All cats should be regularly wormed. Tapeworm-carrying fleas can easily get into our homes, hitching a ride on our clothes and bags, other pets or visitors. Indoor cats can all too easily ingest fleas – along with tapeworms – when they're grooming themselves, unwittingly infecting themselves with intestinal worms.
Can you worm and flea a cat at the same time?
If Frontline is used, then worming is advised every 1-3 months. This is because Frontline is not effective against any worms. We also advise not to give multiple treatments at the same time. You should leave 2 weeks between administering spot-on treatment (e.g. Advocate) and a worming tablet (e.g. Milbemax).
Do cats always get worms from fleas?
Regardless of whether the owner has seen fleas on the cat, or in the home, the cat must have ingested a flea in order to have tapeworms. "Fleas are the intermediate host for the tapeworm, Dipylidium caninum." Consequently, tapeworms are more common in environments that are heavily infested with fleas.
How do you know if your cat has worms from fleas?
The easiest way to tell if your cat has tapeworms is to look at its feces, around its anus and in bedding. Usually tapeworms come out of your cat's anus while it is sleeping or relaxed. If you see small white worms or what look like grains of rice or sesame seeds, your cat likely has tapeworms.
Do I need to flea and worm my cat?
Because fleas can carry worms, your indoor cat should be wormed as well. It's better to be safe than sorry, and both flea and worm treatment is easy and safe, whereas elimination of parasites once they have taken hold can be more complicated. A regular flea and worm treatment regime will keep your cat - and you!
