Cat Deworming - Everything You Need to Know About Intestinal Parasites in Cats (2024)

FAQs

How long after deworming a cat are the worms gone? ›

The worms should be gone in two to three weeks after administering the dewormer medication. A second deworming might be needed a few weeks later to eliminate all the worms because the medication affects life cycle stages differently.

What happens when my cat is dewormed? The dewormer that we're giving is killing the worms in there, and it's the adult stage of the worms. Sometimes you can see those adult worms pass in the stool - that's not uncommon - but not all of these worms are visible to the naked eye. Some owners do, and some owners don't.

You should thoroughly clean all of your cat's bedding on a hot wash and any other blankets or sheets they may have touched. Carpets can be steam cleaned to kill off any remaining eggs and hard floors can be treated with an antibacterial cleaner or a mild bleach solution to make sure any eggs are killed.

Litter boxes can be cleaned with a bleach solution (one cup of chlorine bleach in one gallon of water) to facilitate the removal of eggs. Rinse the litter box thoroughly to remove all bleach since it is toxic to cats. Surfaces that may be contaminated with roundworm eggs can also be treated with this bleach solution.

Once we have diagnosed worms and have gotten the deworming in place, you would still want to maintain that separation for at least a few days.

Can humans catch worms from cats? Unfortunately, yes. You can catch some (not all, thankfully) of the worms that pick your cat as their host. Only intestinal parasites are a threat to humans, so you don't need to worry about feline lungworm.

How Humans Get Worms from Cats. It's possible for humans to get worms from cats. However, the chances of getting worms as a result of a cat sleeping with you are low. The most likely reason that humans get worms from cats is by coming into direct contact with an infected cat's feces.

Although side effects of dewormer medications are uncommon, some cats may have vomiting, diarrhea, loss of appetite, or increased salivation. These symptoms, if occurred, are usually seen within 24 hours of taking the medication and should spontaneously resolve.

Cats (including indoor cats) can also easily get worms by sharing a litter box with another infected cat, hunting and eating infected mice and other prey, and ingesting infected fleas. Kittens could also get worms by drinking their mother's milk if the mother is infected.

What is the fastest way to get rid of worms in cats? ›

How to treat worms in cats. The best way to treat worms in cats is with deworming medication, to kill both the larvae and adult worms within your cat's intestines. In many cases, dewormers may be given in multiple doses to interrupt the life cycle of the intestinal parasite.

Yes. Even though it is rare if you practice basic hygiene (mainly handwashing), you can get certain types of worms from your cat. So it is important to protect your cat, your family, and yourself by deworming and preventing your cat from getting worms.

A thin layer of baking soda placed on the bottom of the box will help absorb odors without repelling your cat.

If a cat or kitten vomits up a worm, there is a good chance this is a roundworm (especially in a kitten). Roundworms are long, white and described as looking like spaghetti. Tapeworms can also be vomited up but these are flat and obviously segmented.

Some worming products are available over the counter (OTC), while others require a veterinarian prescription. OTC medications are less effective than their prescription counterparts, so it's important to seek veterinarian care.

However, you might still find some worms in your puppy's stool up to a week after they've been dewormed. This is perfectly normal and you shouldn't be alarmed.

Worms are not susceptible to the medication until they have matured, so treatment must be repeated several times at intervals to kill all of them. These treatments are included in the cost of your kitten's vaccine visits. But treating a few times won't prevent your cat from catching more worms later on in life.