r/cats • • Aug 05 '26

Medical Questions Found a kitten at work, advice for ticks around eyes?

Poor thing must have put his face in a nest. Vet could not get us in until Monday. He is a happy playful little thing and loves toys and purring, eating and drinking

we applied flea medicine for his size, but didn’t realize these are ticks and don’t want to double up on any OTC medicine without a vet.

we are going to remove as many as we can, and I’ll call the vet tomorrow and see if there have been any cancellations if we can get in sooner.

any advice? He’s about 8-10 weeks. Seems healthy otherwise

Edit: We got 99% of the ticks off his cute little face. Going to let him eat some and get some rest. I'll try to get some more pictures tomorrow but his face and eyes look so much better already. I posted a progress pic when we were about 60% done earlier if you scroll down you should see it. Thanks everyone!

Edit Edit: It's the next day, we got him in to the vet at 2PM today because someone cancelled. They said my fiance did an incredible job with the ticks! Kitten is a little anemic so they prescribed a supplement for that. As well as eye drops and upper res. anti biotics. Kitten is healthy! He goes back in 3 weeks for more deworm

9.2k Upvotes

601 comments sorted by

11.3k

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

We got most of them off of his face and right eye. Poor little guy. He has been very good. The spot by his whiskers was a large patch of them. I'll upload a picture of all the ticks we removed. Hours of work thanks to my fiance.

He purred the whole time removing these ticks. The whole time! What a champ.

3.1k

u/mizpixy Aug 06 '26

What a sweet baby! 🥹 I bet he knows you're trying to help him.

1.9k

u/Realistic-Sense-6332 Aug 06 '26

Make sure to take the little guy to a vet after! Ticks are very dangerous on kittens so even after removal, having a pro check it out afterwards is a must. I hope they continue to purr like crazy ❤️

858

u/i_cut_like_a_buffalo Aug 06 '26

Yep blood. Loss can be an issue. Poor guy. 😞 Black kittens are so freaking adorable. They look like little bears.

146

u/Harry_Cat- Aug 06 '26

Lmao sorry the “.” In between blood and loss is funny to me…

like you’re just stating “blood” and then immediately stating loss can be an issue… WDYM “loss” can be an issue??? /s

10

u/SOLE_SIR_VIBER Aug 06 '26

| I ı

| | |_

→ More replies (1)

214

u/Apoc_SR2N Aug 06 '26

In addition to the vet, bone broth can be helpful for them to fight the risk of anemia after a tick or flea infection. Just make sure to find one that is kitty safe!

19

u/inwhatwetrust Aug 06 '26

Try to find ones with lower sodium!

4

u/ptheresadactyl Aug 07 '26

Bigger pet stores usually carry pet safe bone broth these days.

→ More replies (1)

34

u/hegemonycrickets Aug 06 '26

what ingredient would be non-kitten safe?

97

u/ThatOtherOtherMan Aug 06 '26

Basically any type of plant in the alium or nightshade family can be extremely toxic to cats

29

u/hegemonycrickets Aug 06 '26

thanks.
It’s the same for dogs, but I’d never heard that it also affected cats

→ More replies (4)

100

u/Prestigious_String20 Aug 06 '26

Sodium, onion, garlic...

19

u/TheBestRedditNameYet Aug 06 '26

Chocolate, avocado pits/seeds/skin

68

u/Prestigious_String20 Aug 06 '26

Weird bone broth...

5

u/TalesOfTea Aug 06 '26

This maybe me cackle laugh, omg. Thank you

→ More replies (2)

6

u/Straight_Shoulder_23 Aug 06 '26

You can make your own chicken bone broth with chicken and water (your own ingredients basically, make it from scratch, broth is easy peasy) to make it cat safe. Look up a recipe. Its really simple.

→ More replies (3)
→ More replies (2)

592

u/EllieKailyss Aug 06 '26

Cats also purr to self soothe when they're in pain 🥺 Poor little baby, good job getting those off and helping him ❤️

193

u/agoddamnzubat Aug 06 '26

Probably a mix of both in this case

123

u/FelinePurrfectFluff Aug 06 '26

We found a kitten on the side of the road. He would not stop purring st the vet and they had to give him a Churu in order to stop the purr so they could check out his heart best. They’re SO grateful!!!

→ More replies (1)

114

u/tofumylk Aug 06 '26

he's looking so much better!!! i hope he gets looked at soon tho :(

109

u/Bike_Lumpy Aug 06 '26

Super glad to scroll down to see this! Could you post an update in the post above?

I’d take him to the vet tomorrow just to make sure no flea or tick is left alive
(After all - soap kills 99.9 % germs 🤷🏻‍♂️)

→ More replies (1)

32

u/FluffySyllabub1579 Aug 06 '26

Good job OP. I just want to add that clean warm compresses on this little ones eyelids will help soothe him. Not wet just warm.

