Cat Worming Treatments

Most cats will have worms at some point in their life. Worms can lead to diarrhoea, dehydration and anaemia and will make your cat more susceptible to other illnesses. Worms will affect the growth of kittens and in severe cases can be fatal.

Cats need to have worming treatment at least every three months. Cats that are regular hunters may need to be wormed more often, as the mice and birds that they hunt may be infested with worms. Apart from acquiring worms from their prey, cats can also come into contact with worms through fleas, contaminated soil and their mother’s milk. If the infestation of worms is not heavy the cat may not show any obvious symptoms. It is therefore very important to provide regular worming treatment for cats even if you do not see any signs of worms.

In addition to worming treatment, there are other actions that you can take to prevent worms. Keep the cat litter tray hygienic, by cleaning it out daily and thoroughly cleaning the tray once a week. The cat’s bedding should be regularly washed, ideally on a hot cycle of the washing machine. As tapeworms can be transmitted by fleas it is important to keep up a good flea treatment programme. Aim to treat your cat for fleas and worms at the same time.

Types of Worms

Whipworms and hookworms can affect cats, but the most common worms are roundworms and tapeworms.

Roundworms can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, lack of appetite and loss of condition. Roundworms may cause poor growth in kittens. Roundworms are very common in kittens, so it is recommended to worm them from six weeks old and continue to treat regularly whilst the cat is young. Roundworms can be transmitted to humans and have the potential to cause blindness in severe cases. Children are most likely to suffer from roundworm as they play outside and are exposed to contaminated soil.

Tapeworms can cause discomfort, itching, a loss of condition, an increase in appetite and abdominal pain. Tapeworms can grow up to 60cm long, and are made from segments which can break off and be observed in cat faeces. There are different kinds of tapeworm, one of which is transmitted by fleas and another by rodents. Some kinds of tapeworm can be transmitted to humans.

Types of Cat Worming Treatment

Spot-on worming treatments are available. These spot-on treatments are applied to the back of the cat’s neck. The medicine is absorbed through the skin and into the bloodstream. The treatment will start to work almost immediately. The spot-on treatment is ideal for use on cats who refuse to take tablets.

Tablet worming treatments are the traditional method of worming. Many of the manufacturers have been working hard to ensure that their tables are smaller, easier to swallow and better tasting than before. Some tablets are designed to treat both roundworm and tapeworm, whilst others come in multi-packs that contain two types of tablet so that both kinds of worm can be treated.

Granule worming treatments are designed to avoid the problem of trying to give your cat a tablet. Granules can be easily mixed in with your cat’s food.

Syrup worming treatments are often made for kittens in particular. The syrup can be easily mixed in with food, and is flavoured so that your cat may take the syrup willingly.

Worming Treatments for Cats - Buy Online

Use the links below to see a range of non prescription cat worming treatments available to buy online.

PetMeds

A huge range of cat worming treatments from PetMeds including Drontal and Panacur. See the range now.