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When you buy through our links, Insider may earn an affiliate commission. Learn more. Intestinal parasites, commonly referred to as worms, hide inside your cat, silently causing harm. Common intestinal parasites in cats include roundworms, tapeworms, and hookworms. Some, like roundworms and hookworms, can also infect humans. If your cat has worms, you want to get rid of them fast and prevent them from ever coming back. Deworming medications kill the parasites your cat already has. Parasite preventives stop future infections from taking root so you never have to deal with worms again. But with so many products available, it can be difficult to choose a treatment for your cat. My knowledge about intestinal parasites and their treatment and prevention is informed by my 20-year career writing and editing for pet and veterinary publications. I also worked as an assistant in veterinary hospitals for eight years, where one of my jobs was conducting fecal tests to look for the presence of worms. Different drugs kill different worms, so you must always visit your veterinarian for a fecal test before giving your cat a dewormer. For this guide, I selected products based on safety, efficacy, the number of parasites targeted, and products' ease of use. I also used the quick product reference guide published by the independent, nonprofit Companion Animal Parasite Council in my research. Read more about my selection criteria at the end of this guide. For additional expertise, I interviewed two veterinarians about treating and preventing intestinal parasites in cats: Dr. Herman Jeffer, a veterinarian with Cornwallis Road Veterinary Hospital in Durham, North Carolina, and Dr. Colleen Sawyer, a veterinarian with Rolesville Veterinary Hospital in Rolesville, North Carolina. Once your veterinarian has determined what kind of worms your cat has, you can use one of the following treatments to get rid of them once and for all. Note that some of these products require a prescription. Learn more about how Insider Reviews tests and researches pet products. The best cat dewormers and intestinal parasite preventives in 2022Best broad-spectrum dewormer: Bayer Drontal Broad Spectrum Dewormer, $27.45 from Chewy Best oral tapeworm dewormer: Droncit Tablets, $28.40 from Chewy Best topical tapeworm dewormer: Centragard Topical Solution for Cats, $48.99 from Chewy Best oral parasite preventive: Interceptor Flavor Tabs, $50.59 from Chewy Best topical parasite preventive: Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats, $129.99 from Chewy
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