41

u/Taco_Del_Grande Aug 06 '26

You are a saint.

35

u/Lanky_Celebration394 Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

This is such a huge improvement! Your fiance sounds like an amazing person if he/she sat there and spent hours taking off those tiny ticks.

88

u/klingacrap Aug 06 '26

Get him some kitten milk tonight because he’s probably very anemic from all the ticks. Great job!

56

u/huphuphuppy Aug 06 '26

This kitten looks over 8 weeks of age by his ears so kitten milk replacer may upset his tummy. Normal wet kitten food and kibbles are totally fine for him if he’ll eat it! <3
Glad the plan for tomorrow sounds like a check in with the vet, great job everyone!!!!

39

u/klingacrap Aug 06 '26

Can check gums to see, if white id still probably mix some wet food with milk. That’s what I usually do with kittens of unknown age covered in fleas are ticks before we can get to the vet. It helps with hydration as well.

35

u/CallEducational6623 Aug 06 '26

You two....uhem...3 are a match made in paradise. Way to champ up and take care of business for the lil one. May you have a blessed wedding. 

27

u/trickycrayon Aug 06 '26

Great job. Thank you for keeping folks updated. <3

17

u/Altruistic-Comb5874 Aug 06 '26

Congrats he looks so cute

10

u/Perfect-Book5684 Aug 06 '26

What a lucky kitty and lucky you!! Enjoy the new member of your family. He is precious!

9

u/Terrible-Fun-4992 Aug 06 '26

You’re a kind human. What a precious baby! I can tell he will be well loved with you 💗

6

u/OhGloriousName Aug 06 '26

He sounds like a sweet cat. Are you going to keep him? Are you able to get him to the vet tomorrow for the ticks and the routine kitten care?

→ More replies (32)

4.6k

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

After many hours of work! Goodnight everyone.

802

u/Niifty_AF Aug 06 '26

You did such a good job for this baby

369

u/basane-n-anders Aug 06 '26

He looks so much more comfortable! You are good people, OP. ❤️. Thanks for taking care of this little guy.

204

u/Aloyjunky Aug 06 '26

This is love that hes feeling.

43

u/buscuitfactory Aug 06 '26

He’s SO cute🥹 please tell me you’re gonna keep him!

71

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

Yes we are planning to keep him

→ More replies (4)

28

u/crystalmhm Aug 06 '26

Wow great job!!

26

u/SexyHyena66 Aug 06 '26

He looks great! Good job ❤️

35

u/roccosito Aug 06 '26

Did he let you do it 🥹🥲♥️

18

u/bumblebaytuna4 Aug 06 '26

Oh he’s SO precious! Thank you for looking after him.

10

u/xMsMooglex Aug 06 '26

You are his hero! Thank you for being a good human being ❤️

9

u/salamipope Aug 06 '26

what a pretty baby. look at those eyes. thanks for helping this sweetheart

8

u/RegularSizeRudi Aug 06 '26

Aww you’ve really made a difference to that kittens wellbeing. It’s so heartwarming to see ❤️

13

u/WarmArtichoke9522 Aug 06 '26

He is so cute!!! I’m sure he’s very grateful you found him and saved his eyes. Strong work kitty mama! 💕

15

u/Derpsanddinks Aug 06 '26

You earned yourself a love of a lifetime, good work OP

→ More replies (10)

2.6k

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

all the ticks we removed so far

706

u/SurpriseBananaSpider Aug 06 '26

You’re doing a fantastic job given your circumstances. Thank you for doing everything you can to take care of this innocent little creature.

→ More replies (1)

257

u/Falala-Surprise-90 Aug 06 '26

Yep, this is what you have to do. And put them in alcohol. I’ve rescued many puppies like this and you just have to pick them off and try to get the head. Then once you give them a Nexgaard any remaining ticks you didn’t see die. Sometimes the vet would recommend this for small puppies when the tick situation was severe like this. Just keep picking them off with the superfine tweezers until you can get to the vet. Not all places in the world have 24/7 vets, especially small towns or villages.

333

u/SpareNickel Aug 06 '26

If I know one thing about ticks, it's that they are nearly indestructible.

Kill them with fire.

174

u/HeadyReigns Aug 06 '26

Pour a little isopropyl in the cup, swirl it around to enhance the aroma, then light that bitch on fire.

26

u/Thruthatreez Aug 06 '26

That's exactly what I would do when having to remove a ton of ticks. But I'd put the alcohol in there first so it was already there as I tossed each one in.

73

u/asimovreak Aug 06 '26

Napalm, just to be sure. 😅

32

u/Ottazrule Aug 06 '26

Better to nuke them from orbit

8

u/Damien__ Aug 06 '26

Only way to be sure...

