We know we can’t avoid deworming completely, and that it puts us between a rock and a hard place because we don’t know how our cat may react.
We may have occasionally gotten an unexpected scratch, a bite or a meow when trying to deworm our cats. Did you see how anxious they got? Here’s what you need to know to do it in a friendly way.
Did you know cats are prone to stress? First, let’s discuss what stress means for cats. It is a normal mechanism to cope with changes in their life that prompt them to adapt. It is part of a set of physiological reactions that arise in situations that disrupt their routine, changes in their environment, and even the arrival of a new member of the household.
Faced with these stimuli, their nervous system activates, sending signals that prepare them for a fight-or-flight response: their heart begins to race, their respiratory frequency increases, and their throat prepares to meow and vocalize. On certain occasions, this is accompanied by other signs such as tremors, dilated pupils, episodes of diarrhea or vomiting.
We want to prevent this from happening, so we want to advise you so that you always choose what’s best for your cat. Here are some things you should know to become an expert in cat-friendly deworming:
- As it is one of the few things that must be done every month, do not expose your cat to stressful maneuvers, such as forced restraint among many people or using elements to do it.
- Spot-on products are formulated to be applied topically or in direct contact with the skin, which allows you to do it in a convenient and safe way inside the home, so you will no longer need extra help to deworm your cat.
- In addition, you can do it any time your cat is relaxed so they will not realize that you are deworming them. If you find them resting on your couch, on the table, or on the TV, those are good times to do it.
- Spot-on products are also a great option if your cat is debilitated or suffering from a gastrointestinal condition, because since these products are applied on the skin, they bypass the GI tract, and the entire dose is administered regardless of their cooperation.
Now that you know our secrets, go ahead and make deworming a positive experience, and remember that by protecting your cat inside and out, your home will be parasite-free and your cat will not have to deal with the long-term consequences of stress.
