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The best dewormer for cats will be determined by the type of intestinal parasite your cat has, but it should be made with powerful active ingredients in an easy-to-administer formulation.
Recommended by veterinarians for being both safe and reliable, Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer is the best cat dewormer on the market - if you can afford it.
You may not be able to tell just by looking at your cat whether he has worms, but Cornell University veterinarians claim that as many as 45% of cats have intestinal parasites at any given time.
In most cases, parasite infestations cause nothing more than mild to moderate digestive symptoms, but a heavy infestation can lead to weight loss, difficulty breathing, and even malnutrition - especially in kittens.
Fortunately, treating your cat for worms is easy and shouldn't require much more than an over-the-counter dewormer. Dewormers for cats come in a variety of different formulas for cats of different ages and to treat different types of parasites.
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To determine what kind of product you need, you'll have to take your cat to the vet for a physical exam and fecal exam. From there, however, you'll be able to treat your cat quickly and easily at home.
Lucky for you, we've done the research to find the best dewormer for cats. You shouldn't skip a visit to your veterinarian, but once you've determined what kind of worms your cat has, you can use one of the following treatments to get rid of them once and for all. Best of luck!
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Why you'll love it: Bayer's Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer is well worth the cost for its safe and reliable eradication of a wide variety of intestinal parasites.
If you’re not sure what type of intestinal parasites your cat has, or if you suspect that he has more than one type of worm, a broad spectrum dewormer may be the way to go. These products are made with powerful active ingredients to provide quick and lasting results. Our top pick for the best cat dewormer overall is Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer.
Bayer's Dewormer is one of the top dewormers recommended by veterinarians, and it features two powerful active ingredients: pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel. This dewormer comes in easy-to-administer tablet form and is safe for kittens and cats ranging from 2 to 16 pounds.
Though it is expensive to purchase, it may actually save you money if your cat gets frequent intestinal parasite infections or if you find yourself treating multiple cats for worms.
Kitty Catter likes how safe and reliable it is. As a broad-spectrum treatment often used by veterinarians, this product has a low risk for side effects. The Idle Cat also notes that each bottle comes with 50 pills, which makes it well worth the cost.
Though this Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer only has a few shopper reviews, it carries a 4.7-star rating as well as an Amazon’s Choice award. Cat owners love how well it works, though there are several comments about the unpleasant taste and the price.
Pros: Veterinarian recommended, two active ingredients (pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel), broad-spectrum kills several types of worm, safe and reliable, low risk for side effects
Cons: Very expensive to purchase, not for kittens under 1 month or 1.5 pounds, some cats dislike the taste
Why you'll love them: HomeoPet Feline Wrm Clear Drops are safe for kittens because of the homeopathic formula that targets many kinds of worms.
Intestinal parasites in kittens are very common. They can get worms by nursing from an infected mother cat and could even be born with worms. Because kittens are more likely to be sensitive to chemical ingredients, you may want to consider a more natural option. Our top pick for the best dewormer for kittens is HomeoPet Feline Wrm Clear Drops.
HomeoPet's Drops use a homeopathic liquid formula to treat and prevent infestations of hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, and whipworms. This dewormer works by boosting your kitten’s immune system and digestive system to naturally expel the worms from his body.
The drops may also help your kitten recover more quickly from the effects of the infestation in a completely natural way.
Pet Life Today likes the easy-to-administer liquid form that is also non-toxic and virtually free from side effects. The reviewer also notes that it is safe for young kittens and pregnant cats. My Pet Needs That also likes that it is effective against a wide variety of worms.
With more than 500 reviews on Amazon, HomeoPet Feline Wrm Clear Drops are a popular choice among cat owners. Cat owners love the gentle and natural formula, though there are some negative comments about the long treatment period.
Pros: Treats and prevents four types of worms, natural homeopathic formulation, easy-to-administer liquid, safe for very young kittens, helps body recover from effects of infestation
Cons: Doesn’t kill worms but expels them, requires three daily doses for 14 days
If you notice small white pellets in your cat’s feces or you notice him licking or biting the area under his tail, he could have a tapeworm infestation.
Tapeworms are often passed to cats when they ingest adult fleas that have been infected, though they can also be transmitted through wild animals. As the tapeworm grows, segments break off and pass through the intestines in your cat’s stool. The best treatment available to remove tapeworms is Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer Tablets for Cats.