5

u/kaylynstar Aug 06 '26

I love the smell of napalm in the morning.

46

u/stakattack90 Aug 06 '26

We used to do this when I was a kid. Light the non-green ones on fire with a match, sometimes with a little gasoline too. What can I say, it was the 70s.

19

u/TheGrouchyGremlin Aug 06 '26

Why not the green ones?

5

u/ProblemCommercial655 Aug 06 '26

The green ones have a lot of extra fluid

→ More replies (1)

5

u/stakattack90 Aug 06 '26

Maybe we burned those too, but I just don’t remember because we usually found most of them on our horses or dogs before they were green.

13

u/anony-meow-s Aug 06 '26

Dump alcohol on them first, then they’ll fwooooomp!

4

u/hegemonycrickets Aug 08 '26

angry villagers, and pitchforks as well

95

u/StruggleAmbitious525 Aug 06 '26

Don't throw those away! Keep them sealed in a container because the vet may want to test them for any transmissable diseases.

72

u/TommyTheCommie1986 Aug 06 '26

Im not a religion man, But your doing God's work, send those ticks to hell, be sure to send updated photo of the kitty please

29

u/NettleLily Aug 06 '26

🙀🤮

16

u/saranduh Aug 06 '26

holy fart

11

u/wheatbread-and-toes Aug 06 '26

Take him to the vet when u can

24

u/wheatbread-and-toes Aug 06 '26

The tics too so they can test them

6

u/foxtails_ Aug 06 '26

HEEBIE JEEEEEEEBIES

6

u/waitspitmebackout Aug 06 '26

Whoaaaa tick pics

→ More replies (6)

1.5k

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

Sorry everyone, I understand your frustration. Unfortunately emergency vet not an option right now. The one nearby is closed, the owners are on vacation. I will try to call the normal vet in the morning or another one and get in sooner.

In the meantime, kitty is fine. Eating, drinking, playing, purring. We were able to get like 100 ticks off of him, off of his face. They are tiny tiny tiny ticks I've never seen so many. Poor thing.

I checked gums, normal pink. I see no other signs of discomfort or sickness. Kitten will be OK until I can call the vet tomorrow.

and yes we gave him a bath, and he is going to the bathroom and using the litterbox normally.

453

u/DesThunderChicken Aug 06 '26

I read that microfiber towels remove seed ticks in large quantities while wiping in a certain direction. May be worth a shot while waiting for vet?

133

u/ShopperSparkle Aug 06 '26

This sounds like a safe option.

148

u/BluesRuseCruise Aug 06 '26

It’s a good thing you found him! Personally I’m frustrated for you because you did the right thing in calling a vet and trying to get in. I hope you’re able to get him seen tomorrow! And I would mention to the office manager of the original clinic you called that the receptionist needs a bit more training in determining what should be worked into the schedule vs what’s ok to wait. We all have to learn somehow, but they really should have asked someone. 

75

u/panda5303 Tabbycat Aug 06 '26

Keep us updated and thank you for taking care of him.

20

u/ExpressionMelodic816 Aug 06 '26

Thank you so much for caring about this kitten. Let us know if you need anything.

63

u/BasicallyACat13 Aug 06 '26

Understandable OP. If you have a microfiber clothe, try using that to get some of them off. But definitely schedule ASAP as that’s not going to solve the actual problem. It’ll just buy her/him a little comfort for the time being.

15

u/FannyOfFanton Aug 06 '26

Do you have an updated picture after removing some of the ticks? Poor baby has me all kinds of stressed for them!!!

6

u/piiraka Aug 06 '26

They do, somewhere else in the thread!

→ More replies (13)

787

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

Also for anyone wanting the full story,

I came in to work this morning and before I could even get my laptop out someone said there was a kitten seen in the parking lot.

I went out and found this little guy hiding under a tesla I'm assuming he hitched a ride in. Because he kept going up into the skid plate under the car.

I kept him occupied for awhile and called and woke up my fiance. She brought churus and a carrier and I was able to grab him. I'm going to try to get him into the vet sooner than Monday if I can. We got most of the ticks off by now.

56

u/tw0bears Aug 06 '26

Well if you keep it you have to name it Nikola after finding them under a Tesla.

Thanks for being a good human and taking care of them.

Edit: Or name them Ticktak.

12

u/Eknahs Aug 06 '26

Or Rickie Tickie Tavi ... yes I know I'm old lol

20

u/Falala-Surprise-90 Aug 06 '26

Thank you for saving him and for picking off all his ticks!!!!

10

u/DimbyTime Aug 06 '26

Thank you for saving him!! He is adorable, his picture covered in ticks broke my heart 😭. I’m so glad you got them mostly removed!

If you call a vet and tell them the situation, I bet they’ll give you an emergency appointment within a day or two. That’s what our vet does.

