Conference misery::feline_v1

    You shouldn't try to worm cats without the advice of vets.
    
    Usually, a vet can administer worm medicine when needed.
    
    Since "worming" consists of givving a specific poison that will
    affect the worms _more_ than it will affect their host, you should
    under any circumstances get _fresh_ weorm pills from a vet: the
    "store-bought" stuff may be outdated.
    
    Steve Kallis, Jr.
    

    I wormed my two kitties at home; it had to be less traumatic than
    stuffing them into their carriers: Nebula hates cars and gets very
    panicky, while The Fickle simply hates vets.  It worked, too; when
    they did have to go in to the vet for their shots a few weeks later
    (protesting every inch of the trip, two "crying boxes" on the floor
    in the back seat of my car), they were both wormless.  I gave them
    the kind of stuff you mix up with their food, and they weren't oo
    pleased with it, but it was the only food they had, so eventually
    they ate it anyhow (same trouble happening right now trying to get
    them to eat oil in their food -- Neb has hairballs again).  It did
    cause them some diarrhea.  That was the only time they ever had
    worms since I've owned them: Neb must have eaten one of her catches
    for a change, and spread her problem to the other cat.

    I agree, bring them to the vet, so that the vet can give them the
    proper dosage. However, the vet will most likely send you home with
    pills since the cats have to be fasted.
    
    Giving pills doesn't have to be bad. I've had no problem with giveing
    pills of any kind to my four since I got the idea of stuffing the
    pill in a wad of butter before trying to give it to them the normal
    way (hold head up, open mouth wide, throw the pill straight down,
    close cat's mouth and then stroke the throat). Actually, the worming
    pills are real tiny, and kittens are only given a 1/4 to a 1/2 pill
    so if you surround them in butter, the kitten *might* just eat it
    out of your hand.
    
    Good luck,
    Deb

    How strange that your cats have to be fasted.  With the tablets
    I get from the vet, you have to make sure to give the cat plenty
    of food.
    
    Because I've got 2 cats and a dog, my vet has advised that we worm
    them 3 times a year, just to make sure.  I tell the vet how much
    the cats weigh, and he gives me some pills.  I crush the pills and
    then mix them up with a tiny bit of liver.  This gets gulped down
    in 2 seconds, and then they get the rest of their dinner.  The dog
    would take hers straight from me - she eats anything (and I mean
    anything!).
    
    Good luck
    Jess

    
    
    Thanks for the info ... a few different things to try.
    
    cheers      Dave W

    
    I don't understand why, for 3 years my 3 cats never had problems
    with worms, until recently.  Now they seem to come back as fast
    as I get rid of them!
    
    Pam C.
    
    
    
    
    
    

    re .6
    
    If the cats have fleas, then they can repeatedly have tape worm
    from eating the fleas.  My cats tend to get tape worm at least once
    a year, because there is always a point where the fleas win and
    I lose!  Also, there is another variety of tape worm that comes
    from only eating rodents (yeck!).
    
    Poor kitties go through a lot, don't they?
    
    Carole
    

You have to get rid of the fleas first.  Best thing we have found is
a metal flea comb.  We APPALLED and EMBARASSED when the vet used one
of these on our cats and pulled out all these fleas.  We thought the
cats were pretty clean.

So we got a comb and have combed both cats once a day for a week.  Each
day we got 4-5 fleas between the two cats.  We had sprayed the house
too, foamed and sprayed the cats, etc.  (out in the country with
sandy soil those bugs are everywhere!)

Penny has had a running battle with tapeworms.  We have tried pills
(she spits them out), shots (fleas reinfested her), and now a gooey white
stuff you squirt down her throat with a plastic syringe (she vomits).

    
    I've never heard of a metal flea comb.  Where did you get it?
    
    pam

re: < Note 333.9 by ROLL::CIAVOLA >


    You can get one in pet stores and feed stores. Check the yellow
    pages and ask when you get there. 
    
    Use it gently and slowly. Stop after each stroke and pinch
    the fur off with fleas into a plastic bag that has flea spray
    in it to kill them.
    
    If you have a long haired cat give a basic brushing to the cat
    first to get out any tangles because the flea comb is unforgiving
    of them. 
    
           
    						.wIx.

    
    I really feel sorry for everyone with worming problems.
    
    I was so chuffed when my method with my kitten Dinah worked.
    
    Being a kitten she would, as all kitties seem to, pounce on and
    bite anything rolled across the floor ....... easy solution?
    I didn't try to convince her she had to take the pill, just rolled
    it across the floor and she pounced on it and ate it leaving me
    amazed and very impressed with myself!
    
    Jo
    Reading UK.