How Much Does It Cost To Deworm a Cat?

Both adult cats and kittens are susceptible to internal parasites. Worms are one kind of internal parasite, and they can cause organ blockages, take essential nutrients, and hinder growth in kittens.¹

Deworming kittens, or regularly deworming cats, can cost over $15 per treatment, and diagnosing worms with a fecal test can cost $30 – $130. However, if the worms cause an intestinal blockage, surgery to remove them could cost between $800 and $6,000 or more.²

So, what exactly are these internal parasites? How can they affect your feline friend, and is there a way to prevent worms? We’ll answer these questions and more. 

How Cats Get Worms

There are a few ways cats can catch worms. If they get infected feces or parasite eggs on them, chances are, as they groom themselves, they’ll ingest the parasite. Some other ways they may come into contact with worms include:^1,3

• Drinking their mother’s infected milk
• Sharing a litter box with a cat who has worms
• Walking through an infected area, like a lawn
• Hunting and catching an infected rodent or other small creature
• Getting bitten by fleas carrying worms

Types of Worms in Cats and Their Symptoms

While there are many kinds of worms, cats are particularly susceptible to certain types. The worms mostly spread through eggs and infected feces. Here are some ways each type of worm could affect your cat:¹

• Roundworms: These can cause excess gas and digestive issues and may stunt a kitten’s growth.
• Tapeworms: Depending on the species, these can cause intestinal upsets and blockages or stunted growth.
• Whipworms: These can cause intestinal inflammation and irritation.
• Heartworms: These can cause heart and respiratory damage and potential heart failure.
• Hookworms: These can cause anemia, eczema, and bacterial skin infections.
• Lungworms: These can cause pneumonia, lung disease, and trouble breathing.⁴

Other symptoms of worms in cats

Your cat’s symptoms may vary depending on how bad the infestation is or how long it’s been progressing. Nevertheless, here are some general signs of worms in cats:^1,3

• Vomiting and diarrhea
• Visible worms or eggs in poop
• Pot-bellied stomach
• Coughing
• Dehydration
• Lack of appetite and weight loss
• Dull coat
• Anemia

Why Deworming Kittens Is Important

Worms can pose a higher risk to kittens, since the parasites can suck the nutrients needed for kittens to grow, which could stunt their development. This is why a deworming schedule is so important.¹

Kittens should be dewormed once they’re weaned off of their mother’s milk — usually around the 4 – 6 weeks old mark — then every 4 weeks until they turn 6 months old. At this point, you’ll want to put them on a parasite prevention program.² Ask your veterinarian about your options.

Diagnosing Worms in Cats

There are a few ways to tell if your cat has internal parasites. The most obvious is spotting worms in their poop or around their anus. However, if they show other symptoms, your veterinarian can run a few diagnostic tests. Fecal float tests can help identify most internal worms. However, the only way to diagnose heartworms is through blood work.¹

Fecal exams and blood work during your cat’s regular checkups can help your vet identify worms early, protecting your cat from complications down the line.

How To Deworm a Cat

If your cat does have worms, your vet will prescribe a dewormer — either an oral or topical medication or injection. They’ll generally recommend a series of doses to ensure all life stages of the parasite are killed. The type of medication and dosing depends on the specific worms being treated, how bad the infestation is, and your cat’s health.^2,3

If the worm infestation is causing severe symptoms — such as digestive upset, dehydration, anemia, or intestinal blockages — your vet will typically treat those, too. Follow-up appointments are common to ensure all treatments are working.³

Can you deworm a cat at home?

Common at-home deworming remedies, such as coconut oil and turmeric, aren’t always vet-approved. While there’s a wide variety of over-the-counter (OTC) deworming medicines, vets don’t recommend them either and advise against deworming your cat at home without getting a proper diagnosis.^2,3

Instead, work with your vet for safe and effective deworming, and practice preventative measures at home to help prevent reinfection.³

Preventing Worms in Cats

Prevention is the most effective way to keep your cat free from parasites. Work with your vet to start your cat on regular parasite prevention medication that protects against fleas, ticks, heartworm, and intestinal worms.^2,3

If you have an outdoor cat or multiple indoor cats sharing a litter box, you may want to consider regular deworming treatments. These can be done every 1 – 3 months, depending on your vet’s recommendation.^2,3

Cleaning the litter box daily can minimize contact with potentially infected poop. Plus, routine checkups with fecal tests and blood work are an important part of keeping your cat healthy.³

Does Pet Insurance Cover Deworming?

One of the costs of owning a cat is treating health concerns — like worms. MetLife Pet Insurance can reimburse you up to 90% of internal parasite treatment costs and associated vet care if your cat gets infected.⁵

Plus, our optional Preventive Care plan can reimburse you up to your selected benefit limit for parasite prevention, deworming meds, and other routine care. This extra level of protection can make pet insurance worth it.

Our cat insurance helped Steve, a domestic long-haired kitty, with his intestinal parasite issues. The vet visit, diagnostics, and all of his treatment cost nearly $2,000, and MetLife Pet reimbursed Steve’s family over $1,500.⁶

Internal parasites can be scary, but MetLife Pet can help you with coverage for prevention and treatment. Give your kitty the best care you can by getting started with a free quote today.