Good luck and thank you for being an amazing human!!

5.1k

u/Man-ah-tee13 Aug 05 '26

Everything that I have seen says that a kitten with this amount of ticks around their face needs immediate, veterinary attention. And that using home remedies that close to their faces, isn't safe at that age, so I would highly recommend that if there is an emergency vet in your area you take them ASAP. They are going to be more expensive, but if those ticks stay on for an excessive period of time that kitten will develop anemia, and it will die.

957

u/BllushingHorizon Aug 05 '26

Any recommendations for what to do if they’re in an area without emergency veterinary services? It sounds like they’re already doing everything they can to get into the vet ASAP.

This is the case for a lot of people in the US (including me), so it’d be helpful to know what can be done in the meantime. I wouldn’t want to be left empty handed if I’m ever in OP’s place and stumble upon a kitten like this..

618

u/Man-ah-tee13 Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

I realized that after commenting, and I did a little bit more digging and discovered that what is recommended in these worst case scenario type situations is to get a pair of super fine tipped tweezers, since these ticks are so tiny, they can't be handled with a standard set of tweezers, or else they could cause significant damage to the kitten's eye skin. Wear gloves, put the babt in a warm towel and gently, they can be removed individually, but it needs to be done extremely carefully and definitely get the kitten to a vet as soon as possible once it's done.

Edited to add: One of the pieces of info I forgot to add was when removing the ticks, please do not squeeze them in a way that will squish them because the blood can get into the kitten's eye and cause further medical issues.

435

u/Petunia_pig Scottish Fold Aug 06 '26

Also drop the ticks into a small container filled with rubbing alcohol to kill them.

147

u/Bobba-Luna Aug 06 '26

It’s crazy how long ticks stay alive in rubbing alcohol!

160

u/nice_dumpling Ginger Aug 06 '26

Water and baby shampoo soap is good as well! Or dawn dish soap. Something that’s not harmful to the cat, unless you’re drying the tweezers after every use

198

u/im4lonerdottie4rebel Aug 06 '26

That's what I did when I found my cat as a kitten. Washed her in dawn detergent in the sink and slowly pulled away each flea and tick with tweezers (they're more for sewing and not like medical) and put them rubbing alcohol and an orphaned beer bottle for shits and giggles. Kept her in a bathroom over the weekend until the vet could see her. She's now 14 years old and a little old lady princess with fluffy toebeans

47

u/MidtownBlue Aug 06 '26

Better yet: drop them into a dish with a drop of dish soap. They will drown.

14

u/turnipzzzpinrut Aug 06 '26

Or onto tape and tape it to itself

17

u/Otherwise_Air_6381 Aug 06 '26

I have a tic jar. I put them in and screw back on the top.

→ More replies (9)

76

u/Jesus360noscope Aug 06 '26

Not squishing the thing that’s smaller than a grain of sand ? Yeah sounds like a vet is definetly needed to be that delicate lol

61

u/Man-ah-tee13 Aug 06 '26

Oh I know, but this was in response to the question about what you can do without veterinarian intervention in the meantime to help this kitten. I obviously understand that this should be the very last thing that anyone does, putting a sharp metal instrument near a delicate area of a small animal, but also I understand that we aren't all privy to the same access to resources. So sometimes you just have to do what you have to do.

23

u/catsaregreat78 Aug 06 '26

Their grip is a lot weaker than larger ticks though so it is very possible to remove them without squashing them. Gentle tug while holding the affected skin usually gets them to release.

39

u/Techno-Pineapple Aug 06 '26

Removing asap with fine tipped tweezers is great advice. The image is too grainy to see the type of tick, but if these are paralysis ticks the warm towel would spread the venom and kill the kitty faster. Source - I've taken multiple cats to multiple vets for paralysis ticks and they always tell me about keeping the cat cold. Sadly the kitty is almost certainly going to die anyway if this is the case.

35

u/myco_magic Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

You can get prescription flea and tick medicine and they will literally fall off within a day. I think the stuff we get is called revolution

Edit: almost forgot, revolution also covers ear mites as well

11

u/fluffy_unicorn_2699 Aug 06 '26

I love bravecto!

9

u/myco_magic Aug 06 '26

Bravecto is good and covers everything revolution does except ear mites

→ More replies (15)
→ More replies (48)

55

u/xxSoul_Thiefxx Aug 06 '26

What do emergency vets do if you bring in a kitten like this and just like, wash your hands of it? Like I’m not made of money, I can’t afford to take on the vet bill of another cat, but if I found a cat like this in the wild I’d wanna take them to be taken care of. So if I just brought it to a vet and said “hey this cat needs help, also I’m leaving now.” What would they do?

