OTC de-wormer?

The feral cat who lives in my garden had kittens 8-9 weeks ago. I've finally caught the kittens and they are living in my closed in porch, waiting for an adoption event on Saturday. Fingers crossed they find new homes!

Anyway, of the two, one acts like a typical kitten and the other is very shy and quiet and not playful. I sometimes see him playing with his sister through the window, but he's still pretty timid around me. He eats just a little and does not use the litter box. He pees on the floor. I'm worried he needs to be dewormed and the sooner the better. Is there an OTC treatment I can use? I can't really afford the $175 each for a kitten exam plus meds for them. I have 3 samples of Frontline Plus the kittens under 5lbs left over from Pepper. It says for kittens over 8 weeks and I'm pretty sure they are right at 8 now. I haven't used it on them yet. Would that help? I'm nervous to adopt out a potentially ill baby.

Frontline Plus is not really a de-wormer, to my knowledge.  It is for fleas, etc., but not for worms.  As far as I know, there is no safe OTC de-wormer, especially for kittens of indeterminate age.

It sounds like the one kittens DOES need to have a Vet visit.  Maybe the one who is active and eats regularly doesn't have to go, since money is tight, but I wouldn't risk not taking the other one.  You could tell the Vet you've got another one at home, and maybe, if this one does have worms, he could prescribe a wormer for two?  But it could be something other than/in addition to worms

I would definitely talk to the vet.  Perhaps you can call a local rescue group and ask for a low-cost vet recommendation or maybe you can explain your financial situation to your vet and they'll give you a price break.

I talked my vet yesterday and decided to take them in. Without the FIV test, it was $75 each, so much more affordable.

I just got back from taking them and they are in really good health. No fleas (will use the frontline anyway), no ear mites, and fecal only showed roundworms. They got the yellow med for the worms, a distemper shot and overall "ok" from the vet. Callie weighs 2.3lbs, Ollie is 2lbs even. Ollie seems to have perked up today. The vet gave him some Royal Canin Recovery and he scarfed it down. I know it's not the best quality, but I'm happy he's eating at all, so plan to give it to him for a few days. I really, really, hope they find great homes on Saturday!



Here's the cutie pies!
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First off.... BE STILL MY HEART!!! Ollie and Callie are both absolutely, positively adorable. I love Ollie's face and markings. Too darn cute. I think you will have great success in finding loving home for them out at the adoption event. I hope they go to a home together. A beautiful pair.

SO glad that you did not use the OTC dewormer. Very risky, IMO. Sounds like they are quite the healthy little ones too. Great news. Please see about trapping the feral momma who lives in your garden area and getting her spayed. She will keep on having kittens if not. There are many low cost clinics that will do these surgeries for a small fee.

Keep us posted on these cutie pies!

p.s. Revolution is the topical dewormer, flea/tick product. They do make a kitten/puppy line for under five pounds.

Feralvr-yes, I think they're beautiful too! It's funny that the mama cat (who we've named Black Magic) is solid black and these two are so light. Of course I don't know who the daddy is, but still I expected them to be darker.

The rescue I'm working with has me on the list to borrow one of their traps for Magic. I've been trying to get her in the garage or porch for months with no luck. She's too smart! Once I get her and have her spayed, I'd like to adopt her out too if she can be tamed enough. If I have to release her, at least I know she won't have more babies and will have some vaccinations.

And both babies started purring last night when I picked them up! Makes me happy I took them to the vet, Ollie is definitely feeling better. They're becoming very comfortable with people and will make great pets. I hope I find someone to love them like I do.

williecat said:

Feralvr-yes, I think they're beautiful too! It's funny that the mama cat (who we've named Black Magic) is solid black and these two are so light. Of course I don't know who the daddy is, but still I expected them to be darker.

The rescue I'm working with has me on the list to borrow one of their traps for Magic. I've been trying to get her in the garage or porch for months with no luck. She's too smart! Once I get her and have her spayed, I'd like to adopt her out too if she can be tamed enough. If I have to release her, at least I know she won't have more babies and will have some vaccinations.

