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Phoenix's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: 2 cats black/white and one tabby
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Somewhere or maybe nowhere
Posts: 4,296
03-11-2010, 03:28 PM   #1

Deworming


Before Dylan came to the new house, he was being deflead and dewormed once a month due to hunting. He's not brought anything back at all since he came here and we have to physically tell him it's time to go out usually, though he asks to go out about once a day..

Will I need to continue defleaing and deworming him once a month or could I deflea and deworm him once every three months?



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Catsey Junior
 
Cats owned: 2 Moggies
Join Date: Mar 2010
Location: Sussex UK
Posts: 110
03-11-2010, 03:48 PM   #2

Re: Deworming


This is my personal opinion (& no doubt the manufacturers & retailers of flea & worming treatments will tell you differently!) but I don't like to subject my pets to these strong chemicals anymore often than absolutely necessary.

I probably use spot on flea treatment once or twice a year on my cats & twice a year on my dogs. I have 2 female cats that don't wander too far & only occasionally manage to catch the odd mouse or bird. They don't mix much with other neighbourhood cats & any terrotorial disputes are unlikely to lead to close contact or fighting. So in these circumstances I don't feel the need to use flea treatment anymore than that.

For worming ~ I don't bother with the cats at all. Now I know some people would disagree & if I ever saw worms in their faeces, or suspected they had worms, I would administer worming treatment immediately. But even if I did, the cats could still go out & pick up worms the next day.

I do worm the dogs about 2 to 3 times a year though as they go to hydrotherapy & one of the conditions is that they are wormed & treated for fleas regularly.

Healthy animals with good immune systems are unlikely to be made very ill with a parasitic infestation ~ & the infestation is unlikely to be anywhere near as bad for healthy animals in the prime of life. But sick, young, old or otherwise ailing animals could suffer more from parasitic infestations ~ so I would be more careful in these circumstances ~ although unhealthy pet cats & dogs are probably less likely to be exposed to parasites anyway.

So, in Dylan's case, & given his less adventurous lifestyle & being more of a homebird now, I would definitely say you are safe to cut down on the flea & worm treatments.



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dandysmom's Avatar
Catsey Veteran
 
Cats owned: Leia: blue torbie
Join Date: Dec 2005
Location: Washington, DC, USA
Posts: 31,378
03-11-2010, 04:27 PM   #3

Re: Deworming


Excellent advice from Wilbar. I've never wormed my indoor only cats; only used flea treatment on the odd times they got some from mice they'd caught indoors.



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