Hi there, I have a 2 and a half year old indoor cat. Since we have had her we have tried to worm her by putting paste into her food, putting paste stright into the mouth, crushing the tablets with food and trying to put the tablets into her mouth.

How do you actually get the cat to let you get the worming tablet into her mouth? How do you get them to swollow it after you have got it into the cat's mouth?

Any suggestions will be useful. Thank you, Sandra

-- Sandra Sunflower (sunf1ower2000@yahoo.com), April 01, 2001

Answers

Mix one teaspoon of food grade Diatomaceous Earth daily into the cat's food. Deworming done easy!

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), April 01, 2001.

Rogo,

Would the above work for dogs also?

-- (aunt_tm@hotmail.com), April 01, 2001.

You must push the pill down into its throat, not just put it in its mouth. Good luck! Jean (who recently dosed 8 cats daily for 10 days with antibiotic pills)

-- Jean (schiszik@tbcnet.com), April 02, 2001.

This is how I got pills into my cats:

Assume a determined attitude, like a good mother -- you know your kid (in this case, your pet) needs this, you aren't going to take NO for an answer, but you're not going to hurt or terrorize the little thing. The cat that already knows you rule the roost will be easier to work with.

Get ahold of cat and kneel on the floor (make sure the pill is handy first). Sit the cat's butt on the floor in front of your knees (this is so the cat can't easily back out of your grip). If you can't kneel well, try standing next to a bed or another approximately knee height surface. Restrain the cat around the chest with the fingers or the left hand. Open the mouth with whatever combination of fingers and thumbs works for you (this is something that only experimenting and experience will determine and it depends on how your cat behaves also). While holding the mouth open, drop the pill in as far back in the throat as you can get it. If necessary, use your finger to poke it down further while still hoping the mouth open. If your cat is a slasher type, don't use your finger. Getting the pill in does take dexterity. Once the pill is in the throat area, close the mouth and hold it closed. Massage the throat, even pull GENTLY on the skin at the throat to encourage the cat to swallow.

That said, it doesn't always work. Using my determined mindset, I will pick up the spit out slimy pill and put it back in again. If necessary, I'll get a different pill (I usually ask for a few extra if it's something that has to have a certain number of doses because of the possibility of failure.

If your cat LOVES some food, you're in luck. Crush the pill and mix well in the yummy food. Helps if the cat is hungry. Use only a small amount of food to make sure the cat eats it all, but enough so that the medicine taste isn't so obvious (another judgement call). You can feed them the rest of their meal after they consume the medicated part.

I assume this wormer is something specific for worms that a fecal examination has shown your cat to have. Otherwise, you're likely wasting time and money giving something the cat either doesn't need or won't be effective for it's particular parasite. Not to mention annoying your cat unnecessarily and creating undue suspicion of your status as benevolent despot.

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), April 02, 2001.

== Rogo, Would the above work for dogs also? ==

Clinical Observations of Feeding Food Grade Diatomaceous Earth To Dogs

O.C. Collins, DVM

Midland Animal Clinic and Hospital

Midland, Texas

In clinical observations of feeding dogs over 35 lbs. 1 tablespoon/day, and under 35 lbs. 1 teaspoon/day of food grade diatomaceous earth, within seven days all ova disappeared from stools. Diatomaceous Earth controlled Ascarids (Toxacara canis), Hookworms (Anclyostoma caninum), and Whipworms (Trichuris vulipis).

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

If you have trouble getting the cat to swallow the pill, just gently blow a couple of puffs of air in the cat's face. They blink and swallow. Works for us and we have 7 of the little darlings....

-- j (jw_hsv@yahoo.com), April 03, 2001.

If you are trying to get the cat to take a paste type medicine you can spread it on it's paw. Cat will lick it right off! Usually....

-- tang (tang@mtaonline.net), April 03, 2001.

Rogo do the worms build up an immunity to the diatomaceous earth like they do to the poison wormers.And you said food grade D E ,are their different kinds?Does it work on chickens or live stock?

-- Steve (a12goat@cs.com), April 05, 2001.

Steve, DE does not build up a tolerance in worms. It it microscopic, sharp skeletons of long-dead organisms. It kills worms and insects by cutting into them. I think then they get dehydration and die. It isn't a chemical, it's like sticking little knives into them. Doesn't hurt the big critters. Some people put some in their chickens' dust bath to help kill off mites.

