Best Tapeworm Medicine for Cats: The 5 Best Tapeworm Medicine for Your Feline

Tapeworms are known to affect cats as well as a lot of other mammals by settling themselves into their stomach. If you are looking for the best tapeworm medicine for cats, then you might as well know a thing or two about this problem. Even though tapeworms infest the intestines of the cats, there are very rare chances that your cat will show any signs of infection. So, the problem can escalate pretty quickly if not taken care of in time.

Moreover, tapeworms can damage the cat’s body once they start growing. Once they are big enough, they start to break and spread themselves throughout the intestine. These can then pass into the cat’s feces where they can be clearly seen. This way, the tapeworms can infect the cat as well as the whole surroundings. Tapeworms can be easily transmitted in humans and spread infection if they get in touch with an infected cat. So, it becomes extremely crucial to have a proper treatment in order to make cat’s body free of any parasites and worms. In order to prevent the infection from growing further, it is important to use the best tapeworm medicine for cats.

The Most Common Types of Worms

Roundworms:

Roundworms are one of the most common parasites that infest the intestines of cats and dogs. These roundworms are known to grow up to a length of 6 inches. Roundworms can also pass from infected mother to her newborn pups as they get active during her pregnancy. It is generally said that all the dog’s pups are infected with roundworms. Roundworms are spread when a dog or a cat licks dirt or a part of the soil that has already been infected by these creatures. Generally, their eggs or larvae get transferred to the host’s body either through ingestion or by getting in touch with an infected animal.

Roundworms Symptoms in cats:

  • Cats find It hard to gain weight
  • They go under sudden weight loss
  • Vomit can contain roundworms
  • Feces can also be affected
  • Diarrhea and loss of control over the bladder
  • The appearance of a cat can change to pot-bellied due to swelling
  • Coughing due to the migration of parasitic worms into the lungs

Tapeworms:

Tapeworms also known as the flatworms are considered as one of the most lethal parasites. They are known to infect animals as well as human bodies in a very hazardous way. They are not generally acquired from the soil, unlike roundworms. Instead, a cat or any other animal acquire these parasites from an infected rodent or a flea. These rodents act as an intermediated host for the parasites to grow and spread themselves to other mammals. The segments of tapeworms can be seen around the cat’s anus or the hind ends where they reach through the feces of the cat.

Tapeworms symptoms in Cats:

  • Tapeworms result in an increase of appetite
  • Cats can undergo sudden weight loss
  • Cats can suffer from depression
  • They get very weak over time
  • Itchiness of the anus can irritate the cat
  • Worms coming out through vomit
  • Feces infected with white rice-like particles (tapeworm segments)

Hookworms:

Hookworms are parasites that are not very big in size when compared to roundworms and tapeworms. They are generally less than an inch. Hookworms are known to reside in the small intestine of the cat or the host’s body. Unlike other worms, hookworms are known to feed on the blood of the host which can make them a lethal parasite. Their presence in a cat’s body can cause deadly anemia. Generally, dogs and cats get infected to hookworm after ingesting them through infected feces since the eggs of hookworm are known to pass to the feces to the mammal.

Hookworms symptoms in cats:

  • Ulcer or lesion formation between toes
  • Serious coughing due to larvae ingestion
  • Stool containing tar (generally, dark stool)
  • Loss of control over bladder and diarrhea
  • Appearance becomes weak
  • Poor/Loss of appetite
  • A sudden change in cat’s overall health
  • Pale gums and mouth lining (indicating anemia)

Different type of Dewormers

Chemical Dewormers:

It is extremely important to deworm the pets time to time as it can have a huge impact on their overall health. Worms can sabotage the coat of your pets and affect the hemoglobin level. Chemical dewormers are considered as one of the best ways to make your pet free from attack of worms and ticks.

Praziquantel:

When parasites like liver flukes attack the pets, the infection caused is treated with this medication. This drug comes in the category of antihelmintics and helps in improving the health of your pet. In most cases, this medication instantly kills the parasites freeing your pet’s blood vessels from their attack.