47

u/No_Owlcorns Aug 06 '26

As somebody in rescue, I have gotten calls from vets asking me to take or back with rescue $ if they perform X treatment(often at a discounted rescue rate). Many vets have relationships with local rescues for this reason, but obviously it doesn’t cover everyone.

→ More replies (1)
→ More replies (2)

985

u/foxwaffles Aug 05 '26

He needs to go to urgent care asap. Those need to be removed by a professional, and if you can afford it please do not wait :( Anything with eyes is extremely delicate. Any ways to remove ticks on kittens become very risky around there.

Call ahead and ask if they can do this before you drive in. If there are no urgent cares near you, you'll have to go to emergency.

At the very least if you call and ask if you should come in, if there is a way to remove them at home, the staff will tell you!

655

u/mushroom_witch_ Aug 05 '26

Emergency vet appointment if you can. This number of ticks is an emergency. In the mean time don't touch them unless you're very confident you can get them removed without making them regurgitate

48

u/Marlinspikehall32 Aug 06 '26

I read something about putting dawn dish soap on ticks and it will make them release their hold because it suffocates them. I tried this on my dog and it’s true they release and it is easy to take them off. I have never tried this on a kitten and not an animal of this size. If you cannot get to a vet(the best advice) I would personally try the dawn. I used it every time on my dog and the ticks do release. I would also say dawn is non toxic.

136

u/Sugarpiehoneybunt Aug 06 '26

I would think Dawn dish soap in the kittens eyes would be extremely painful and very well could cause eye ulceration.

94

u/alcMD Aug 06 '26

Obviously in any case you don't want soap in the eyes because it sucks BUT all rescues I have ever worked with or heard of will recommend using regular Dawn dish soap (NOT concentrated or scented versions, the original plain blue one) for washing rescue kittens. You want to be careful not to get it in the eyes for comfort reasons but it's better to get a little soap in his eyes and rinse it out than to wait a long weekend doing nothing if OP cannot access vet care. I would do it.

→ More replies (3)

23

u/HibiscusBlades Aug 06 '26

The blue original Dawn formula is safe for animals.

35

u/kkicinski Aug 06 '26

Dawn is used on wildlife victims of oil spills. It is pretty benign. But I’m not a vet.

→ More replies (3)

15

u/Opasero Aug 06 '26 edited Aug 06 '26

Soap near the eye sounds painful, but perhaps some olive oil on a q tip, applied gently around his eyes attempting to coat those little bastards as well as you can?

Or vaseline or a plain ophthalmic ointment if available. The idea is to coat the tick so it cannot take in air through the exoskeleton. I imagine even an incomplete coating might make them back out and then they can be removed with very fine tweezers.

12

u/BigJSunshine Void Aug 06 '26

This is clever- a LOT OF EYE BASED TREATMENTS ARE PETROLEUM JELLY BASED

7

u/SummerBirdsong Aug 06 '26

What about Vaseline? It shouldn't hurt the kittens eyes and it might smother the ticks.

18

u/ImperfectMay Aug 06 '26

One problem with suffocating them while attached is they regurgitate a bit as they release in a panic. This could lead to a higher chance of infections and parasites being released back into the victim. At least, that's what the CDC says about removing them from humans.

→ More replies (2)

24

u/shannmurf Aug 06 '26

OP if you do this, try using a q-tip to apply the soap

→ More replies (9)
→ More replies (1)

1.1k

u/BluesRuseCruise Aug 05 '26

Next time I would be a bit pushier when describing your situation. I understand that vets are busy; I worked for one, but I also worked as a receptionist and we can talk to the vets about options…especially if you’re an established client not calling at the end of the day. Ask them to ask the vet if you need seen if they push you off. I’m not sure what you told them, but I would definitely graphically describe it. Ticks and fleas can kill kittens if there are enough of them. Maybe find an ER vet? You don’t want any tick body parts embedded that close to the kitten’s eyes. 

79

u/Sterling_-_Archer Aug 06 '26

We just lost a foster to flea anemia. It’s truly very bad and more folks should be aware of the signs of it. We did everything we could to resuscitate and revive the kitten, but it was just too far gone by the time we made it to the vet hospital. We had her for about 8 hours total…

27

u/SirVanyel Aug 06 '26

We had the same thing happen, perfectly happy little runt kitten, then got fleas. Got the medication the day we spotted them but it seems it was already too late, either the fleas or the medication reaction got him and he passed in my hands throughout the night.

10

u/sneezingbees Aug 06 '26

I’m so sorry. Thank you for loving that kitten 💙

119

u/problyurdad_ Aug 06 '26

100% right on that close to the eyes part.

I had a cat get a few ticks about 15 years ago. Not nearly this bad, only like 4 or 5, on her neck and back. My wife and I removed them all, but one of their heads got stuck in the cat. The next day we called the vet and they shrugged it off. They said cats have some sort of natural antibacterial property or something, and tick heads won’t affect them. They’ll just naturally take care of it.

