My wife and I recently picked up a free kitten off of craigslist! The owner was originally from a tiny hamlet on the eastern side of the southern Ural mountain range in the Motherland. I have no idea how she got to America but I'm glad she did because we now have Griffin, an all grey bundle of fluff, teeth, and needle-like talons. If you'd like to check him out, head over to my YouTube page.
Griffin unfortunately had a lot of fleas on his body though and he's not going to see the vet until next week because he's too still too young. However, there is something you can do to help, we found this de-flea-ing guide paroosing google that worked very well. Below is what we did to remove the fleas that differs a bit from the website's method but still seemed to work (side note: I'm not trying to steal their idea, but their article is what spurred us to do the following):
Here's what you need to remove fleas from your new edition's body:
-- Towel (maybe two)
-- Tweezers
-- Dawn mild dish detergent (or another mild soap like baby shampoo)
-- Tape (preferably duct tape or something wide)
-- Another person because this may be impossible with only one
Before you take your new pal skinny dipping lay out your towels on one side and the tape sticky side up off to the other side. You'll place captured parasites on the tape as you pick them off. Fill up your kitchen sink with warm water (not too hot!) that is deep enough for you to immerse the kitten up to it's neck. Gently submerse him into the water up to his neck. Disclaimer: Your hands may look like you just finished playing Frisbee with a buzz saw when you're done washing kitty but it's for his own good! Wet his head but be sure not to get water in his ears as this may cause an infection later on. Hold him there for at least a minute if you can, you'll start to see some of those blood sucking pirates jumping ship when you do this. The fleas will climb to kitty's head so get the tweezers ready. Pick off the fleas and press them firmly on the tape (killing them if you can) otherwise they may squirm free and hop away. Take kitty out of the water, place him on a towel, and massage his body with Dawn as this kills the bugs. You can put a little soap on the top of his head but, again, be careful of his eyes and ears. When he's nice and lathered up immerse him again and keep picking off the fleas as they climb to his head. When you've rinsed all the soap off of him wrap him up in a towel and keep him warm. Fold the tape holding you your captives in half and get rid of it.
Phew! Thanks for sticking with me. We picked off at least 50 fleas and I know there are some that we missed so just be diligent and keep at it. You'll feel like a terrible parent because kitty will be crying and shivering and hanging on for dear life but he will forget about it in a half hour or so and return to being your lap warmer, no questions asked.
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