How in the heck do you get rid of worms in a cat??

[SunshineJ]

Ugh! I searched the archives and didn't really find anything other than it's not an uncommon issue. Last summer we adopted 2 cats from my step aunt (she takes in strays and adopts them, and had too many per city code). When we got the cats they were just fine. We went out of town before Christmas and she was nice enough to watch them for us. The only problem is that she lets them go outside where they do their natural thing and kill and eat smaller animals. Within a couple weeks of their return the male was starting to do the butt scootch dance across the carpet and closer inspection showed that they both had worms. Seriously, EWWWW. They seem to be what my grandma referred to as "pinworms" - I'm thinking that's another term for roundworms, but not certain. Very small white things, about the size of a grain of rice or so. We immediately went to the store and got Pro-Pet Liquid Roundworm stuff and treated both cats then and again in 2 weeks as instructed. The female cat cleared right up. The male *seemed* better for a few days and we started noticing he was doing the dance again. Sure enough they were not gone. Within 2 weeks the female had them again as well. (We do not let them outside at our house and they are only given commercially processed food, never anything raw, etc.) We've been going round and round with this and while the female always clears up (and ends up re-infested) the male never seems to. Any suggestions? I'd really like to hold my cats on my lap again without being grossed out!!

Thanks!

[angie7]

I would take them to the vet and get stronger medication. Also changing the litter box after every use will help with re-infestation.

Just an FYI, human grade raw food will not give your pets worms.

[liberal_chick]

Do they have fleas? My vet told me they can get worms from grooming the fleas off of themselves (since they eat them, ew).

I've gotten pills from the vet before and, since I have one cat who is the MASTER of not taking a pill, she's gotten a shot.

They also now make something called Revolution which takes care of fleas as well as internal parasites like worms. It is topical and you apply it just like Frontline or Advantage.

[SunshineJ]

Thanks for the suggestions. No fleas around (that was a hard battle won last year! LOL!), so it's not from that.

[DogMomforNow]

I'd go to the vet and have a fecal done. They can give you the correct medication to treat the worms and tell you what environmental clean up needs to be done. It's possible (depending on the type of parasite) the cats have contaminated your house with the eggs and keep re-infecting themselves that way.

[Ola_]

Another vote for a vet visit, a fecal test, and medication. I would not use the store-brand stuff as I know too many people whose dogs had a bad reaction to it. Plus it doesn't seem very effective so it's not worth the risk.

[HRC121799]

Originally Posted by Ola_

Another vote for a vet visit, a fecal test, and medication. I would not use the store-brand stuff as I know too many people whose dogs had a bad reaction to it. Plus it doesn't seem very effective so it's not worth the risk.

Ditto. You can give pills with a piller or just get an injection done and it should clear up pretty fast.

[phatchristy]

If they're like little grains for rice likely they're tapeworms. I know that you say they don't get fleas, but if they do go outside there is plenty of opportunity to get tapeworms. I believe the medication now is over the counter even...I'd look it up, tape worm tabs especially for cats. I'm pretty sure places like KV vet supply and revival animal health carry it too.

[SunShineSally]

Vet also I spet to much money on over the counter stuff to get rid of worms in my kitties it never worked. I did not have to bring them in i explained what they looked like and the let me just come in and pick up the meds. BUT they all had just been see with in a few months one got a mouse that was in the house and that is where they came from they can also get it from cows milk so becareful with leaveing cups or bowls with milk around they always find it those sneeky kitties!

[Talula Fairie]

Get deworming medication from the vet, try sneaking garlic into their food, and the most important part: keep them as flea free as possible. I know natural methods are often touted here, but I don't mess around with fleas, personally. Eating fleas and flea larvae is the cause of tapeworms, which is the most common worm in cats, not pinworms which are only found in humans.

Advantage is my flea defense of choice, but some people like frontline or other methods better.

[Magali]

Originally Posted by Talula Fairie

Get deworming medication from the vet, try sneaking garlic into their food, and the most important part: keep them as flea free as possible. I know natural methods are often touted here, but I don't mess around with fleas, personally. Eating fleas and flea larvae is the cause of tapeworms, which is the most common worm in cats, not pinworms which are only found in humans.

Advantage is my flea defense of choice, but some people like frontline or other methods better.

Isn't garlic extremely toxic to cats?

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Magali

Isn't garlic extremely toxic to cats?

Huh, I just googled it and apparently it is. Never knew that. My dad used to treat his cats' fleas with garlic, which never worked but I know MDC is all about the natural remedies.

Good to know!

I AM sure about the rest of my post, though. I used to work for a pet supplies company and we had to read pamphlets about common pet medications and why they are needed.

[Sol_y_Paz]

Put kitty in carrier. Take kitty to vet. From there a fecal will be done and some other tests perhaps depending on your kitty, that is how you get rid of them.
To stay rid of them you will need to find out what worm it was, and then go from there with what measures need to be taken to prevent this from happening again. If your kitties are outside you need to keep them current on preventatives during the months there are fleas and ticks.
It is VERY important you do not accidently put dog flea control on cats, it can kill kitties. You have to make sure it is intended for cats. They are different than dogs.

I keep my kitty indoors where she is safe from feline aids, fleas, ticks, dogs, fights with other cats, cars, etc.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by SunshineJ

Thanks for the suggestions. No fleas around (that was a hard battle won last year! LOL!), so it's not from that.

Are you sure? Sometimes a cat can have a flea or two without you realizing it's an infestation. Do you know what flea dirt looks like?

Even a 100% indoor cat can get fleas sometimes, esp this time of year I've noticed. The cat had to have eaten a flea sometime recently to get the worms. At least, that's the most likely thing that happened.

Most vets recommend putting Advantage on your pet every month (and yes, make sure it's the right kind for your cat, there are two different dosages that go by weight) no matter what. I generally skip the winter months, but I def do it in fall, spring, and summer.

[Talula Fairie]

Originally Posted by Sol_y_Paz

I keep my kitty indoors where she is safe from feline aids, fleas, ticks, dogs, fights with other cats, cars, etc.

Your cat is not necessarily safe from fleas and ticks even if you keep the cat inside. The little buggers can come in on your pant leg. And while feline AIDS has to be transmitted by blood, there are other diseases you can actually track in (I think it's the respiratory one). It is true that you're saving your cat from other dangers. Statistically, indoor cats live twice as long as indoor/outdoor or outdoor cats.

My indoor cats have gotten fleas several times. How? Who knows! I figure it's the area we live in. Also one is an escape artist.