Wordless Wednesday
True or false: You can bathe a kitten under 4 weeks old.
P.S. Don’t be a wet blanket; leave your answer in the comment box. Are you engrave danger of not knowing the answer to last week’s WW? Get it here.
Update, September 18: You had a 50/50 chance of getting this right. Check the comment box to see if you should start running a bath for your foster kittens.
Tags: Saving Lives, Wordless Wednesday
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Leese Says:
I would say true BUT with caution and only if absolutely necessary, I.e. to remove debris or heavy flea infestation. Kittens this age can’t regulate their temperature so great care should be taken to keep them warm but not too much.
Melitta Says:
I agree with Leese. Only if absolutly necessary and with extreme care.
Carlene Says:
More often that not, the kittens we take in need to be bathed. They typically have fleas, often grease or dirt, etc. We feed them, give them a nice warm bath, dry them and feed them again if they need it. They curl into a ball on a soft blanket and sleep with no fleas and a full belly.
Elyse Orecchio, Shelters' Edge Says:
Bathe a young kitten? Yes, you can!
Have you been told you can’t bathe a kitten because they get wet? In her recent webinar on early-age care for foster animals, Dr. Sandra Newbury, National Shelter Medicine Extension Veterinarian, reminds us that kittens were born wet! Bathing is important to preventing skin infections and removing feces that might accumulate in a kitten’s rear. “Just keep them warm, using warm water and towels,” Dr. Newbury suggests.
Nancy Clark Says:
I do agree with Dr.Newbury and loved the webinar. I have bathed many very young kittens because you cannot leave them dirty. Feces, cow muck, fleas…none of these things should ever be on a kitten. Their mum would keep them clean and so should we. I use the minimum amount of water (tepid/warm)in a sink or basin, rinse well and dry with warm towels and a hair dryer if necessary…I never let them get chilled and they get lots of snuggle time this way too.
Sandra Newbury Says:
Hi all,
Great responses everyone! Bathing is also a great way to get fleas off of youngsters who are too young for the topical treatments and is safer than some of the alternative powders or other insecticides. A nice warm bath with a very little bit of mild soap slows the bugs down and lets you pick them off with much greater ease. Don’t forget to have a nice warm towel ready to receive.
Happy fostering!