9 Best Over The Counter Dewormer For Cats & Kittens for the Money in 2023

Different Types of Worms in Cats

Worms can be of various shapes and sizes in cats and can come from varied sources. These worms can be regionally specific, seasonal, or can occur in a specific cat breed type. The major common types of worms found in a cat are:

Roundworms

The Roundworm is the most commonly found type of worm in cats. This intestinal parasite measures about 3-4″ and is similar to the worms seen in the garden. They are generally long and circular in section.

Tapeworms

They are longer than roundworms generally found in the linings of kitten bowels. They resemble strips of tape and can range from 4-24″ in length. Such types of worms usually cause vomiting or weight loss.

Hookworms

Hookworms are quite smaller as compared to roundworms, generally less than 1″. They can be found in a cat’s small intestines. These can be harmful to the extent that it causes life-threatening anemia in adult cats and kittens.

Whipworms

These are small worms of about 2-3″ having a thin whip-like front end and a thicker back end. They are generally found on the walls of the large intestine and may feed on blood.

Lungworms

It is a type of parasite that mainly affects the small arteries of the lungs. When cats drink water or eat prey that is infected with the larval stage of a worm, it is likely to get infected with lungworms. It causes damage to the lungs and leads to respiratory distress.

Heartworms

These are the worms that root out in the cat’s heart and pulmonary arteries. The infected mosquitoes constantly migrate over the whole body for some time and then finally reach the circulatory system. This is what generates heartworms. An infected mosquito bite is the major cause of heartworms.

Stomach worms

This kind of worm that inhabits a cat’s stomach is mostly found in free-roaming cats. If the cat eats infected mice, cockroaches, beetles, or frogs, they will likely get worms in their stomach. Vomiting, loss of appetite, and reduced weight are some symptoms of the same.

Bladder worms

Capillariasis, commonly known as bladder worms, are generally found in cats or other carnivores. These types of worms infect the cat’s bladder or urinary tract. Trouble in passing the urine, frequent urination, blood in the urine, or swollen bladder are common symptoms.

Symptoms Of Worms In Cats

Worms can be quite common in cats and kittens and might be a matter of concern for pet owners. Though they might not result in severe consequences if treated timely, they might lead to fatal problems if left untreated. To get a Worm Treatment for Cats on time, it is necessary to identify worms’ persistence based on these symptoms.

• Loss of weight even after an adequate amount of food intake.
• Cat fur might become coarse and rough and slowly lose luster.
• Small traces of worms might even be visible in your cat’s stool.
• Worms in your cat’s body are likely to make it lethargic, resulting in lesser energy and inactivity.
• If your cat is continuously dragging itself on the carpet from the bottom side, it probably is due to worm irritation.
• A swollen or distended belly also reflects a severe case of worm infection.
• Sickness and diarrhea are also the major and common symptoms of worms in cats.
• Blood in your cat’s stool might also indicate the worms’ presence in your pet’s body.
• Difficulty in breathing might also sometimes occur due to worm infestation. 

How to get rid of worms In cats (Natural & Chemical Ways)?

Natural Ways

• Using pumpkin seeds can help to get rid of worms naturally due to the presence of an amino acid called cucurbitacin. It paralyzes the worm helping to eliminate easily from the intestine. You can feed it as a treat or grind into a powder and mix with your pet’s food.
• Carrots being a great source of vitamin A can help to make your pet worm-free. Coarsely chopped carrots rub against the stomach and intestine walls, thereby removing mucus or any parasites. It also provides great nutrients to your pet.
• Dried coconut is another way to reduce the worms in your pet’s body. Sprinkle the powder on the pet food, the quantity varying according to your pet age.
• Apple cider vinegar is also one of the most efficient methods to treat worms in your pet. It increases the alkaline level in your pet’s intestine, creating an unfavorable condition for parasites to dwell.
• Turmeric is anti-inflammatory, anti-bacterial, and antifungal is a perfect food to boost the immune system. It also contains compounds that reduce the parasites in the pet body. Also, it tends to repair the injuries caused by worms healing your pet at a faster rate.
• Using food-grade diatomaceous earth also helps to prevent worms. You can get it easily from a nursery or garden. It absorbs lipids from insects, thus making them dehydrated and finally killing them.
• Putting your pet on a one-day fast can also reduce the parasites in the pet’s body. Certain parasites simply can’t live without food and would die if not fed properly. But make sure you adopt this method when your pet is healthy enough.

Chemical Ways

• Take your pet regularly from time to time to check for any worms and ask for the relevant treatment.
• You can also adopt a flea treatment to prevent tapeworms, as fleas are among the major causes of tapeworms.
• You can make use of various deworming tablets, liquids, or gels that are available in the market. Consult your vet and get the one that suits your pet’s health.

What is a Cat Dewormer, And How Does It Work?

A cat dewormer is a product formulated keeping in mind how to make your pet free from worms. It is a special kind of treatment given to cats to protect them from worm infestation. As worms can be highly dangerous and often lead to severe consequences, it becomes important to take strict action against them.