Pyrantel pomoate:

In case of intestinal infections caused by worms, this medication is used. This drug comes in the category of anthelmintics. It works by paralyzing the worm inside the intestines in order to make their removal through stool easier. This chemical dewormer can also kill the parasite without causing any harm to the host.

Piperazine:

This is another drug from the category of anthelmintics. Its work is to remove the parasites that invade the body of the host and harm the body by spreading infections and diseases. The drug basically cripples down the parasite and kills it so that it can pass through the stool out of the body.

What is liquid tapeworm medicine for cats?

The liquid cat dewormer is a medicine that is used in order to get a hold of the parasite scenario of your cat. It treats the infection caused by parasites living in the intestines. The most common target of this medicine is hookworms, roundworms, pinworms, and tapeworms.

The thing with this liquid dewormers is that they are very easy to use and are much more effective than tablets. Moreover, these liquid medicines are powerful and fast-acting which makes them efficient and reliable. All they do is enter the bloodstream and eliminate the unwanted infection causing parasites. It is advised to get a prescription from a veterinarian before giving your cat any liquid tapeworm medicine.

Top 5 best tapeworm medicine for cats

Bayer Tapeworm Dewormer

best tapeworm medicine for cats

There are a lot of dewormers out there with many complications when it comes to removing parasites from your cat’s body, but this one right here is actually one of the easiest ways to help your pet in getting rid of infection causing parasites.

This product is specially made for 6 weeks cats and older. The package consists of tablets. These tablets can be crumbled into small pieces after which they can be mixed with their food. You can also give them the tablets directly. So, if your cat is struggling with tapeworms or they are showing the signs of parasitic infection, then this dewormer can work like a charm.

Tapeworms mostly spread because of fleas and the cat’s grooming behavior is something that promotes the infestation of fleas. Also, the outdoor cats that prey on small rodents are also at high risk of infection caused by tapeworm. This medicine works best when it comes to removing these parasites from the body of cats. The product is a small bottle which consists of 3 pills inside. The directions are mentioned on the package itself. The best part about this product is that it is inexpensive and can be trusted when it comes to the health of your pet.

Homeopet Wrm Clear

best tapeworm medicine for cats

This medicine from Homeopet is another example of an affordable and efficient drug that can help in eliminating the parasites from your beloved pet’s body. Let’s start with the features of this medicine. There are times when we wonder that what kind of effect a certain medicine will have on our pet’s health. There are certain medicines that can cause allergic reactions when ingested, but with this medicine, you don’t have to worry about all that. This medicine from valtvalacyc.com is considered non-toxic and can be given to lactating as well as pregnant females under medical guidance. Moreover, it is very easy to dose which means that you won’t face any problem feeding your pet with these medicines.

The best part about this medicine is that it is a “liquid homeopathic formula” which makes it more efficient and fast-working. With this med, you’ll be able to see quick results.

Now, the working of this medicine is very simple. It does not work like other drugs by killing the parasite. All it does is making the body a hostile environment for the parasite. This forces it to leave the body without causing any harm to the host’s body. The best part about this medicine is that it reaches its full potential in 2 weeks.

Bayer Expert Care Tapeworm Dewormer for Cats

best tapeworm medicine for cats

Bayer Expert Care has always been coming up with different kinds of medicines in order to keep cats healthy. Also, they have a history of high success rate when it comes to treating the day-to-day problems of cats. Now, let’s talk about this tapeworm dewormer.

This dewormer from Bayer Expert Care is a yet another medicine that will help your pet in getting rid of those worms and pests that infest their body and harm them in one way or another. This medicine comes in the form of big sized tablets and every tablet consists of 23 mg of Praziquantel.

Unlike many medicines, this one works by treating the infection. So, if a parasite has entered your pet cat’s body and damaged it with infection, then this medicine helps in getting rid of those parasites by killing them. Also, it treats the infected area, improving the quality of life of the pet.

Even though the medicine is a hit, it still has some side-effects. It is noticed that during treatment, some of the cats were showing signs of diarrhea and salivation. It’s not true for all the cats, but still to be sure, always consult a vet before starting the treatment. Also, some of the owners were having issues with the size of the tablets and would any day prefer liquid medication over solid tablets.

Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer

best tapeworm medicine for cats

This is another popular medicine from Bayer. These pyrantel pomoate/Praziquantel tablets are used to treat a broad spectrum of worms like tapeworms, hookworm, and roundworms, that’s why the name. Also, the package consists of a total of 50 tablets which justifies the price of this product.

These tablets are apt for both kittens as well as cats weighing between 2 to 16 lbs. This product has been tested and approved which increases the credibility as well as ensures the working of it. If we talk about the tablets then we can say that each and every one of these tablets consist of 72.6 mg pyrantel pomoate and 18.2 mg of Praziquantel.

These tablets work by killing or paralyzing the parasite so that it can lose its grip on the blood vessels. Once that happens, the animal’s body automatically flushes out the parasite without any harm. Moreover, this medicine helps in treating the harm caused by the worms to reduce the infection as well as making the animal healthy and germ-free. When it comes to effectiveness, then one can totally rely on them in order to treat their pet cat. All you have to do is crush a tablet and mix it in their food. The medicine will start to work faster than you can imagine.

PetArmor Sure Shot Liquid Wormer for Cats 100ml

best tapeworm medicine for cats

This liquid medicine from Petarmor is the best example of a liquid medicine that can be easily given to pet cats. This 100 ml bottle of liquid wormer is something that every cat owner should own if their cat is suffering from infection-causing parasites. But there’s a limitation of this product. This liquid dewormer is only capable of showing effective results against three roundworm strains. So, if your cat is infected with the tapeworm or other kinds of worms then you might want to reconsider. Apart from that, it works great against roundworms.

Also, it can be easily fed to the cats. If you want to feed it to your cat directly, then you can do that or else you can also add it to their food.

However, there are some liquid dewormers out there that contain bad or unpleasant odor, but you don’t have to worry about that with this product. Also, your cat will love it since it comes in fish flavor. So, if you want to start treatment of your cat with this medicine, then make sure that your cat is at least 6 weeks or older.

How to treat tapeworms in cats at home (Natural Alternatives)?

Once you’ve identified the infestation of tapeworms in your cat, it becomes crucial to treat them as soon as possible. So, given below is a popular natural remedy which will help in getting rid of those worms.

Pumpkin seeds

Pumpkin seeds are known to be parasite repellent. They are rich in minerals and vitamins which are capable of killing the tapeworm as well as the larvae. You can feed your cat crushed seeds of pumpkin for about 3 weeks to see the maximum results. This method has been proven as one of the best natural remedies to treat tapeworms in cats.

What is best over the counter cat dewormer?

If looking for best over the counter dewormer for a cat, you can always rely on “Bayer Expert Care Tapeworm Dewormer”. This one is quite effective and you don’t need any prescription to feed it to your cat. It is specially made in order to solve the tapeworm problem in cats permanently.

The product consists of 3 Praziquantel tablets which are capable of killing the worms and helping your cat in getting rid of those infectious parasites forever. Also, these tablets are easy to intake since their size is small enough for cats to be taken orally. Still, if you want to make sure that your cat takes it properly, then you can always crumble them up.

Can you buy cat dewormer over the counter?

Yes, you can buy some cat dewormers over the counter. In fact, the one mentioned above can also be bought over the counter. Even though the problem of worms in cats is a serious issue and must be dealt with caution. This kind of issue generally requires professional help of a veterinarian. However, there are many products that are specially manufactured in order to do the treatment as effective as the one done by a professional. A lot of those medicines are available on Amazon at affordable prices with great working reviews.

Conclusion

One of the best ways to make sure that your cat is free from the attack of worms is simply preventing their infestation and that can be done in a lot of ways. One thing that you can do as a cat owner is preventing your cat from eating or getting in contact with wild animals. Cats are predators who hunt for rats. If your cat attacks a rat and eats it then there are high chances that the larvae of worms will enter the cat’s body through infected rats or birds.

Also, fleas are the carriers of worms. Try to eliminate them from your cat and its surroundings. You can purchase anti-flea sprays just to be sure. Just doing these small things can help you in getting rid of worm issues in cats. Still, if you think that your cat’s body is infested with these parasites then you can also start the treatment with one of the medicines mentioned above as some of them are available over the counter.