I have a female feral cat that has tapeworms. I was told that I can't give anything since she is feeding 6 kitties, 4 weeks old. Is there anything I can do to get rid of the worms? Can the cat transmit the worms to the kitties?
By Marcela from Queen NY
Two words. Diatomaceous Earth (food-grade)
OK, four words.
This stuff will absolutely kill every (bad) worm in
your mama kitty and will "not" harm the little ones
either.
Food-grade diatomaceous earth is one thing that
every SPCA, cat or dog rescue should be telling
everyone about. Just make sure it is "food grade"
and not the stuff used in swimming pools.
Sprinkle it all over the mother kitty, and rub it
in very well. (The little kitties will even get some
of this as they nurse). Sprinkle the DE over mother
kitty's food (about a half-teaspoonful every day).
Take care that you don't allow the dust to be
inhaled too much. Be sure to rub and brush it
into mother kitty's fur really well.
This DE will also take care of any fleas.
It is available online if you have trouble finding
it in your local pet stores. It should be way more
available than it is IMHO. It isn't all that expensive
either which probably explains the unavailability.
The best of luck to you with this problem.
Julia in Boca Raton, FL
My cat has tape worms. What home remedy can I use?
By Aaliyah
Hello,
I am a retired Veterinary Manager and I would recommend you take a stool sample to your Vet's office and have them determine which worms your cat has.(there could be other types) The only medication you can get to rid her of the tapeworms is a prescription from your Vet. The name of the medication is Drontal. There is not a home remedy or over the counter medication you can buy. If your cat has tapeworms, she has fleas. Please use a topical flea product (like Advantage) on her every month.
Good luck with your fur baby.
What is the medication that I can buy for cats that have tapeworms, if I can not afford a vet?
By Jackie
Check out Valley Vet Supply on the internet. They have very good products.
By cyber from Ocala, FL
Hello again and thanks for your response. Yes we do use DE in several areas but since the vet says she has no fleas (Princess has a bath every week with Dawn) her biggest concern is cleaning up the worms.
Undoubtedly Princess got a flea or two from somewhere or she would not have the worms. She is a house cat but does love our enclosed patio which does have some grass and we do occasionally visit neighbors with dogs and cats of their own. Fleas love to latch on to a "new" body so I believe this is the case. Princess is due at the vet's on September 10 so I hope she will be okay. Her age is always a concern.
Thanks again.
How do you get your cat to eat the food with the turnip in it? I tried and he just turns his nose up at me.
By Jennifer
I don't know about turnip, but we do give our cat pumpkin (canned) with her food every day. She eats mostly dry food, but once a day she gets about a tablespoon of canned cat food mixed with the same amount of pumpkin and a little canned tuna. It's supposed to be good for their digestion. I think the secret is to start with a very small amount of turnip and gradually increase it. Also, mix it in really well with her other food. She knows what time of day she gets her "treat" and gets very vocal if we are a few minutes late. Hope this helps.
Would D Wormer liquid wormer work on cats that have tapeworms? Can anther cat get sick from one who has the worms?
By Elaine from Providence, RI
Sergeant's Vetscription Worm Away 7 for cats or dogs is an OTC product that really works! My cats tell me that the worm is extinguished in 3 hours flat. I break up the tablets (they resemble psyllium) into small pieces according to the size of the cat. Also D-Worm tablets for dogs from Petco really zero in on the tapeworm and zap it in 5 - 7 hours. I am happy with the results as there are no side effects. Even a critically ill animal can handle this medication.
Although they are labeled for dogs, the ingredients are purrfectly safe for use on cats and there is plenty of tablet left for the usual 9-10 day later second dose. Both products should be available at Petco.

I treated my cats and kittens for fleas and worms. One of the kittens has worms again and now they all have fleas again. I have put Advantage on them for 2 months now. Please someone help!
By Melody from Wilson, NY
In addition to finding out from the vet what kind of worm it is, you'll not only have to treat the fleas on the cats with Dawn, but you also have to treat their environment. And it's best to do it all in one day. You need to treat the house and also the yard with something designed to kill fleas. Your local pet store can help you with that. In the house, you should treat their bedding, any furniture or beds or pillows they sleep on, and also the floors. And if you use a vacuum with a bag, throw it out and put in a new one. You'll want to do that every time you vacuum until you're flea free. It's not much fun, but if you don't attack this problem on all fronts at the same time, you'll never get rid of the fleas. Been there, done that. It works. Good luck! :-)
Are there any home remedies for the worms that look like "rice"? My cat had babies and now she has these thingies.
By Lori from Chilliwack, BC
I need to know about tapeworms in cats. How do I treat them?
By Frankie
Hello,
Tapeworms are caused by fleas. Please take your fur baby to the vet and bring a fecal sample with you so he/she can identify the specific parasite. Your Vet will give you medication for this, there is not a home remedy. I have worked for a Veterinarian for over 27 years. Good luck.