There is a large and constantly increasing number of products to prevent parasites and worms in cats and pets that are produced by multiple companies. It's no surprise that cat owners get a little confused about what to use to deworm and parasite their domestic cats.
Cat parasites and worms
What parasites and worms can infect cats? What methods of parasite prevention do domestic cats need? What is the most effective prevention, and most importantly - what are the safest prevention methods?
We've put together a handy guide to cat parasites, worming, and prevention products, so you can be sure you're choosing the right product for your cat! Before you choose a parasite prevention plan for your cat, you'll need to know exactly what parasites and worms you're facing.
Types of cat parasites and worms
There are many worrying parasites that infect cats:
1. Cat fleas
Small, blood-sucking, wingless insects that live on your cat's body and lay their eggs in the environment. It causes itching and dermatitis
2. Ticks
Another blood-sucking insect without wings. The paralysis tick injects a toxin that can be fatal. There are 3 species in Australia: the paralysis tick, the brown dog tick, and the bush tick. Only the paralysis mark is toxic
.3. Heartworms
Worms that live in the blood of cats and are transmitted by mosquitoes. After infection, the larvae move to the heart and lungs where they grow to form adults in the chambers of the cat's heart. Intestinal worms - worms that live in the digestive tract including hookworm, roundworm, and tapeworm.
1. Fleas
The hyperactive bloodsuckers reside on your cat's skin, where they multiply and bite every chance they get. Infestation is a common cause of flea dermatitis in cats and symptoms include severe itching, sores, crusts, and hair loss.
There are many cat products that kill fleas, including:
Advantage, Advocate, Revolution, Revolution Plus, Seresto, Bravecto Plus, and Bravecto.
2. Ticks
Another vampire can be found on the skin and coat of cats. The paralysis tick (Ixodes Holocyclus) is the most dangerous and without anti-tick serum administered by a veterinarian, may cause complete body paralysis, pneumonia, pulmonary edema, heart failure and eventually death. We recommend checking with your local veterinary clinic to see if ticks pose a risk to your cats and pets. For cats that spend time outdoors, we recommend isoxazoline-based products like the ones below.
Cat products that kill ticks:
Bravecto, Bravecto Plus, and Revolution Plus.
Symptoms of cat infestation with worms and cat ticks include:
Weakness, wobbliness, or loss of coordination in the back legs Coughing, snoring, or difficulty breathing Change in meowing (volume or tone) Loss of appetite Vomiting or vomiting Excessive drooling
3. Heartworm
These parasitic worms are transmitted by infected mosquitoes and are injected as larvae that travel to the heart and lungs.
Although less common in cats than dogs, there is no direct cure for heartworm in cats, so prevention is essential. Monthly prevention is available in tablet or topical form.
Cat products that prevent heartworm:
Milbemax, Advocate, Bravecto Plus, Revolution Plus, and Revolution.
4. Intestinal worms that infect cats
Hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms are the most common intestinal worms for cats. Tapeworms are more common in cats than dogs and often appear when infected fleas are eaten. However, it can also be transmitted from consuming raw meat or hunting prey that contains the parasite. Dewormers for cats are available in tablet form or as a topical treatment.
Symptoms of intestinal worms in cats may include diarrhea, fragments of worms in the stool or around the anus, weight loss, stomach bloating, vomiting, weakness, or anemia.
Cat products that kill worms:
Milbemax, Drontal, Advocate, Revolution, Bravecto Plus and Profender.
See the cat products and treatments section on the Aleef website
Topical treatment for cats versus oral treatments
Which is better: topical or oral treatments?
Topical treatments
If you have difficult and stubborn cats, who spit up their medication and stay away from wet foods, topical food may be the right way to deal with them. These treatments are applied to the skin on the back of the neck, so that cats do not lick them, spread through the upper fat layer or are absorbed into the bloodstream to cover the entire body. Topical treatments may be easier to apply, especially if your cat is not very gentle with the tablets.
Your cat should be completely dry before applying the topical treatment and should avoid getting wet for up to 48 hours after application. Fortunately, most cats don't like water anyway! But keep an eye on the weather forecast in case of rain.
Oral treatments
Oral treatments will not be affected if your cat gets wet before or after treatment. However, there are limited options available for oral treatments that control fleas and there are many treatments for cat worms, and there are almost no comprehensive oral options for all diseases together.
Treatment options for indoor cats
Indoor cats are only likely to be exposed to fleas, ticks, and some intestinal worms. However, your indoor cat can still be exposed to fleas if you have dogs or wild animals nearby. Exposure to roundworm eggs can also occur from dirt on your shoes or clothing. Heartworm is a danger to every indoor cat because it is transmitted by mosquitoes that can easily gain access to your home.
We usually recommend one of the following products for treating household cat worms:
Your vet may prescribe an oral or injectable deworming medication that will kill the adult worms and larvae in the intestine at the time of diagnosis. Broad-spectrum prescription medications such as Panacur (fenbendazole) and Drontal Plus (pyrantel, praziquantel, fenbendazole) can be used to treat hookworm, roundworm, whipworm, and tapeworm infections, but must be carefully given to your cat according to your veterinarian's instructions. Your cat may need multiple doses to kill any larvae that may have hatched after the first dose.
Praziquantel is also available as a one-time injectable treatment for tapeworm infection, which works by paralyzing and dislodging the worm's sucker from the intestinal wall, allowing the worms to be passed in the stool. Your veterinarian may also recommend starting your cat on monthly topical or oral flea prevention, as tapeworm infections can recur if there are fleas in your home environment.