How do you treat feral cats for worms? In this Vet Minute, Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services, Dr. Marty Greer, talks about how to deworm barn cats, stray cats and other feral cats and kittens.
How Do You Treat Stray Cats for Worms?
What is the best way to deworm feral cats? To deworm feral cats you’ll need dewormer and milk replacer such as Breeder’s Edge Foster Care Feline. If a cat has never had milk replacer given to them in the past, it can take about three days for them to warm up to the idea. To help establish trust, start the process with unmedicated milk replacer. As you feed the milk replacer in several pans at the same time for three days, get a count of how many cats are in the colony. Next, establish how much dewormer to add to the milk. The average feral cat weighs eight pounds, so multiply the number of cats by eight to get total weight. For example, if there are 20 cats, then the needed dose of dewormer is for 160 pounds. We add that total dose to the milk replacer. If you have a large cat colony, be sure to use multiple pans to make sure all the cats get a chance to drink. On your first time deworming, repeat in seven to 10 days to completely remove the internal parasites, eggs and all.
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LEARN MORE:
Deworming Feral Cat Colonies
Deworming feral cat colonies can be nearly impossible. Learn tips for deworming feral cat colonies through their diet.
How to Help Stray Cats and Feral Felines
I found a stray cat, what do I do? Learn what to do if you find a stray cat, feral cat or homeless kitten. Find out how to safely help them and learn about tnr programs for homeless cats.
How to Help a Pregnant Feral Cat
What do you do when a stray cat is pregnant? What can you feed a pregnant stray cat? Learn how to help a pregnant feral cat or a pregnant stray cat.
Deworming Cats and Kittens
What dewormers are best for cats and how do you deworm a cat at home? Cats will inevitably pick up parasites, so it's important to deworm before the parasites cause medical issues. Learn how and when to deworm queens, kittens and adult cats.
Written by: Marty Greer, DVM
Director of Veterinary Services
Marty Greer, Doctor of Veterinary Medicine, has 40+ years’ experience in veterinary medicine, with special interests in canine reproduction and pediatrics. She received her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine from Iowa State University in 1981. She’s served as Revival’s Director of Veterinary Services since 2019. In 2023, Dr. Greer was named the Westminster Kennel Club Veterinarian of the Year.