The cat worm treatment is taken up to kill worms using a particular type of dewormer in the form of some liquid, tablets, or a gel. Most dewormers contain a compound called piperazine as its active ingredient. It helps to infect the parasite in your pet’s body as soon as you feed the prt with formula. The deworming treatment is generally preferred for cats over 3 weeks of age. After an initial treatment, repeat as directed by the vet. For better results, you should complete the treatment with proper repetitions as directed.

Who Makes the Best Cat Dewormer?

Bayer

With more than 150 years of experience in the field, Bayer is a company that excels in life sciences and products. With constant efforts, it has come up with the best health care products that give uncompromised results. Bayer deformers for cats have been designed with continuous day-night efforts to bring you the most healthy and satisfying product.

Prosense

To provide you with the best pet care and wellness needs, Prosense has developed efficient and active solutions. Choosing premium quality ingredients, their products are always safe to use for your pets. They aim to provide solutions that do not have any side-effect on your pet’s health.

Safeguard

Coming up with their first product in 1837, Safeguard has traveled a very long journey quite efficiently. It has come up with various germ protection and anti-bacterial products that stand out to be the best products in current times. Providing overall protection for your pets, it manufactures products that are safe and secure to use.

Hartz

Beginning from 1926. Hartz has been focusing on pet care products for more than 90 years. The high passion of their employees for pets helps them develop products that give extremely high-quality results. Delivering the top-rated product, it stands out from the crowd to compete in the market.

Cat Dewormer Side Effects

Though cat dewormer medications are generally safe to use and do not pose any threat to your pet’s health. But feeding your pet with any new medicine is likely to show not much but certain side effects that might be quite normal. A few side effects can be:

• There will be increased salivation or froth at the mouth after giving the anti-worming treatment to your pet. That might be due to the unfamiliar taste or smell of the drug. It might go off on its own.
• Vomiting can be one of the common side effects after worm treatment. This generally occurs in severe cases of worm infection. Not immediately, but after 30-60 minutes of drug swallowing, you might see such an effect on your cat.
• Diarrhea is another common effect of deworming. Many dead worms are eliminated from the body through feces. It may take 1 or 2 days for your pet to come to a normal condition.
• If topical treatment is given to your pet, then some hair loss at the application site can occur.

How long do Dewormer Side Effects Last In Cats?

Generally, dewormer side effects do not last much in your cat. If your cat is healthy and has a good appetite, these side effects are gone in 24-48 hours without affecting your pet much. If your kitten is weak or sick or is low on a diet, it will take a few days to overcome these side effects. In case the side effects persist longer, you may see a vet.

What to Expect After Deworming a Cat?

After you are done with the deworming process in cats, it is natural to expect some side effects in your pet. Your cat might show the after-effects, including vomiting, nausea, diarrhea, and excess salivation. In some cases, if topical treatment is employed, it can lead to hair loss in the area of application. Your cat may feed low on food or become dull or lethargic for a few days. But all these things persist only for a few days and not longer.

Ways To Prevent Worms

• Keep your pet’s water and food dishes clean and disinfect them daily.
• Keep your cat’s housing properly clean and use a safe disinfectant for cleaning.
• Try to keep your cat away from any infected animals.
• Always feed your pet with high-quality treats and food.
• Keep your shoes in an enclosed space to prevent the cat from coming in contact with dust.

What to Look for While Buying the Cat Dewormer?

Though different types of dewormers do not show much variation still a minute difference can lead to varied results. If you are going to buy a kitten dewormer, consider certain things. To feed your pet with the best cat dewormer Over the Counter, these little things need to be looked for carefully. This will help you provide the most suitable treatment to your kitty.

Easy to Use

When you get out to the market to buy any medicine, you are always looking for easy to use and would not call for much effort to be made. The same applies to deworming medicines also. Pick up the one that does not require much effort and can be used easily. The liquid drops are the most comfortable to feed as you can directly provide the drops or mix them with food.

Pleasant Taste

Even cats turn their back to medicines as they might taste bitter. Most dewormers contain ingredients with an awful or unfamiliar taste that the cat won’t like. Try getting a product that consists of a little flavor and is appetizing in taste and smell. This makes the medicine palatable, allowing your pet to have it without any difficulty easily. It helps to reduce your efforts in searching for the tricks to feed the medicine secretly.

Suitability

Different dewormers are formulated to fulfill a different purpose. Considering your pet’s age, weight and breed, look for a product that serves your pet the most. Certain products are designed to work for 6 weeks or over and some for 8 weeks or over. Look for age and figure out what would be a perfect fit. When you take a dewormer for kittens, make sure not to pick the one for dogs mistakenly, as it might not solve your purpose.

Type of Worms

The two most common types of worms found in the cat’s body are roundworms or tapeworms. You will get some dewormer that only works for roundworms or some only for tapeworms. Try picking up the one that fulfills the need for both eliminating the stress of buying two different dewormers. Also, you can check with a vet first what kind of dewormer your pet requires the most.