you can mix the DE in the dry food as well.

Good question ... on the same kind of subject, as I watch my feral barn cat scratching, out the window ... anything I can do for her fleas?

pamghatten, if there's a particular place where she likes to roll in the dust, you might try putting Sevin dust or DE in the area? This is assuming you can't handle her to put it on "in person."

No, I can't put it on in person. She's a very feral cat ... and because I usually have my dogs with me, she doesn't roll where we are or around the barn.

I was hoping there was something I could put in her food. :>) Wishful thinking?

Cat wormer tastes bitter to cats. That's why it's usually in a pill form and you have to get it down their throat without them tasting it, or they will spit it out. I have had one cat who actually chomped up the pill and didn't get annoyed.

I have a friend who deals with feral cats all the time. I will ask her about the deworming thing, how she handles it with them, and will post back about it.

Okay, here's what my friend told me:

"She can get regular, single dose de-worming tabs - and hide the tablet in a very small amount (bite size) of raw meat - turkey burger is often a favorite. She would need to hand feed them - meaning that one cat would get one dose ONLY! If they are hungry, then they will usually take the treat and pretty much swallow it whole. The biggest challenge usually is to make sure the greedy alpha cats only get ONE dose. She can use a spray bottle to help keep the greedy ones at bay once they have had their dose. It's really important that they not get multiple doses at once - it can make them really sick or even kill them."

You can get Drontal in cat size pretty cheap at most pet/vet supply places online.

Thank you. I think I'll wait til it gets colder and she's in the barn more. Then I cold probably do something like that.

If the barn cats aren't wormed, they will get skinny and sick. But you can buy something called, "pill pockets" in almost any pet store...you put the medication inside them. The cats love to eat them...

Our animal rescue, Shelter Me, Inc. has placed quite a few barn cats and produces videos that we post on our website for informational purposes...if you would like to see the latest, it is about acclimating barn cats - how to do it. Might be easier for you to view them on youtube -

Here is a link that might be useful: Shelter Me Inc youtube feature - how to acclimate barn cats

I have many outside cats and they are all excellent hunters and keep the rodent/snake (and alas, bird) population at bay. In return, I keep them well fed and fresh water daily, flea treatments, rabies shots, and spay/neuter as my finances allow. If they get sick, they get a trip to the vet. I don't have any ferals and I suppose that may be unavoidable in some situations. I find it hard to keep up with worming, to be honest. I know they ALL have worms and once treated they immediately become reinfected when they eat another mouse or bird. Also, I think it would be hard to treat a feral effectively but there are some good suggestions here. I guess I'm not much help, LOL. Of course it is good practice and to the cat's benefit to be wormed. I just don't put that at a priority because it seems a never-ending cycle. Lori

Barn cats are not the same as feral cats -- our barn cats are well-paid employees and absolutely necessary on a farm. They get DE mixed in wet food once a week and that seems to keep them worm free. I also use it in their ears when they have mites and dust them with it to get rid of fleas.

Diatomaceous Earth is a very versatile product but be sure you get the food grade type. (I have never had luck getting them to eat their dry food with it on there - they don't like the dry powder). Just moistening their kibble and adding a good amount of DE does the trick.

I used diotomaceous earth for the first time a couple of weeks ago, on a litter of skinny-ish foster kittens.

I sprinkled some in a plate of Dollar General brand Ocean Fish canned cat food (best smell!) one evening & did it again a couple of evenings later.

Kittens fattened right up!

I know this is an old topic, but wanted to tell what I use to worm my cats and it is very cost effective. I buy it at Walgreens. It is Reese's Pin Worm Cure....yes, for people....children, I suppose, but it is the same as the wormer I get from the vet, but for less than $10 for the bottle, I can worm a dozen or more cats. I give .1 cc per pound. Repeat weekly for about 3 or 4 weeks. It kils hook and round worms. The active ingredient is pyrantel pamoate. It is yellow and smells like bananas. I worm my dogs with it too. Very safe I just open their mouths and squirt it in. The last time I got it at the vet, he charged me $18 for one dose. I have several rescue cats from the shelter...unadoptable...barn cats. I cut corners where I can.

As someone else said, barn cats that are doing their job & killing rodents will constantly get reinfected. But rabies shots are important.

I am wondering how diatomaceous earth can work for worms since it is useless when it is wet, as its usefulness is the fact that it dries bugs up. Can someone help me understand? Has anyone ever taken a cat to be checked before and after treatment to be sure that the worms are gone?

Also, does it work for roundworm, heartworm, and tapeworm?

Thanks!

Giving cats garlic is so dangerous it's extremely toxic to them especially raw. Using garlic is a human deworming remedy but it still doesn't get rid of all the worms. Please do not try to give cats garlic If You were somehow able to get them to eat it you'll cause them a lot of unnecessary suffering and possibly a vet bill. And please make sure that the DE you're getting is for human consumption.. if it's not you're feeding them the type that would really harm them. There's DE for killing bugs and for other uses and then there's DE human grade for human consumption that can be eaten by humans, cats, etc, in small doses to help CONTROL parasites DE it's not an effective dewormer, but it's good to be given in between deworming doses. You should deworm your inside and outside animals twice a year. Especially if you don't have your indoor animal on a monthly flea and worm topical solution, they'd be at risk of contracting parasites (flea's tic's mites\lice and worms) viruses, bacteria, just by you tracking in stuff on your shoes when you're taking care of the outdoor animals. Always wash your hands after dealing with you before interrupting with your indoor animals.

DO NOT LISTEN TO henhilton IF YOU HAVE ANIMALS. YOU CANNOT USE SEVIN DUST AROUND ANIMALS IT'S EXTREMELY TOXIC TO HUMANS AND PETS. I think in 2020 they changed the ingredients because they aren't allowing homeowners to use carbaryl for home bug control because it's not safe. These chemicals mess with the bugs nervous system.. you don't think that's not going to do anything to you especially if you're dusting your animal with it. If they inhale it, eat it or have any physical contact with it it's going to be bad. Depending on the animal the smallest amount could kill them.. you guys really need to stop being irresponsible when it comes to your pets. I mean you guys have all the information you could ever dream of at your fingertips.. but you don't take advantage of it and do your research for the sake of your pets life comfort and happiness and for your conscience and pocketbook. Use your heads