tapeworms and won't take meds!

[julia123123]

We have a beautiful feral cat at our property who regularly brings us rabbits, mice, and moles. I noticed a pulsating white segment on her tail a few weeks ago and identified it as a tapeworm segment. I immediately bought tapeworm pills from chewy.com. I tried a pill pocket...she refused it. I tried crushing the pill up in her wet food...she refused it. I've read that tapeworm meds are really bitter. How can I deworm her and keep her worm free? Or are tapeworms inevitable in an outdoor cat?

 

[Norachan]

Outdoor cats do pick up a lot of parasites, but it's important to treat them for worms regularly in order to keep them healthy. How feral is this cat? Can you touch her at all?

Profender® Topical Solution | For Veterinary Professionals treats roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. It's a liquid that you apply to the back of the cats neck, so they can't lick it off. You need to be able to handle the cat enough to part the fur at the back of her neck and squeeze the liquid onto her skin, but if she'll let you it's much easier than trying to pill her.

 

[Jcatbird]

If you cannot touch this cat, the best thing I have found for getting nasty tasting crushed pills into a feral cat is by getting it into them before it has a chance to dissolve or by really hiding the taste. Hiding bitter pills is not easy. I tear cooked bacon into tiny pieces and make a small pile over the pill parts. The grease from the bacon does a fair job of disguising the bitterness. Make the pile small though so the cat eats it all. You might want to just break the pill into pieces rather than really crushing it up into a powder. Beautiful cat! Quite the huntress too! How nice of her to care enough about you to share! She has great affection for you to do this.

 

[julia123123]

Outdoor cats do pick up a lot of parasites, but it's important to treat them for worms regularly in order to keep them healthy. How feral is this cat? Can you touch her at all?

Profender® Topical Solution | For Veterinary Professionals treats roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. It's a liquid that you apply to the back of the cats neck, so they can't lick it off. You need to be able to handle the cat enough to part the fur at the back of her neck and squeeze the liquid onto her skin, but if she'll let you it's much easier than trying to pill her.

Wow, I hadn't realized that a topical was available! Yes, she's a snuggler. Is it truly Rx-only? Our vets here are scheduling 2 months out now. It's nearly impossible to get in! I'm not sure if I could get her into a portable crate, either. Argh!

 

[julia123123]

If you cannot touch this cat, the best thing I have found for getting nasty tasting crushed pills into a feral cat is by getting it into them before it has a chance to dissolve or by really hiding the taste. Hiding bitter pills is not easy. I tear cooked bacon into tiny pieces and make a small pile over the pill parts. The grease from the bacon does a fair job of disguising the bitterness. Make the pile small though so the cat eats it all. You might want to just break the pill into pieces rather than really crushing it up into a powder. Beautiful cat! Quite the huntress too! How nice of her to care enough about you to share! She has great affection for you to do this.

Bacon, that's a great idea! I'm going to try for the topical for now. She is definitely a mighty hunter and a wonderful companion. She trots along after us when we are outside and sits next to me in the garden when I work. She has a nice heated bed in our garage for cold winter nights. I even made a Christmas ornament inspired by her impressive hunting skills!

 

[Norachan]

Is it truly Rx-only?

No, I buy mine on the Japanese equivalent of Amazon, so I:m sure you can get it online too. It's sold in different size doses for cats under or over 5 kilos, so just guess her weight and order that one

I even made a Christmas ornament inspired by her impressive hunting skills!

That's so cool! My cats are all mighty hunters too, but they never share their bounty with me. All I ever find are little piles of mouse guts on the kitchen floor.

 

[di and bob]

I used Profender on my ferals who could not be held or touched long. Call your vet, explain that you have a feral that can not be brought in or handled and you would like them to prescribe Profender. Tell them which company, PetMeds, etc. will be contacting them. Not all vets will do this, mine will because they know feral cats. Get the cat used to you while they are eating and stroke their back while they are eating. Have the Profender open and ready, you have to be quick, and get it under the fur. slide it down to the skin, almost between their ears down their neck. DO NOT put it between the shoulder blades, most cats can twist and lick there and it causes them to foam at the mouth and run. I have also had success taking a TINY piece of Pill pocket for cats, and 'cementing' the pills to a tiny piece of bacon. They usually swallow it without chewing. Cats get tapeworms from the fleas of their prey. They do not transmit them to humans. so this will be an ongoing treatment if she is such a good huntress.

 

[julia123123]

I will give it a try!

 

[Jcatbird]

The Christmas ornament is awesome! It is beautiful work and looks just like her.
Our vet is booked solid too but I went in recently and said ,” Help!” Lol They did. Getting something like this for a feral might be something they will be willing to do without scheduling though. Let them know you saw the tapeworms! Confirmed sighting! Let us know how things go.

 

[julia123123]

Thanks! I'll give that a try this week. Hopefully they'll just call in an Rx!

 

[Willowy]

If she's a snuggler, will she let you pill her? Just open her mouth with one hand and poke the pill down her throat with the other hand, if done correctly most cats barely notice (some cats will fight it no matter what, though). If you do it when she's sleepy it might be easier.

 

[julia123123]

I don't think she'd allow that. She's pretty squirmy and allows pets, but nothing else. She trusts me, but I don't want to get bitten!