Best Tapeworm Medicine For Cats: 3 Affordable, Sure Fire Solutions

Looking for the best tapeworm medicine for cats can be difficult. Here are a few pointers to consider when your cat has a problem with pesky worms.

Cats have a lot of possible health concerns and worms are one of them. When you notice sudden weight loss, lethargy, diarrhea, vomiting, coupled with other symptoms such as white eggs near the anus of the cat, worms might be to blame. Worms can be a huge issue since they could inhibit your feline’s development.

Fortunately, there are solutions to this problem. Before going into that, here is some information on tapeworms. Tapeworms have many segments, hence the name. One indicator that your cat has a tapeworm infestation is when there are white grains which look similar to rice around the cat’s anus.

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Worm Treatment and Prevention

If your cat has a worm infestation it doesn’t necessarily mean you are an irresponsible pet owner. There is no product that could keep those worms away but there are effective methods on how to make sure those worms will die.

Most treatments are administered orally. Kittens often require regular deworming and you need to stick to a schedule to make sure that all worms have been taken care of.

Kittens can take the medicine in the form of tablets and syrups. Initially, you need to administer the medicine every two weeks. You can opt for three weeks in between treatments if you think it would be a better choice.

The distance between each treatment would generally increase as your kitten grows older. At six months, treatment needs to be done on a monthly basis. Once your cat is one year old, you can administer dewormers every three months.

Remember that most kittens get worms from their mothers. You need to make sure that the kitten’s environment is free from worms to avoid further infestation. This kind of environment will help your kitten stay happy and healthy.

Deworming Solutions

Generally, there are two types of cat wormers that you can choose from. There are non-prescription medicines that are more effective in getting rid of tapeworms. This is available in most pet stores and the active ingredient is known as praziquantel. This medicine comes in tablet form.

Meanwhile, if your cat is dealing with several worm types, prescription cat wormers may be necessary. This can act as an antibiotic too to make sure that all parasites are out of your kitty’s system. Given the nature of these drugs, you need your vet’s prescription for it. When done correctly, your cat should not feel any side effects.

Considerations When Choosing Cat Dewormers

When you know there are parasites in your cat’s tummy, it is important to take action right away. Lethargy is the least of your concerns, these worms could suck your feline’s blood and cause anemia which could be a serious threat to your cat’s health.

Here are some things to consider when choosing a deworming solution.

1. Safety

When choosing a treatment of any kind, you need to make sure that it will not harm your pets. Be sure to look into the nature of the active ingredients in the medicine. These chemicals should harm the worms not your cat.

Doing a bit of research on your own would be useful. You also need to think about any other medication that your feline could be taking as it could result in an adverse reaction later. You also need to check if your cat has any kind of allergies.

2. Size

When you need a deworming solution for your cat, sometimes you need to consider the size of the tablets. Of course, you have the option to feed the tablet to your cat directly. However, if you choose to crush the tablets and mix it with your kitty’s food, the size wouldn’t be much of a deal.

3. Target Parasites

Another consideration is the type of parasite the tablets would target. You need to think about this since there are some tablets that are useful for tapeworms and other kinds of worms. In this case, it would be the right choice when your cat has more than one type of infestation.

Top 3 Tapeworm Medicine For Cats

Prolabs Feline Tapeworm Tabs

Prolabs Feline Tapeworm Tabs (Via Amazon.com)

This over-the-counter parasitic solution contains Praziquantel. Each tablet contains 23 mg of this active ingredient. This can be given as a tablet directly to your feline or you can also crush it and mix it with your cat’s food.

Adult cats and kittens could easily take the medicine orally. Praziquantel works by preventing the parasite from taking nutrients from its host. The worm disintegrates and it will be absorbed by the cat’s body.

The medicines are often stored in a sealed container. Often, it is given in a single dose. While this may be an effective solution to worms, it could have side effects including loose stools, lethargy, drooling and vomiting.

This is an FDA-approved medication. Needless to say, you still need to ask for your vet’s advice before you decide to give it to your feline.

Pros

• Available at most pet stores
• Effective for getting rid of tapeworms
• Fast-acting medicine for tapeworms

Cons

• May not be the ideal solution to tapeworms for all cats
• There are felines who develop allergies from taking this medicine
• Cannot be administered to cats without consulting a vet first

Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer

Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer (Via Amzon.com)

When your kitty has a worm infestation, you just can’t let things be. You need to look for a way to make sure that your feline will get treated soon. If the cat has kittens or if there are other cats in your household, they can catch the worms too and this could cause them harm.

Given the Dipylidium caninum and Taenia pisiformis content, this is an effective solution against parasites. Cats could take the tablets orally or just like any other cat medication, it could be crumbled and mixed with its food. This is an ideal solution for removing tapeworms and it is generally safe for cats of all ages.

This is an FDA-approved product but you should keep it out of children’s reach as it can be dangerous when ingested. Since it is an over-the-counter drug, you can use it even without your vet’s approval although you need to consult your cat’s doctor first before you give it to your pet.

Some animals are allergic to the active ingredients in this dewormer and in some cases; it could put their life on the line. So, you need to be careful with what you give to your cats.

Pros

• Just one dose can solve your cat’s tapeworm problems
• Most cats have no adverse reaction to taking the pill
• Saved the lives of a lot of pets

Cons

• Product doesn’t come with clear instructions on how to use
• A few cats had a bad reaction after ingesting this medicine
• Some cats find the pills to be too big for them

Drontal For Cats

Drontal for Cats (Via Amazon.com)

This broad spectrum dewormer is ideal for cats and their kittens. This is the best medicine when you have cats that are more than two months old and weighs at least two pounds. This is the best solution for all types of parasitic worms.

Humans can contract a tapeworm infestation from cats. This is one reason why you need to get rid of parasites right away. While contracting these worms from cats are rare, it would be better to be safe than sorry.

Whether your cat has tapeworm, roundworm or hookworms, this medicine can take care of that problem. The amount you need to administer will also depend on the weight of your cat. While this is relatively safe, you should drop by the vet’s office especially if you have a cat that is prone to allergies.

Pros

• Can get rid of most types of intestinal parasites
• It’s rare for cats to suffer from side effects
• It’s easy to break the tablets into smaller pieces

Cons

• Cannot be used for kittens that have just been born
• Side effects includes vomiting and lethargy
• Might cause serious reactions when your cat doesn’t take to this medicine well

Final Thoughts

Which type of dewormer does kitty need? This is the question you need to be asking yourself by now. First off, you need to remember some facts.

Keep in mind that tapeworms often happen when your cat has fleas. A flea infestation can be the prelude to worm problems and you need to solve it to prevent the recurrence of worms. Kittens, in particular, are prone to worms and they need to be given dewormers regularly.

You also need to take note that cats are all unique. Products effective for one cat are not necessarily great for another feline. The unique traits between felines are important to any cat owner.

Given this information, the best choice is the dewormer from Prolab. There many cat owners who trust Prolabs Feline Tapeworm Tabs. You should try if this product is effective for your cats too.

Always remember to check in with your vet if you want to use a medicine for removing worms. There are some contraindications that you may not know about. This is especially true when your cat has a prior medical condition.