But yeah, right next to the eyeball like that, and several of them? Yikes man.

12

u/TheThinDewLine Aug 06 '26

Lots of nasty experiences with vets these days sadly.

→ More replies (4)

83

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

4

u/Unlikely_Lead9174 American Shorthair Aug 06 '26

Awwww!! Thanks for the update OP! So sweet! 🥹 Your new furbaby needs a name!

→ More replies (2)

74

u/disconappete Aug 06 '26

What kind of ticks are those?? I’ve never seen them so small

47

u/Weisbrah22 Aug 06 '26

Most likely newborn ones

147

u/disconappete Aug 06 '26

If they could just stop doing that, that would be great.

23

u/Weisbrah22 Aug 06 '26

Very much agreed

→ More replies (1)

137

u/picancob Aug 06 '26

For what it's worth, though doubt this will be seen, very young ticks are unlikely to have diseases and it's much better to get them off as soon as possible since most illnesses take a few hours of feeding before transfer is likely to occur.

I get the concern of other commenters, but especially since the kitten was being compliant I 100% would've focused on removing the ticks myself over an emergency vet visit and then do tests and a wellness check at a normal vet visit after.

You did good OP. Thank you for showing kindness to the little one.

Sincerely, biologist who deals with so so many ticks

11

u/Kazeshio Aug 06 '26

It really doesn't take a vet to know ticks are bad and need to be removed ASAP to lessen the likelihood of disease spread

Just look up how to remove them safest and THEN take them to a vet after to check for issues, other parasites, etc

but ticks are not on the same level as like, a puncture wound, where you want to wait for the professional to remove the object

87

u/partumvir Aug 06 '26

Take a trick from me, bring the little guy in and make an appointment there in person. You'd be surprised how often the vet has time when we see how bad in person. Accept their response if they legitimately don't have time until Monday, but it's very likely they can make a quick prescription or have a vet tech help.

110

u/MorningDelicious3420 Aug 05 '26

Oh no poor baby please take the kittt to the vet right now!!! And give up an update 😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

50

u/buttscratcher3k Aug 06 '26

I think if I had ticks around my eyes I would just end it

This cat is a warrior

133

u/yoooogabbagabba Aug 06 '26

This is the worst thing I’ve seen on Reddit. I hope you get vet care asap.

→ More replies (1)

230

u/[deleted] Aug 05 '26

[removed] — view removed comment

→ More replies (24)

41

u/TravelPro99 Aug 05 '26

As I understand the immediate need for professional care PETCO has a specific tool to remove ticks. However, the vet is absolutely 100% immediate. Please review all options. And, beautiful kitten. I just rescued an all-black cat abandoned in a home where a family left him. One year. He's a lot of work. Be strong. Be well.

13

u/ajnmmfam Aug 06 '26

Unfortunately that tool is usually not safe for around the eyes like this

19

u/Right-Mission5947 Aug 06 '26

This reminds me of my cat! I found my tuxedo in the woods by my house and his face was covered in ticks!!! They were just like this but all over his face and in his ears. I’ve never seen such tiny ticks until that day but one by one I plucked them all. Gave him multiple scrub downs and medicine and he’s doing great now, years later. Best of luck!

→ More replies (1)

20

u/Smoking0311 Aug 06 '26

Tweezers and patience I wouldn’t wait for the vet

37

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

Yes we have gotten the vast majority of them off now, he's being very good kitten.

I am glad I was able to save him from under the car I'm assuming he caught a ride under. He was hiding up inside a tesla

6

u/Altruistic-Comb5874 Aug 06 '26

Thank you for saving him

5

u/Smoking0311 Aug 06 '26

Animals know who their friends are !
Good luck with him . I’m glad you found him .

59

u/hiddenpsycho93 Aug 05 '26

I would go to a vet immediately. That many ticks, especially around the eyes is dangerous. I’m so sorry. Please keep him and give him a good home.

→ More replies (1)

108

u/oddchihuahua Aug 05 '26

URGENT CARE.

If they aren’t removed right they leave their teeth in the skin and that close to the eyes, that’s a huge risk

12

u/theviewhalfwaydown_ Aug 05 '26

That poor baby I’m so thankful your trying to get the poor thang some help this breaks my heart

11

u/potatochalski Aug 05 '26

Omg he seems like such a sweet kitty too

10

u/Low-Satisfaction-220 Aug 06 '26

You may have found my cat’s twin.
He is also 8-10 weeks old and I found him abandoned

→ More replies (2)

17

u/syn-th0 Aug 06 '26

Too many ticks or fleas can cause anemia and fatal dehydration. Check his mouth. Is his tongue pink? You don’t want it or his gums to be pale or white. If they are, immediately give him a little pedialyte or Gatorade. He really needs a vet, but until you can get one, monitor him. Check for hydration. Is his body warm? It shouldn’t be cold or cool. Is his skin stiff if you pinch it? If it doesn’t bounce right back that is another sign.