Bayer's Tablets are the top choice for both cat owners and veterinarians to tackle tapeworm infestations quickly and safely. These tablets come in a three-pack with each tablet containing 23mg of the powerful active ingredient praziquantel. This ingredient is effective against the most common species of tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum and Taenia pisiformis, eliminating them in a single dose.
Entirely Pets comments on how well the active ingredient praziquantel works to paralyze and eliminate tapeworms. Kitty Catter also notes that it is a very safe and effective formula that can be fed whole or crushed and mixed with food.
In addition to having more than 1,200 reviews on Amazon, the Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer Tablets for Cats also carry an Amazon’s Choice award and a 4.5-star rating. Cat owners love how quick and effective this dewormer is, though there are some comments about some cats experiencing diarrhea after taking the product.
Pros: Kills tapeworms within 24 hours, easy-to-administer tablet, powerful active ingredient, no prescription required, comes with 3 tablets, long-trusted brand name
Cons: Some cats experienced diarrhea after taking, not for cats under 6 weeks of age
The most common intestinal parasites seen in cats are roundworms, accounting for between 25% and 75% of the infestations that occur in the United States each year. In many cases, cats become infected by eating rodents, feces, or other substances containing roundworm eggs.
Roundworms feed on the food your cat eats, which, over time, can contribute to malnutrition so it is important to treat roundworm infections right away. For this purpose, we recommend ProSense Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms.
Safe for use in cats and kittens over six weeks of age, ProSense Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms is one of the dewormers out there to kill even the largest species of roundworms, Toxocara leonina.
This liquid formulation is easy to administer and highly palatable for cats. You can feed it directly or mix it with your cat’s food. Per one-teaspoon serving, this dewormer contains 250mg of the active ingredient piperazine citrate which is completely safe, though it may cause vomiting in higher doses.
Catalogical gave ProSense's Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms its Editor’s Choice award for being a cost-effective solution that really works against one of the most common types of worms in cats. The reviewers note that it even works against large species that often require surgical removal.
All About Cats gave this dewormer its best budget pick award and also commented on the easy-to-administer liquid formulation.
With more than 220 reviews on Amazon and a solid 4.1-star rating, this ProSense Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms is a popular choice. Cat owners love how well it works for a variety of different worms, though there are comments that it may cause vomiting in high doses.
Pros: Highly effective against even large roundworms, contains 250mg piperazine citrate per teaspoon, easy-to-administer liquid, cost-effective option
Cons: Not for cats and kittens under 6 weeks or 2.5 pounds, high doses may cause vomiting
Why you'll love it: Made from all-natural, plant-based ingredients NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs helps expel a wide variety of worms from your cat’s body while also soothing his digestive system.
If you don’t like the idea of treating your cat with chemical ingredients, you might want to consider an all-natural dewormer. These products are made with plant-based ingredients to promote digestion, helping purge the parasites from your cat’s intestinal tract.
They may not work as quickly as a chemical dewormer but the risk for side effects is much lower and they may be safer for very small and young kittens. Our top pick for the best all-natural dewormer for cats is NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs.
NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs is 100% safe and natural for both dogs and cats of all ages and sizes. It is a liquid formulation made with a variety of plant-based ingredients including wormwood to expel parasites, sage to cleanse the digestive system, black walnut to repel worms, and fennel to sooth the lining of the intestines.
With twice-daily doses continued over the course of a week, this product works to expel worms from your cat’s body in a safe, gentle, and all-natural way.
Feline Living likes that it both removes intestinal parasites and soothes inflamed, irritated intestines to repair your cat’s digestion. Catalogical also reviews this product favorably, noting that the included dropper makes dosing easy.
The NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs has more than 170 reviews on Amazon, many of which are positive. Most of the negative reviews are related to the fact that this product takes time to work. When used consistently in the proper dosage, however, it provides excellent results for a variety of intestinal parasites.
Pros: Made from all-natural ingredients, works for a variety of intestinal parasites, easy-to-administer liquid, clear dosing instructions, soothes digestive system, safe for cats and dogs
Cons: Doesn’t kill worms but flushes them out of the body, higher price per unit than other options, requires twice-daily doses for at least a week
