Medicine for Cats With Worms

Medicine for cats with worms is available both in prescription and over-the-counter products. You can use many of these medicines to treat several kinds of worm infestations at once. Most of them work by paralyzing parasites attached to a cat's intestine so they lose their grip and are passed in his stool.


These medicines come in tablet, injectable and topical forms. Several are once-a-month treatments. Your vet will determine which one is best for your cat's needs, but they're all safe for both kittens and adult cats.

  1. Praziquantel

    • Droncit (praziquantel) from Bayer is a tapeworm medication sold in both over-the-counter and prescription strengths in injectable and tablet forms. Unlike other worm medicine, Droncit doesn't paralyze the tapeworms. It weakens their skin, making them disintegrate. Give your cat his Droncit tablet by mouth or crumble it in his food.

      When combined with several other worm medicines, praziquantel makes broad-spectrum wormers. One of these, Profender, is a spot treatment containing emodepside. It's effective against tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms. Treat your cat with Profender by parting the fur at the base of her neck between her shoulder blades and emptying the vial onto her exposed skin.

    Praziquantel and Pyrantel Pamoate

    • Marketed as Drontal tablets to treat tapeworms, roundworms and hookworms, this praziquantel combination is safe for use in kittens as young as four weeks. It's poorly absorbed in the cats' intestines so seldom causes side effects. A very small cat with a serious worm infestation, however, may become impacted if she's passing a large number of worms in her stool.

      Determine your cat's Drontal dose by weight. Give one tablet given for every four pounds of your cat's weight. Kittens under two pounds should get one-quarter tablet, and under four pounds, a half tablet.

    Ivermectin

    • Found in the heartworm medication Heartgard, ivermectin has been FDA-approved to prevent heartworms in cats since 1999, according to Dr. Wendy C. Brooks. It also treats existing infestations of hookworms and roundworms. A once-a-month prescription tablet, Heartgard is safe for kittens six weeks and older.

    Milbemycine Oxine

    • This prescription worming tablet sold as Interceptor, according to the Purdue University College of Veterinary Medicine, is effective both as a once-monthly heartworm preventive and as a roundworm and hookworm treatment. It's safe for kittens as young as two weeks.

    Selamectin

    • Selamectin is a broad-spectrum worm medicine sold as the prescription topical spot treatment Revolution. Apply it as you would Profender, at the base of your cat's neck. The recommended dose is 6 mg/2.2lbs. of weight.

      Your cat's monthly treatment both prevents heartworms and eradicates roundworms, hookworms, and ear mites. Revolution is safe for cats eight weeks and older.