deworming nursing cat

[Melody]

My husband stopped by the vet and finally got to talk to one of them with some cat questions. I just had a pregnant cat dumped on us. Had ultra sound and figured she was too far along to spay. Vet says two maybe three kittens. Well she had 6 on March 2. I think I saw tape worms a day or two before the kittens were born. Vet told my husband I can go ahead now and worm momma with the liquid. I only have drontal pills and can't seem to find out if they are safe for nursing moms or not. Wondering if anyone here knows for sure. I will call the vet again later but they are so unorganized down there and vets way too busy. Anyone on this group from Oklahoma, I need homes for these babies! I now have 11 cats in the house and two in the barn.

[acheyarcher]

it should be fine. Your biggest concern should be roundworm, which is a given in the kittens and suspect in the female of unknown history. The tapeworm is not directly contagious / transferred to the kittens, so the concern there is the nutrition status of the mom and fleas, of course.

typically it would be advisable to deworm with pyrantal pamoate every three weeks x 3 then the kittens get their dose starting at around 8 weeks old.

[Melody]

I have the pyrantal pamoate coming. Vets office has this on line pharmacy now. Had no idea it would take this long to get though. He also said bring the kittens in at 7 or 8 weeks. Mom doesn't seem to have fleas. I am not totally sure I saw a tape worm, haven't seen anything since. I had read on a lot of sites where people suggest worming kittens starting at two weeks! They are all fat and happy kittens right now, one is huge compared to the others. Mom is doing great. Such a good Mom but last time she has to go through this. Just hope I can find homes for the babies. 13 cats is a bit much. The last babies I had vet had me deworming starting at 7 weeks and then every three weeks. Wonder why some are doing it every two weeks and at such an early age?

[Fatcat]

I have the pyrantal pamoate coming. Vets office has this on line pharmacy now. Had no idea it would take this long to get though. He also said bring the kittens in at 7 or 8 weeks. Mom doesn't seem to have fleas. I am not totally sure I saw a tape worm, haven't seen anything since. I had read on a lot of sites where people suggest worming kittens starting at two weeks! They are all fat and happy kittens right now, one is huge compared to the others. Mom is doing great. Such a good Mom but last time she has to go through this. Just hope I can find homes for the babies. 13 cats is a bit much. The last babies I had vet had me deworming starting at 7 weeks and then every three weeks. Wonder why some are doing it every two weeks and at such an early age?

Too bad you're so far away, I would like a barn cat.

[acheyarcher]

Pyrantyl is safe and ascarids are almost guaranteed in neonates. I think 2 weeks is fairly young but I guess each vet chooses their own protocol, particularly if a client has a crowded, challenged or breeding situation. 6 weeks, when kittens first come to the clinic, was the earliest we did. we would have rare occasions where a younger kitten was clearly distressed and would do simply because the kitten was overwhelmed and needed therapy

[Melody]

My vet said bring them down 6 to 8 weeks old, 'Everything I read about people deworming starting at two weeks seemed to be people breeding cats. Hallie did not like getting that squirted in her face but she is doing fine. Will be hard finding homes as in me having to let them go but 13 cats is a bit much. I think I saw the father or one of the fathers in my back yard today, a huge cat. Hope he has a home somewhere. This is getting stupid. I use to have a lot of dogs so I guess they were chasing cats away. We are down to one very old dog who sleeps all the time and is inside a lot.