If you are a cat owner, you know that heartworms and hookworms are serious issues your pet can face. They can cause several health problems, including sudden death, so administering a deworming medication is essential for any doting cat owner.
If you need a little help choosing the best brand for your pet, you’ve come to the right place. We are about to review several different brands so that you can see the difference between them. We’ll tell you the pros and cons of each one, and we’ve also included a short buyer’s guide where we talk about what you should look for if you continue to shop.
Keep reading while we discuss ingredients, administration, and more to help you make an informed purchase.
Our Favorites Products in 2023
| Image | Product | Details | ||
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Best Over-The-Counter Cat Dewormer
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Heartgard Chew for Cats |
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Best Value
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Hartz Rid Worm for Cats |
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Premium Choice
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Revolution Topical Solution for Cats |
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| Best Dewormer for Kittens |
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Profender Topical Solution for Cats |
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| Best Tapeworm Medicine for Cats |
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Bayer Dewormer for Cat Tapeworms |
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The 7 Best Cat Dewormers
1. Heartgard Chew for Cats – Best Over-the-Counter Cat Dewormer
| Cat Size: | 5–15 pounds |
| Supply: | 6 months |
Heartgard Chew for Cats is our pick as the best over-the-counter cat dewormer. You administer this medication via chewable tablets that you can provide as a treat or mixed with other food. The primary medication is ivermectin which is effective against heartworm and tapeworm, and you get a long-lasting 6-month supply.
We like using Heartgard and found it effective at protecting our cats. The only downside is that some cats don’t like it, and it can be difficult to get them to eat it when it’s time.
2. Hartz UltraGuard Rid Worm for Roundworms for Cats – Best Value
| Cat Size: | Under 3 pounds |
| Supply: | 4 ounces |
Hartz UltraGuard Rid Worm Dewormer for Roundworms for Cats is our pick as the best cat dewormer for the money. It comes in a large 4-ounce bottle and is easy to administer to the cats because you can drop it directly into their mouth or add it into their food. It’s extremely effective at removing roundworms found in the intestines, and a single bottle should be enough to treat several cats.
The downside to Hartz UltraGuard is that it’s not effective against heartworms, hookworms, or tapeworms, so you will need to purchase a different medication for those parasites. The dose can also be quite large, and it might be difficult to get some cats to eat enough.
3. Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats – Premium Choice
| Cat Size: | 11.1–22 pounds |
| Supply: | 6 months |
Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats is our premium choice cat dewormer. It’s a powerful medication that can help eliminate many worms, including heartworm, hookworm, roundworm, and tapeworm but it also gets rid of other parasites like fleas and ticks, which can be the cause of other problems like Lyme disease. While the version we’re talking about here is suitable for larger cats, you can also get doses for smaller cats.
The only real downside to Revolution Plus is that it’s quite expensive, especially if you have more than one cat.
4. Profender Topical Solution for Cats – Best Dewormer for Kittens
| Cat Size: | 2.2–5.5 pounds of body weight; 8 weeks of age and older |
| Supply: | Single-use |
Profender Topical Solution for Cats is our pick as the best dewormer for kittens. It’s incredibly easy to use, and you only need to apply the medication to the skin to be effective against hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. It’s quite effective, and you can purchase it in a single dose or with two doses in a package.
Profender Topical is well suited for kittens, but it doesn’t protect them from heartworm, and it’s quite expensive when you are purchasing it by the dose, especially if you have more than one kitten.
5. Bayer Dewormer for Tapeworms for Cats – Best Tapeworm Medicine for Cats
| Cat Size: | Under 6 weeks old |
| Supply: | 3 tablets |
Bayer Dewormer for Tapeworms for Cats is an extremely effective medication and is our choice as the best tapeworm medicine for cats. It will eliminate most tapeworms with a single dose, and you get three tablets per package, so depending on your cat’s size there might be enough even if you have multiple cats, and it works quickly with most tapeworms expelled in a few days.
.The primary downside to Bayer Dewormer is that it can be difficult to get your cats to eat it even if you mix it with their favorite food.
6. Centragard Topical Solution for Cats
| Cat Size: | 1.8–5 pounds of body weight; 7 weeks of age and older |
| Supply: | 3 doses |
Centragard Topical Solution for Cats is another brand you can use on small kittens weighing as little as 1.8 pounds to protect them from heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. It’s easy to use as you only need to apply it to the skin to be effective, and there is also a larger size for full-grown cats.
The downside to Centragard Topical Solution is that you only get three doses per package, so you will need to resupply frequently to keep your cat safe.
7. HomeoPet WRM Clear Dewormer for for Cats
| Cat Size: | 5–15 pounds |
| Supply: | 450 drops |
HomeoPet WRM Clear Dewormer for Hookworms, Roundworms, Tapeworms & Whipworms for Cats is the only natural dewormer on this list, and it has no known side effects. Instead, it eliminates multiple different kinds of worms without chemicals in a non-sedating, easy-to-use formula.
The primary downside to using HomeoPet WRM Clear Dewormer is that it’s hard to keep up with the doses since they want you to apply it to your cat three times a day, and we didn’t feel it worked as well as prescription brands. Plus, it might take a while before you notice any improvement.
Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose the Best Cat Dewormer
Are you still confused about which product to choose? Take a look at these variables that will help you narrow in on the best medicine for your sick kitty.
Type of Worm
As you may have noticed reading over these reviews, many types of worms can affect your pet, so you will need to know which type you are trying to eliminate before purchasing a certain brand. Like our premium choice, some brands can eliminate several types. Your veterinarian will advise you on what is the best product, and the correct dose and frequency for your cat depending on the specifics of the case.
Supply
The amount of dewormer you require depends on the type of worm you are trying to eliminate and the size of your cat. If your cat has a tapeworm or roundworm, you may only need a few doses to eradicate them, and it’s unlikely your cat will catch them again. However, mosquitoes transmit heartworm, and they can even get into your home to infect your house cats, so we recommend a monthly medication to keep your pet healthy. Fortunately, many of these medications also kill and prevent fleas and ticks, which transmit Lyme disease, so these medications provide your pet with significant protection against multiple diseases.
Food vs Drops
To administer your deworming medication, you will squeeze it out of a tube onto their head, or you will feed it to them in a pill, powder, or treat. Both have advantages and disadvantages, and the type you use will depend mostly on your cat. Liquids that you squeeze on their head can be easier, but many cats can smell it and quickly head for the hills, so you will need to have a good hold of your pet. Pills, powders, and treats are easy if your pet likes the taste but almost impossible if it doesn’t. Cats will eat around medication in their food, and sometimes you need to place the pill directly in their mouth.
Conclusion
When choosing your next cat dewormer, we highly recommend our pick for the best overall. Heartgard Chew for Cats is an easy to administer dewormer that most of our cats seemed to enjoy. It will protect your pet from heartworm, tapeworm, and more, and there is a six-month supply in each package. Another smart choice is our premium pick. The Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats is extremely effective at removing worms and other parasites like fleas and ticks. You reapply it every month, and each box contains a 6-month supply.
Featured Image Credit: Iryna Imago, Shutterstock