There is swimming pool grade -- not good for humans or other animals. There is food grade -- can be fed to the critters or used to "dust" your stored dried foods (grains, beans, etc.). There is the stuff that you can buy in gardening stores/supply. I think that is food grade, but I don't know how clean it is required to be. You can use it in your garden to kill slugs -- put a band of it around your garden or plants that you want to protect.

-- Joy F (So.Central Wisconsin) (CatFlunky@excite.com), April 05, 2001.

Sandra, I have 13 Cats, and work at a humane society.... Heres the easiest way... Reach around the back of cats head hold jaw from behind with thumb and middle finger... tip head back and pry jaw open with slight pressure on hinge of jaw with these two fingers... with right hand drop pill into back of throat... mouth is wide open, so this is easy...snap jaw closed and hold firmly shut, rub throat with fingers gently to encourage swallowing, this is super easy...Liquid is a bit harder, one cough will spray it if you arent quick.

-- Michele Rae Padgett (michelesmelodyfarm@Yahoo.com), April 06, 2001.

As a veteran cat owner, I use a combination of all of the above methods - it sorta depends on the cat & on the situation, LOL. I find that blowing in the face & massaging the throat at the same time works on our little darlings. Sometimes, if you don't have good aim when putting the pill into their mouth, you might have to use a finger to direct it back into the throat - just be sure you don't go too far, so they don't choke on it. Also, if you have a freaky, scratchy cat, try wrapping it in a towel so you don't get clawed to death.

Smooshing the pills into foods doesn't work very well here, at our house. I don't know if we have an unusually picky group here (all rescues except one) or what.

I use diatomaceous earth, too. Seems to work just as well if not better than the OTC wormers - which usually only kill 1 parasite, that I've found anyway. Well, I don't know about you guys, but I don't have a microscope & an egg chart on my wall to do fecals to determine what we're suffering here. . . LOL! So far, I've only tried the DE on the cats, b/c they seemed to be the wormiest. I think I have it under control now that it's Spring & everyone will be going outside. . . but at least they're all looking healthy & worm- free!

I'd love to try it on all of our animals - does anyone have the info on dosage for animals larger than dogs & cats? I have goats, horses & chickens, too.

Good luck w/ your kitties!

-- Sarah/MI (colonel@frontiernet.net), April 06, 2001.

If you've eaten anything made with flour (like Bisquick, cake mixes, etc.), you've eaten DE.

The University of Illinois School of Veterinary medicine has stated that nothing enters the meat or milk. LD/50 test shows there is no damage to organs even when fed in much larger percentages then needed.

The Federal Registry of the U.S. Congress lists DE as having "no tolerance" in the storage of grain. Many vitamin companies include DE for its trace minerals.

The Bio-integral Resource Center, Berkley, CA (formed in 1979 to provide practical, non-toxic and effective alternatives to a wide variety of pest problems in the U.S. & Canada) concluded that DE is not a hazard as the body can dissolve it.

The following field reports establish the virtues of DE as a parasitical, a digestive aid and a container of trace mineral. Holistically speaking, DE is a compatible natural compound of organic origin that works harmoniously with the body in ways that cannot (as in homeopathy) always be explained. We at PHD are willing to take some first steps on behalf of the industry when we feel we are reasonably sure that we can improve the wellness of the whole animal.

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS OF FEEDING FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO DOGS

O.C. Collins, DVM

Midland Animal Clinic and Hospital

Midland, Texas

In clinical observations of feeding dogs over 35 lbs. 1 tablespoon/day, and under 35 lbs. 1 teaspoon/day of diatomaceous earth, within seven days all ova disappeared from stools. Diatomaceous Earth controlled Ascarids (Toxacara canis), Hookworms (Anclyostoma caninum), and Whipworms (Trichuris vulipis).

FIELD REPORT ON EXPERIMENTAL FEEDING OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO ZOO ANIMALS

Richard Smith, Hallwood Inc.

Animal Food Specialties

Grand Rapids, Michigan

A mixture of feed incorporating 2% diatomaceous earth was sent to three zoos for reviewuation ~ John Ball Park of Grand Rapids, Michigan; Brookfield Zoo of Chicago, Illinois; and Buffalo Zoo of Buffalo, New York.

John Ball and Buffalo Zoos reported that their black bears on the special feed showed a better coat and clearer eyes. The primates fed at the Brookfield Zoo displayed a pronounced improvement in both appearance and behavior. Stool samples taken at all three zoos showed an absence of any internal parasites - adult or egg. Parasites in these animals were present prior to using the diatomaceous earth food mixture.

TEST RESULTS FROM FEEDING A 5% RATION OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO RODENTS

Eldridge M. Burke, Ph. D.

