De-worming..Can I do it myself?

Hi, I have two cats- one is a little over a year old and the other around six months. The older has been neutered and given a few vaccinations, but the other has never even been to the vet (it's not my cat, it's my sister's) because they are both strictly indoor cats. Neither have ever had any health issues, no vomiting, no diarrhea, no lethargy or loss of appetite or weight...do you guys think it is silly to waste the hundreds of dollars in vet bills that I'll face to have them both seen, fecal tested, and dewormed (it adds up as I'm sure you all know)? I have absolutely no reason to think they have any sort of worms, but I've been reading horror stories about various types going undetected/ignored with devastating results. And if not the multiple trips to the vet, do you think I would be OK buying an over the counter/pet store dewormer? I know very little about all these things, so any help/advice would be appreciated.

From what I understand all kittens are born with worms, so I guess what I'm asking is do you think it is necessary to take them to a vet and pay to have them dewormed professionally, or would i be OK going the over the counter route?

Thanks!

It depends what you use. Some products are good and some aren't. You can get a big bottle of generic pyrantel pamoate (sold for horses or humans) online for around $20 or so, and that should last quite awhile. But don't bother with most products sold for cats. Most of them have piperazine which isn't very effective. Make sure you double-check the dosage of whatever you use---verify with at least 2 different websites, and make sure they're respectable sources. The Merck Vet Manual is available online and has good information.

The younger cat does need to see the vet at some point though, for spay/neuter and vaccinations.

I don't think all cats are born with worms, and I don't think it's wise to treat an animal for something that you don't know for sure it has.

I get my worming pills from the vet (and then give them to the cats at home). They get a pill every 3 months, they did have worms at first, but at this point it is preventative (they are occasional outdoor cats, mostly indoor but sometimes go for a wander outside).

I buy my flea stuff online though, so I imagine it would be similar. Make sure you research online and read some reviews on it, to make sure that what you are choosing to give is safe for your cats, and works.

The younger kitty needs to see the vet eventually though, if it hasn't started cat puberty yet, it will do soon, and that means (depending on sex), yowling, trying to get out, the chance they might escape and then you will have kittens, spraying, increased aggression, humping things, etc.