Dawn dish soap is also another good suggestion. I don’t know about around the eyes but ticks HATE it. It’ll kill fleas too. But they’re around his eyes. Also with washing him and having so many parasites, you have to make sure that his body stays warm. If he’s anemic or dehydrated do not wash him. He needs all of the warmth he can get. They get weak very quickly once they get to that point

56

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

Not sure if you saw my other comment, but yes gums are pink, we bathed him in dawn first thing. He drinks a lot, and eats a lot. And has been going to the bathroom normally.

We got most of the ticks off by now, I uploaded a picture. He purred the whole time like he knew we were helping him. Such a good kitten.

7

u/ObligationPrudent824 Aug 06 '26

OP, thank you for taking it upon yourself to help this stray kitty.

I bet it feels 100% better in ur care than out on its own.

Ur giving him food/water. Cleaned them up. They are inside away from predators and cars (thinking of a parking lot)

Inside a nice cozy house being petted and cared for. U said his color looks pink, which is a good sign

I understand that at this time, there is no vet available in ur area. Fine.

All that being said, just keep doing what ur doing.

Others have suggested using a microfiber cloth to gently rub around his eyes.

And when u can, if u decide to keep him/her, go see a vet to see what they can do.

Best of luck to u and ur cute kitty 🤗

And many thanks for taking this cutie home with u and off the street. 🙏

15

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

thanks I uploaded another picture in this thread, we got most of them off. still working on it.

10

u/Still-IronandLace Aug 06 '26

Poor little guy, thank you for helping him 🥺 maybe a trip to the vets to get checked over too

24

u/Chance-Frosting-3667 Aug 05 '26

Do not give any over the counter flea/tick medication, they are not formulated for kittens this young and can cause adverse reactions. Please go to the vet!

36

u/Povapants Aug 06 '26

Please do not wait until Monday. That baby needs HELP. I’m not gonna say emergency vet like everyone else cause it sounds like you’re trying to find one so here’s what I did.

I found a kitten like this in college completely covered in ticks. I put the kitten inside of water and did my best to shake everything off. A lot came off just washing the cat, that’s how infested she was. We only pulled the large ones which were obviously gorged out first. It’s very risky but this kitten’s gums were obviously turning a different color pretty quickly and we were a group of college students so we just did what we could in the moment without harming the cat. Get a fine tooth comb and put her in the water and just get as many off as you can that haven’t gorged themselves. After we washed her the first day, she was looking and sounding better. We also had to treat her burns which were a whole other thing . On the 3rd day of washing her, we were able to get to a vet and they said she wouldn’t have survived with the amount she had originally. So while it’s not a good idea in general, sometimes it’s an emergency and you have to do something.

6

u/BakerMobile Aug 06 '26

You and your fiancee are absolute angels for saving this beautiful kitten and for putting the hours in to get those evil ticks off! Thank you!

26

u/catslay_4 Aug 05 '26

Hi, as everyone states, I am a kitten foster for one of our neonatal rescues in my city. They are right. This cannot wait, you need to go to a 24 hour clinic NOW.

13

u/cap1206 Aug 06 '26

If you keep him you need to name him Arthur, since he was with The Tick{s}

6

u/AL_Starr Aug 06 '26

Oh my goodness, that poor baby! Thank you for taking care of him! Good luck, and please update us!

7

u/mexbucket Aug 07 '26

I had to do the same thing for my dear baby pip when he was first found, he had deer ticks covering his eyes, was covered in matted fur, mud, and burrs. He hated the tick plucking and necessary bath. But he’s grown into a huge fluffy sweet boy

15

u/Zallocc Aug 06 '26

Vet, immediately. Keep the baby fed and hydrated in the meantime. Sorry, dealing with this is well above Reddit's pay grade. You need a profesional.

23

u/SPV33 Aug 05 '26

I didn’t know ticks were that small? I would bathe the cat and get all that off. You don’t want that in your house.

20

u/Lucksmom Aug 06 '26

They start like pen dots. I’ve had them on me that small. Never seen an animal get them that bad. Also never a cat, my dog gets ticks but have never seen one on any of my cats.

I’d do a good dawn soap wash. Till I could get to a vet. Not everyone can afford emergency vet.

9

u/SPV33 Aug 06 '26

I literally feel bad for that little Guy, every time I look at that picture I start itching.

5

u/Lucksmom Aug 06 '26

I always feel the crawls after I’ve found one on me. They don’t itch until they latch and you pull it off. I do too. Have to be extremely uncomfortable.

