday) and a premise spray like Vetchem which is residual and lasts quite a while, it works the same as the Revolution; the fleas eggs don't hatch.If you want, steam clean the carpets first with one of those machines and a carpet shampoo then use the premise spray. Once the problem is gone you probably won't ever need to spray again as long as the cats get the monthly treatments. Fleas can also be found lurking in composters of all things, which I learned the hard way lol. Don't keep composters near any doors to the house or near where your pets may be.

I've used Borax to kill fleas in the carpets. It dries up the eggs and larvae too. You sprinkle dry borax on the carpets and work it into the carpet with a broom. Leave on a few days and vacuum well.