Expert: Jessica - 5/7/2010

Question
My pregnant cat has fleas and my husband gave her a flea bath using Sergeants gold flea & tick shampoo and as he was giving her the bath i was reading the back and it said ask vet before using on pregnant cats! Is this going to hurt her or the kittens? she is due in 2 weeks and i am worried about her.

Answer
Hi Ruthie.  I would immediately bathe your kitty again using a mild dish soap such as Dawn or Palmolive.  While the flea shampoo is probably unlikely to hurt your cat or the fetuses during the pregnancy, it does have a residual effect that lasts for 30 days, and I'm afraid this may hurt the kittens once they begin nursing.

Because fleas can actually kill kittens by causing anemia, it is important to be sure fleas are controlled before the little ones arrive.  I suggest to use a safe flea product that has been approved for pregnant and nursing mothers such as Frontline Plus or Revolution.  These are both drops that get applied to the back of the cat's neck once a month.  A prescription is required for Revolution, although most vets don't require a visit in order for you to buy it as long as you are an established client.  Frontline is available through veterinarians, through online pet pharmacies and at most pet stores.

Good luck!

Jessica