And both babies started purring last night when I picked them up! Makes me happy I took them to the vet, Ollie is definitely feeling better. They're becoming very comfortable with people and will make great pets. I hope I find someone to love them like I do.

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Does Magic eat in your presence within at least 15 feet? If so, you could try feeding (same time each day - preferable morning) Magic in a crate with the door propped open for a week or two. Get her used to going in and out of that carrier. Have a rope (15 - 20 ft.) tied to the door and running through the side of the crate. Just feed her in there (with rope attached) for a week or so. When spay day comes, use one sardine to get her in that crate quickly and then pull the rope swiftly which will close the crate door and reel the crate to you. Have a glove on when you have to latch the carrier closed just in case. Off to the vet you go. She may already be pregnant again but still go ahead with that spay. Good luck and hope you have success with her trapping.

WONDERFUL to hear that those little ones started purring!!!!! Your doing a great job and I bet they will get adopted fast to a loving home.. :cross:

p.s. If you would be interested, we could move your thread to Stray/Feral Forum since that is what you are doing, rescuing kitties.

Updates on Ollie and Callie?? :rub: Magic?? Hope you are able to catch momma cat soon. :cross:

Yes, both babies were adopted on Saturday! I loved the couples who are their new families and I think we had two great matches. I'm very happy the babies aren't on the streets and reproducing.

I have not gotten Magic yet though. She's too smart! I have a trap I borrowed from the rescue but she won't go near it. Not even with tuna water, stinky wet food, nothing. I'll keep trying, but it's like she knows I am trying to get her. She will come up to the window on the opposite side of the trap and meow and talk to my cats and beg for food. I moved the trap and she just goes to the other side now! Would it be horrible if I withheld food for a day to make her hungry and maybe more likely to go in the trap? The rescue said to put food in it for a few days without setting it so she gets used to it, but she won't even attempt going in.

Wonderful news on the little ones .

Sounds like Magic is been trapped before and is one smart cat .  I think it would be ok to withhold food for a couple of meals, but no longer then 24 hours.  She's not overweight at all, as a feral, I'm guessing.  She should be ok for 24 hours, but I doubt it will work even then is she's already been tricked once.  Let us know.  Good luck

Nope, not overweight, but I'm 99% sure she's pregnant again that's why I want to get her ASAP, before she's too close to giving birth and they won't spay her. I've already fed her today but I'm not going to put anything else out tonight except in the trap. My guess is she won't come around until late anyway due to the trick or treaters. I actually hope she doesn't, as she's solid black and I fear someone will want to hurt her.

Oh so glad the cutties got adopted; they are adorable.
One trick I've used when trapping a hard to trap cat: mix catnip with the bait.
And depending on the cat, don't change the food; that will raise a red flag in the cat's mind.

Not sure if you saw my earlier post.

Feralvr said:

Does Magic eat in your presence within at least 15 feet? If so, you could try feeding (same time each day - preferable morning) Magic in a crate with the door propped open for a week or two. Get her used to going in and out of that carrier. Have a rope (15 - 20 ft.) tied to the door and running through the side of the crate. Just feed her in there (with rope attached) for a week or so. When spay day comes, use one sardine to get her in that crate quickly and then pull the rope swiftly which will close the crate door and reel the crate to you. Have a glove on when you have to latch the carrier closed just in case. Off to the vet you go. She may already be pregnant again but still go ahead with that spay. Good luck and hope you have success with her trapping.

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BUT, to reiterate, please feed her inside of a carrier for a day or two. ONLY put food in the carrier, once a day, on schedule and in the morning. At night, you will attract other critters to the food. In a day or two she should be comfortable going in and out of the crate to eat. Hopefully :cross:. It may take longer, but don't give in and feed her outside of the carrier. Have the rope already tied from the door through the side of the crate from day one as well. That way on vet day you just pull hard and reel in the crate. Use a gloved hand to latch the door closed once reeled in. Also, after she is spayed and back home, I would still feed her in the carrier outside under a protected area by the house, if possible. That way, you will always have an easy time getting her to a vet if need by.

I am sorry that she is pregnant again and figured that she was :shame: and I hope you catch her before kittens are born.