• The best dewormer for cats will be determined by the type of intestinal parasite your cat has, but it should be made with powerful active ingredients in an easy-to-administer formula.
  • Though pricey, Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer is the best cat dewormer on the market and is recommended by veterinarians for being both safe and reliable.
  • Due to high demand related to the coronavirus pandemic, some retailers are facing shipping delays of 7 to 10 days. We’ve listed multiple purchase options wherever possible.

Would you know if your cat had worms? Your cat might look fine on the outside, but worms can hide inside your pet, silently causing harm. Cornell University veterinarians estimate that as many as 45% of cats have intestinal parasites at any given time. Some of the most common intestinal parasites in cats include roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms.

In adult cats, parasite infestations may cause mild to moderate digestive symptoms like vomiting, diarrhea and gas. However, heavy infestations, especially in kittens, can lead to more severe digestive symptoms, weight loss, anemia, malnutrition, and restricted growth. Some intestinal parasites, like roundworms and hookworms, can even infect humans as well as cats.

Fortunately, treating your cat for worms is easy and shouldn’t require much more than an over-the-counter dewormer. Dewormers for cats come in a variety of different formulas for cats of different ages and to treat different types of parasites.

To determine what kind of product you need, you’ll have to take your cat to the vet for a physical exam and fecal exam (a stool test that reveals what type of worms your cat is infected with). From there, however, you’ll be able to treat your cat quickly and easily at home.

Lucky for you, we’ve done the research to find the best dewormers you can buy. You shouldn’t skip a visit to your veterinarian, but once you’ve determined what kind of worms your cat has, you can use one of the following treatments to get rid of them once and for all.

Here are the best cat dewormers you can buy:

Prices and links are current as of 8/10/20.

The best cat dewormer overall

Bayer's Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer (praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate) is well worth the cost for its safe and reliable eradication of a wide variety of intestinal parasites.

If your cat has more than one type of intestinal parasite, a broad-spectrum dewormer can eradicate multiple types of parasites. Broad-spectrum dewormer products are made with powerful active ingredients to provide quick results. Our top pick for the best cat dewormer overall is Bayer's Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer.

Bayer's Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer features two powerful active ingredients: pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel. This dewormer comes in easy-to-administer tablet form and is safe for kittens and cats more than 8 weeks old and ranging from 2 to 16 pounds.

Though it is expensive, it may actually save you money if your cat gets frequent intestinal parasite infections or if you find yourself treating multiple cats for worms (for instance, rescue groups treating many cats).

Pros: Veterinarian recommended, two active ingredients (pyrantel pamoate and praziquantel), broad-spectrum kills several types of worms, safe and reliable, low risk for side effects

Cons: Very expensive to purchase, not for kittens younger than 2 months old or kittens weighing less than 2 pounds, some cats dislike the taste

The best dewormer for kittens

Foto: Source: Chewy

Excel Roundworm De-Wormer for Cats is a safe and effective roundworm treatment for kittens and cats 6 weeks and older.

Intestinal parasites, particularly roundworms, are very common in kittens, which can become infected when nursing from their mother. Our top pick for the best dewormer for kittens is Excel Roundworm De-Wormer for Cats (piperazine). This effective dewormer works to detach roundworms from the lining of the intestine and expel them from the kitten's body.

The easy-to-administer liquid contains the active ingredient piperazine, which is approved for treatment of roundworms in cats and kittens 6 weeks and older. This product is not recommended for pregnant or nursing female cats.

Pros: Safe and effective treatment for roundworms in cats, easy-to-administer liquid, may be used in young kittens older than 6 weeks, cost-effective dewormer available without a prescription

Cons: May not be as effective as pyrantel pamoate (Drontal), does not treat tapeworms or hookworms, not for use in pregnant or nursing females

The best tapeworm dewormer for cats

Foto: Source: Chewy

Bayer's Tapeworm Dewormer Tablets for Cats are proven to kill tapeworms in a single, easy-to-administer dose.

