Indoor cat with worms

[dkb817]

Simon has worms (likely roundworms, if Dr. google is correct). There really is no coming back from seeing worms moving in your cat’s stool Symptomatically, he has had ZERO issues for a few weeks - seeing the worm was my first and only indication that we have a problem.

I will be calling the vet first thing tomorrow to see about getting a dewormer (hoping we can avoid a vet visit or stool test since I saw them) - but I have a couple questions for y’all:

#1: Can you smash up the dewormer pill and mix it into wet food? Simon is very food motivated and it will be infinitely easier if I can just mix it into his food instead of trying to pill him.

#2: Can I still let my guy up onto my lap and the bed or should I keep him confined in his large crate until he has had a few doses of dewormer? He has EXTREME separation anxiety, so I am very nervous about how poorly this would go, but I also don’t want to end up with roundworm myself or something.

 

[LTS3]

I think there are liquid / paste type dewormers available but the specific dewormer your vet will recommend may not be available in either form. Ask the vet and if not, ask if the dewormer pill can be crushed up and mixed with food. Otherwise, use these tips to pill a cat:

Pilling Cats: Must-know Tips For Hiding Pills – Cat Articles
The Best Pill-taking Secret I Know...
Pilling Cats and Dogs Safely
How We Give Our Pill Hating Cat A Pill
Getting Cat To Take Pills... Post Tips Here.

Pill Pockets and other similar doughs work for most cats.

Email a picture of the worm to the vet for confirmation of the type of worm. The vet will be able to prescribe the proper dewormer.

Also ask the vet if you need to confine the cat or do anything special to prevent possible transmission of the worms to people.

 

[di and bob]

I break up tablets and smash them into tiny pieces of cheese or soft-cooked bacon, they usually eat it up. My cats get Profender. a topical you put up high on the back of the neck, that works for all worms, even tapeworms. One dose too. You do need a prescription from your Dr., I just call mine and ask, then I order it on PetMeds. It is pricey but well worth it. Almost ALL cats have worms, ESPECIALLY outside cats exposed to rabbits and rodents band their fleas. Most worms are NOT transferrable to humans, they need a 'host' to complete their life cycle, like a rabbit for tapeworm. Your cat does not need to be restrained. They are likely born with worms, passed on by their mother, so if you haven't got them by now, you won't!

 

[dkb817]

My vet was out of office, so I settled for the "substitute" vet. This vet thinks that it is "unusual" that Simon would have roundworms since he is a purely indoor cat that has no contact with other animals (despite me pointing out that he could have gotten ahold of a bug that carried it in; We're in a basement bedroom and he has been known to eat spiders and such before), but said we could do a general dewormer just to be sure. He's still asymptomatic, which is great, but poor guy is so confused as to why I've distanced myself (I know you said I didn't have to separate him, di and bob , but I wanted to wait until he had at least gotten his first dose of dewormer, just to be safe; He will be getting all of the cuddles soon enough)

She gave me two pills of Drontal - one for him to take now, and another to take in two weeks - said I could smash them up slightly but to not add it to too much food so I could be sure he took the entire pill (which won't be an issue; My guy will darn near lick a hole in his food plate if you let him ). Hopefully this clears up any issues and that we've caught this before he gets too high of an infestion, for lack of better terms.


Edit: We're pretty sure this is a recent issue as he had a fecal flotation about a year or so ago and it came back negative for parasites.

Edit 2: I guess the task now is cleaning/sanitizing the litterbox. I scoop it twice daily - but I'm thinking that in a couple of days, once the dewormer has had its chance to do what it does, I'll completely dump the litter and wash the litterbox out with soap and water. Would that be adequate enough - or should I go full tilt and use a bleach/water mixture?

 

[di and bob]

just to put your mind at ease, go ahead and bleach the litter box, it wouldn't hurt......

 

[solomonar]

- There is a plastic device like a syringe which helps a lot in giving pills to the cats. I do not know how it is call (not even in my native language :-)) but it is something like 2 USD per piece and you can use it forever. Very simple.

In place of the needle, the syringe has a sort of 4 small elastic arms, which grab the pill. When the piston is moved ahead, the pill is pushed out of the arms (hopefully in the cat's mouth :-)). Easy.

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- According to most vets here, de-worming is recommended every 3-6 months, no matter cats live in-door or outdoor.

Make sure the products are high-quality and vet-approved. They are a lot of useless products on the supermarkets or pets shop shelves (in my country, but I suspect it is the same everywhere in the world). Some deworming agents are already obsolete, not working anymore, but still on the market.

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- I use cheap litterboxes. Because they are simple, they are easy to clean. I use vinegar and hot water. Only once in a couple of months, I use special liquid cleaning agents which are safe for cats.

In case of persistent doubt, maybe it is easier to buy another litterbox :-). Some plastic is anyway impossible to clean thoroughly. I know it might be a problem to accommodate another litterbox, but maybe you can find an identical one.