Help eliminating fleas and worms, please

I need info on how to get rid of fleas and worms on feral cats. I am afraid to spray any chemicals because of small kittens. I can't stand to see them covered in fleas. I know they have worms also. I see it in my yard. If anyone has any ideas please help. I have asked everyone and they tell me anything might harm the babies. thanks

If you are trapping the cats to spay and neuter, you can treat them while at the vet. But to treat a whole colony is very difficult, as they keep reinfecting each other.

There are some flea treatments that you apply to a cats shoulders that can help with fleas and worms. I don't remember the name, but your vet should have it. I heard it is fairly expensive, but it would be more effective (if you can pet the cats and they allow you to apply it!)

Darla,

If they are feral it will be tough.
Oklahoma - Paws of Tulsa
http://www.pawsoftulsa.org/
Might be able to help. without being able to come into contact with the animals there is not much that you can do directly. Best thing would to be able to arrange a capture and release operation with humane traps with a feral cat rescue organization. Medicate them, NEUTER them and then release.

If you can notice that the babies have really bloated tummies, then yes they are infested with wurms. If possible to capture the babies, 1 simple pill will take care of the worms, contact your vet. be honest with what you are trying to accomplish you may get samples for free.

You may want to try "sevin dust" or similar near the foundation of your home to keep the fleas away from your house. Cats will usually avoid this pesticide due to its smell. Just make sure that no food matter that you feed or they coud forage comes into contact with the dust and they will be ok.

If you have indoor cats or outdoor cats of your own KEEP them AWAY from the yard and worm infested fecal matter.
Make very sure that any contact you have with these feral cats or their droppings. CLEAN your hands clothing etc before coming in contact with your domestic cats. You dont want to transfer anything to your indoor babies. Feral cat communities are usually full of cats that have very communicable illness.
I hope this helps.

I have 5 cats inside and use advantage. The ones outside are wild. I have fed them for years and now have finally found an organization willing to spay and neuter them. It has been a long process. Thanks for your advice.

Thanks for the advice. I am really scared to use the sevin dust but I have thought of using it. I am not sure how I am going to trap all these cats. I am really nervous. I have to do it. I have one sick in a bedroom. I have 2 diabetic cats, and upper respiratory problems go into pneumonia fast on them.

You can put Advantage or Frontline on any cats you can touch. For the others, you can crush Capstar in their canned food to at least kill the adult fleas on them.

For roundworms, Strongid can be mixed in canned food. Tapeworms look nasty but are actually not really harmful to adult cats so they are not that high of a priority to deal with.

Originally Posted by semiferal

You can put Advantage or Frontline on any cats you can touch. For the others, you can crush Capstar in their canned food to at least kill the adult fleas on them.

For roundworms, Strongid can be mixed in canned food. Tapeworms look nasty but are actually not really harmful to adult cats so they are not that high of a priority to deal with.

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Very good advise.

Thank you for your time. Everyone is so helpful here. I don't feel so alone doing this now.

I have a box of capstar here. I keep it for the kittens I bring in, so my own cats don't get infested. Thanks for the advice.

Rather than using toxins go naturally. Since they are feral cats and all ferals have great appetite- start feeding them canned food mixed with organic catnip. The catnip acts as a natural laxative, and will push the tapeworms out of the system. I usually just put about 1/3 cup of organic catnip in on small can of water and feed it. An elderly feral vet (now retired) told me about this trick and I have used it well over the years. It keeps poisons away from the colony as well. It is not something to do with domestic cats, it will create finickly eaters, but in feral cats, it has been no problem

I asked the vet about putting the strongid in food and he said if one ate too much of it the cat would be sick or could die. I did it last year, because another vet told me it wouldn't hurt them. I do have little ones out here now.