If you notice something in your cat's feces that resembles grains of white rice, or you notice him licking or biting the area under his tail, he could have a tapeworm infestation.

Cats contract tapeworms when they ingest an infected adult flea. As the tapeworm grows, segments break off and pass in your cat's stool.

Bayer's Tablets are the top choice to tackle tapeworm infestations quickly and safely. These tablets come in a three-pack with each tablet containing 23 milligrams of the active ingredient praziquantel. This ingredient is effective against the most common species of tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaeformis, eliminating them in a single dose. The active ingredient praziquantel works to paralyze and eliminate tapeworms. This tablet can be fed whole or crushed and mixed with food.

Because cats can become reinfected by ingesting another flea, effectively eliminating tapeworms requires eradicating fleas from your cat, home and yard in addition to treating the tapeworm infection.

Pros: Kills tapeworms within 24 hours, easy-to-administer tablet, powerful active ingredient, no prescription required, comes with three tablets, long-trusted brand name

Cons: Some cats may experience diarrhea after taking, not for kittens less than 6 weeks of age

The best roundworm dewormer for cats

Foto: Source: Chewy

ProSense's Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms (piperazine citrate) is easy to administer and is highly effective against common species of feline roundworms.

The most common intestinal parasites seen in cats are roundworms. According to the Companion Animal Parasite Council, more than 25% of cats tested positive for the most common feline roundworm, Toxocara cati. In many cases, cats become infected by eating rodents, feces, or other substances containing roundworm eggs. Kittens infected with roundworms often have a distended abdomen (a potbellied appearance).

Roundworms feed on the food your cat eats, which, over time, can contribute to malnutrition so it is important to treat roundworm infections right away. ProSense Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms is safe for use in cats and kittens over 6 weeks of age and weighing at least 2.5 pounds. In addition to the more common Toxocara cati roundworm species, ProSense Liquid Dewormer for Roundworms also kills Toxascaris leonine species roundworms.

This liquid formulation is easy to administer and highly palatable for cats. You can feed it directly or mix it with your cat's food. Each teaspoon contains 250 milligrams of the active ingredient piperazine citrate, a tried-and-true treatment for Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonine roundworms.

Pros: Highly effective common roundworms, contains 250 milligrams of piperazine citrate per teaspoon, easy-to-administer liquid, cost-effective option

Cons: Not for use in cats and kittens younger than 6 weeks or weighing less than 2.5 pounds, high doses may cause vomiting

The best all-natural dewormer for cats

Foto: Source: Chewy

Made from all-natural, plant-based ingredients NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs purports to expel a wide variety of worms from your cat's body while also soothing the digestive system.

If you don't like the idea of treating your cat with chemical ingredients, you may want to consider an all-natural dewormer. These products are made with plant-based ingredients to promote digestion, helping purge the parasites from your cat's intestinal tract.

Natural dewormers may not work as quickly as chemical dewormers, but they may be used for very small and young kittens that are not older enough or weigh enough to take a drug-based dewormer. Our top pick for the best all-natural dewormer for cats is NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs.

NaturPet D Wormer for Cats and Dogs is can be used for both dogs and cats of all ages and sizes. It is a liquid formulation made with a variety of plant-based ingredients, including wormwood to expel parasites, sage to cleanse the digestive system, black walnut to repel worms, and fennel to soothe the lining of the intestines.

With twice-daily doses continued over the course of a week, this product works to expel worms from your cat's body in a safe, gentle, and all-natural way.

Pros: Made from all-natural ingredients, works for a variety of intestinal parasites, easy-to-administer liquid, clear dosing instructions, safe for cats and dogs

Cons: Doesn't kill worms but flushes them out of the body, higher price per unit than other options, requires twice-daily doses for at least a week

Check out our other buying guides for cat owners

Foto: Source: Necoichi

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