Dealing With Cat Fleas and Worms

Fleas – symptoms and treatment

Fleas are easy to spot. Even better, they’re easy to treat. They’re brownish-black in colour, and you’ll be able to see them moving about on your kitten’s coat. There might be black specks of flea dirt under their fur, and you might also see your kitten scratching or biting themselves.

You can ask your vet for advice, or get off-the-shelf treatment from any good pet shop – just make sure that what you buy is suitable for kittens. It’s important to buy enough to treat your entire home – unfortunately those fleas won’t just have stayed on your kitten! Treat it like a good spring clean, vacuuming your carpets and spraying everywhere thoroughly.

Worms – symptoms and treatment

There are two types of worm to be aware of. Roundworms can make your kitten look a bit pot-bellied and, in some cases, cause vomiting. Tapeworms look a little like grains of rice in their litter tray, or around your kitten’s bottom.

If you spot either kind, don't worry. Worms are very easy to treat – and they’re easy to prevent too. You can generally treat against worms every two weeks between the ages of 5–12 weeks and then every 3–6 months after that. Speak to your vet for all the advice and reassurance you need.