As promised in the Basics for Fostering Ferals article, here is a detailed how-to for how to give your foster kitties the most effective, least stressful flea bath possible. Flea baths are a must for any kitten coming in from outside as fleas love to make a meal of them. From start to finish, here's exactly how to de-flea your fosters:
1.) Gather your materials.
You're going to want to set up your bathing station at a sink rather than a bathtub. This is much less stressful for the kitten as being even partially submerged in water is a one way ticket to getting scratched or bit. As for shampoo, blue Dawn dish soap is the way to go. Not only is it cheap, but it's gentle and very effective. You'll also need a feline specific flea comb. Linked here is the comb that I use for my fosters. It's easy to use and gets all the little nasties out of short haired or long haired kittens. Grab some cotton balls for cleaning up the kitten's face.
A cup of warm water with a bit of Dawn in it should be ready to go next to your sink so that any fleas you pull off can get dunked into the water to kill them immediately. Towels and long sleeves are a must as well. You can use gloves if you feel that they would make you more comfortable.
2.) Calm your kitten.
Working a calmed kitten into a bath is much easier than working with a stressed, hissing kitten. This might take a while so be patient. Wrapping them in a towel will help with this. Stroking the kitten with the flea comb without going too deep into their fur will acclimate them to the sensation which will serve you well once the combing starts.
3.) Start combing!
Pass the flea comb through the kitten's fur starting at the top of their head and working your way down over their back and stomach all the way to their tail. You'll see some little black dots on the comb as your brush through. This is flea dirt which is basically flea feces. If you come across a live flea in your comb then immediately dunk the comb into the Dawn and water solution to drown the flea so it doesn't have a chance to jump off onto another kitten.
4.) Time to start the bath…
Most importantly, NEVER submerge any kitten in water. Only use running water to bathe a kitten instead of standing water. As well, NEVER get soap near your kitten's eyes or in their ears. Before any water gets onto the kitten, create a ring of Dawn around the kittens neck as a barrier. If you start cleaning the back first, the fleas will run up to the head and ears of the kitten making it way more difficult to remove them. Using warm water, lather the ring of soap around the neck really well. Then, using more soap, work your way down the kitten's back, stomach, legs, and tail. Make sure to get in every nook and cranny! Those fleas are persistent.
Using a damp cotton ball with some Dawn on it, carefully clean the kitten's face and chin. You might notice that as water is running off your kitty that the water might be a bit red. This is the flea dirt washing off. Since fleas subsist off of blood, it's only natural that their feces will also be red. Once your kitten is lathered up and cleaned thoroughly, make sure to rinse all of the soap off of them.
5.) Warm your kitten up!
Since the little guys have a hard time regulating their own body temperature, it's essential that you warm them up as quickly as possible. Wrap the kitty in a nice, warm towel and gently dry them. Make sure that they're thoroughly dried and then you can pass through their fur again with the flea comb. Lastly, and arguably the most important step, shower them with treats! Baths are never a fun experience for any cat so treats and kisses are super important.
Flea baths don't have to be a traumatic experience for you or the cat. Taking these precautions and following these steps will benefit the health and happiness of your fosters.
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