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Table of Contents
How often should cats be wormed?
Can I deworm my cat myself?
How to best give cat a tablet
What to do if my cat won’t take a worm tablet
Do cats poop out worms after being dewormed?
Can humans get worms from cats?
Can I cuddle my cat if he has worms?
Many cats refuse to take tablets, so instead try a worming treatment that isn’t in tablet form. This might be a spot on wormer or oral medication in liquid / paste form. There are other methods to getting your cat to take a tablet, keep reading for advice from Itch Vet Dr Zoe Costigan.
This all depends on age and lifestyle. Kittens need more frequent treatment because worms can affect them severely and are likely to come from their mother. Start treating your kitten three weeks old, then treat every two weeks until weaning; kittens usually need monthly treatment until six months old.
For adult cats, worms can come from the outdoors or inside, via their litter tray. It’s recommended by vets to treat cats every 3 months for worms. This keeps them safe from worms, but also you and your family safe from worms because cat worms are contagious to humans!
Yes, you can deworm your cat yourself - In fact it’s easy and if you go for a worming treatment with a tailored dose, not much can go wrong.
How to safely deworm a cat yourself
Use only worm treatment for cats. Dog products are often toxic for cats
Double check their dose. Worming treatments are assigned by weight, make sure you use the exact amount suggested for your cat’s size.
Make sure the entire dose is administered. A little less could reduce the effectiveness of killing intestinal worms.
Look for side effects, it’s common for your cat to vomit after taking a worming tablet. Learn more about pet unwell after deworming tablet here.
We understand that your cat is refusing to take their worm tablet. You might have tried everything and if so, scroll past this. But if you want to give it one last shot, try out the technique our very own vet uses!
Read the instructions on the worming treatment
Double check the dose, for worming tablets is important to give them the right amount for their weight.
Crush the tablet in a bowl. Make sure your tablet can be crushed, Itch Wormer Tablets for Cats can be!
Little by little, use a treat paste to gather the tablet powder and let your cat lick from your finger
Our best tip is to let your cat eat some of the treat paste without the worming tablet first. This will hopefully trick your cat to not expect it, the second time they have the snack.
Keep going until all of the worming powder in the bowl has gone.
Have a water bowl nearby to help your cat rehydrate and swallow the tablet powder down.
Okay so you’ve tried everything. Your cat doesn’t want to take a tablet, and that’s fine. Don’t force them. Instead, our Head Vet Dr Zoe Costigan says to sack off the worm tablet and get a spot-on worming treatment. This can be applied directly to the back of your cat’s neck, without any need for tablets.
Itch Wormer Spot On Plus is a safe and effective treatment for all cats and kittens over 0.5kg. Its fast-acting formula kills roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and newly hatched larvae in one easy, spot on application. No tricky tablets for fussy cats. No expensive vet prescription. Just one pipette dose of vet-strength worming treatment to kill common intestinal cat worms.
Sometimes, but often there is nothing visible. After treatment, dead or paralysed worms may pass in the faeces, particularly if your cat has a severe infestation. Roundworms may resemble strands of spaghetti, while tapeworm segments can look like grains of rice. Many worms are broken down in the gut, however, so not seeing them does not mean the treatment failed.
Yes, it’s possible to get worms from cats if you accidentally swallow worm eggs from contaminated soil, faeces, hands or surfaces. How To Kill Worms Eggs On Surfaces and more!
Toxocariasis, caused by roundworm larvae, is rare but can sometimes affect organs or eyes. Fleas carrying tapeworms can also contribute to infection if accidentally swallowed.
Reduce risk by following a safe and regular cat flea and worm routine, Itch Flea & Worm Treatments are tailored specifically to your cat for full effective protection. Stay on top of cleaning your cat’s litter tray and washing hands after gardening or handling litter.
Yes. You don’t need to avoid snuggling your cat just because they have worms. Transmission takes a little more than a cuddle, it will only occur through you handling your cat’s poo and not washing your hands. It is important though to not kiss your cat whilst they have worms. They are likely to have licked their bottom which could transmit worm eggs to you. Avoid touching their bottom too, this reduces the chance of picking up worm infected bacteria and keeps you generally clean.
Most cats refuse to take tablets, and whilst with a little patience it can be possible, it’s easier and quicker to use a spot-on worming treatment.
ESCCAP UK: Scheme for individual worm management in catsNHS: Toxocariasis
Itch Wormer Spot-On Plus for Cats kills roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and newly hatched larvae in a one easy, spot on application. No tricky tablets for fussy cats. No expensive prescription. Just one pipette dose of vet-strength worm treatment to kill common intestinal cat worms.
Safe and effective for all breeds of cats and kittens, including pregnant and lactating cats.
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Discovering that your cat has worms can be unpleasant and worrying. While you can effectively treat the worms in your pet with suitable worming treatment, like Itch Wormer tablets for cats, many owners focus solely on treating their pet and forget about their home environment. If your cat has cat worms, you need to promptly take steps to clean your house properly which will stop the spread of worms and prevent reinfestation. Keep reading to find out the best dewormer plan to support your cat’s recovery and to get rid of worms in your house!
Several types of intestinal parasites can affect cats, but the most common are roundworms, tapeworms, hookworms and whipworms. Cat worms can be contracted through contaminated environments, infected prey, fleas, or from mother cats passing worms to kittens.
If you’re a cat owner, the thought of your furry friend having worms is skin crawling. And once your cat is infested by worms, you might be asking yourself all sorts of questions - Can you get worms? Can they contaminate your home? Don’t worry, we have all the answers so let’s get a wriggle on and keep your cat worm free!