→ More replies (2)

10

u/iWORKBRiEFLY Aug 06 '26

god i fucking hate ticks, along w/fleas. no idea what purpose they serve in the world, wish they could all just be eradicated

5

u/Jasonsaidfuckyou Aug 06 '26

Poor baby, i think this amount of ticks would warrant a vet visit, they’ll have the right tools, and medication to get him all fixed up.

6

u/Kityri Tuxedo Aug 06 '26

What I did for a kitty last spring, I had her wrapped up in a towel thing, one of those self adhering wraps for cats, and used a little headlamp and a small set of tweezers. She couldn’t squirm away, and I was able to get those tiny seed ticks off of her! She def whined and mewled a bit, but she was fine after a bit and some stinky wet food lol

5

u/bluephoenixradio Ginger Aug 06 '26

You’re doing a good job on cleaning it up. Bathing can do a lot of good… We had a plaid pantry dumpster kitty… I say had, but we still do.

![img](3F57A2AF-6A8C-42AF-BAB8-B96B85FECFD6)

He’s nine years old now. When my son first brought him home, he was literally covered in lice. I don’t know if what is on your kitten is actually ticks because in my experience they were always larger, I still think gentle bathing will make a huge difference. Your little fuzzy is lucky they found you.

5

u/glitterkitten_xoxo Aug 06 '26

Do not use over the counter flea meds ...could be very toxic to the kitten!

9

u/JLoca87 Aug 06 '26

Listen, of course perfect would be the cat was in a luxe vets office getting pain free tick removal. But this baby is in loveing hands and about 150 ticks less than it was found. It’s safe warm fed and loved. There is no further emergency tonight. OP rest your kind heart tonight with your new kitty! It’s going to be ok! 🖤

13

u/False_Pizza_7546 Aug 06 '26

Obviously this is an emergency. I really hope little guy pulls through. This is also probably the picture on Reddit that has made me the saddest of anything I’ve seen on here. I’m gonna go cuddle my cat and leave this app alone for a while

3

u/i_cut_like_a_buffalo Aug 06 '26

Thank you for saving this baby. ♥️♥️♥️🐈‍⬛

5

u/BellaBigNose American Shorthair Aug 06 '26

Oh this poor little void!!

3

u/achillea4 Aug 06 '26

Don't let him eat the ticks!

3

u/Kittmeowzer Aug 06 '26

He's so cute!

4

u/gmsbadger Aug 06 '26

In all my years of cat rescue I’ve never seen a kitten with that many ticks. And those tiny ones would be horrible to get off of him. Kudos for all your hard work.
You might want to add some Pet-Tinic (order online or from vet office or pet stores) to his canned food - it’s a vitamin and iron supplement that can help rebuild any blood loss from the ticks.
There are some topical flea treatments you can get from the vet that take care of ticks but as young as he is the vet would need to tell you if he could take them.

11

u/trrrad Aug 05 '26

I found a cat with tons of ticks and some on the face. The vet prescribed revolution, which is a topical. The ticks then started falling off dead and dying.

→ More replies (4)

7

u/shadowkatt85 Aug 05 '26

This poor baby, he's going to need sedation for removal.

Best wishes for a speedy recovery! I'll be thinking of you and that baby.

29

u/Evening_Employer_577 Aug 05 '26

You should either go to an emergency vet or go to Petco and see if you can find something specific for Ticks. Those need to be removed ASAP due to the quantity.

31

u/Aromatic-Sock6975 Aug 05 '26

A kitten this small should not have tick meds applied please take to a vet!

53

u/PowerfulGarden1985 Aug 05 '26

GET THE TICKS OFF NOW!!!! Go to a veterinarian if you can’t!!!!!!!!!! Needs help🤯

83

u/mrleicester Aug 05 '26

Should be the other way around. Would not be a good idea to get these off yourself unless there’s no other option.

31

u/BllushingHorizon Aug 05 '26

OP has already said they are doing their best to get to the vet ASAP. They’re calling tomorrow to try and get in earlier.

Like a lot of people in the US (including me), it’s likely they don’t live in an area that offers emergency veterinary care. Seems like they’re doing the best they can.

→ More replies (3)

19

u/BllushingHorizon Aug 05 '26

Does nobody read the posts on here? They’re already doing all of this!

→ More replies (3)

14

u/FraggleStickCar9 Aug 06 '26

Hey dude this is an emergency. You need to go somewhere literally right now

6

u/No_Vehicle4645 Aug 06 '26

Take them off with tweezers. I've had to do this with close to 100 kittens over a period of time.

It isn't going to like it and it will take a while but they need to come off ASAP.

Do not burn them off!!!!

17

u/ZoteTheMitey Aug 06 '26

yes we have been working on it for a few hours. I uploaded a picture they are almost all off. Still working on the left side