Arizona State University

Division of Life Sciences

Tempe, Arizona

Comparison of test and control groups of rats where test and control groups were fed identical rations, i.e. 5% food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). Significant differences were manifested in weight gains. The DE tested group of males had an average weekly gain of 6.4% over the control group of male animals. There was no evidence observed relative to residual silica content of the test versus control animals.

NOTE: The DE apparently had some growth stimulating effect during the early growth period. From a chemical analysis viewpoint it becomes apparent that many of the trace elements present are the same elements necessary for cell growth and metabolism. A second factor that may have influenced the growth rate is the property for the absorbability of the food grade DE.

Although hypothetical at this time, it may be that food was absorbed into the surface of the diatom particles. This would assist in the enzyme action with the result of greater products of digestion being available to the animals.

RESULTS OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH FED TO HORSES

Four Winds Stables

Robert D. Horkman

Orlando, Florida

Results of feeding 5 oz./day of diatomaceous earth to show horses for a period of one year:

Healthier-looking animals with a definite sheen to their coats, absence of internal parasites, better feed conversion, reduction in manure odor, fly control, cured scours in cases where other medications had failed and improved appetites in "picky eaters."

REPORT ON FEEDING FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO WALKING HORSES

L. Thomas, Trainer

L. Frank Roper Stables

Winter Garden, Florida

With horses fed approximately 5 oz. of diatomaceous earth mixed in the feed twice daily, the following results were observed:

1. Stopped scours even on horses that had not responded to any other medications.

2. Noticeable fly reduction.

3. Horses showed an increase in appetites.

4. Weight gain due to better feed conversion.

5. Reduction in manure odor.

6. Elimination of any internal parasites.

7. Healthier appearance.

STUDY OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH IN FEED PIGS M. F. Petty, DVM

Alabama

Results were as follows:

1. No internal parasites were discovered in the test group at any time after seven days of the DE.

2. All hogs on DE stopped rooting and destroying the wooden feeder after 10 days.

3. By the end of the third week the odor of the test group was noticeably less offensive than the control group.

4. At the end of six weeks the fly population decreased markedly.

RESULTS OF THE USE OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH WITH POULTRY

C.S. Mangen, DVM

San Diego, California

Using two groups of birds with each group consisting of 8,000 white leghorn caged layers in their pullet year which had been producing for five months. After feeding the test group 60 lbs. of diatomaceous earth per 1-1/2 tons of standard mixed feed (17% protein) for 2-1/2 months the following results were observed:

1. There appeared to be less flies around the test group.

2. Droppings are of a drier consistency, making for easier cleaning of the house.

3. Seventy-five percent less deaths in the test group.

4. A 2-4 case per day increase in egg production by the test group compared to the control group.

ORGAN ANALYSIS OF DAIRY COWS

Michigan Department of Agriculture

Laboratory Division

Lansing, Michigan

Upon pathological examination of the organs of dairy cows having been given free-choice feeding of food-grade diatomaceous earth for a period of approximately five years, no visible organ abnormalities were observed.

FIELD REPORT - FREE CHOICE FEEDING TO DAIRY CATTLE

Dairy Herd Association

Improvement Program

Hussey Farms

Litchfield Park, Arizona

Tests run on purebred Jersey dairy cows given free choice access to food-grade diatomaceous earth (DE). Average intake was three ounces per cow per day. After six months the following results were observed:

Milk production in the test group increased over 20% with butter-fat content remaining the same.

Warbles problems came to an abrupt halt.

Feed assimilation improved and fly problems were brought under control.

FIELD REPORT - FEEDING FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO DAIRY COWS

J. S. Bunker

Bunker Farms, Mesa, Arizona

After feeding 100 dairy cows on DE for approximately one year, the following results were noted:

warbles became non-existent

fly nuisance almost completely disappeared

odors were almost completely gone

cows have better hair and coat condition and have no desire to lick soil as in the past

vet bills have been significantly reduced

butterfat content has risen from 503 lbs. per cow to 513 lbs. per cow.

FIELD REPORT - FEEDING OF FOOD-GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH TO DAIRY COWS

Daniel M. Brandt

McFarland, Wisconsin

Results from feeding 5 to 6 ounces of food-grade diatomaceous earth to dairy herd for a period of five weeks:

Butterfat tests have shown an increase of 3.7 to 3.9;

mastitis, which had been quite a severe problems, came under control (no new cases);

cows are brighter and healthier in appearance;

milk production has increased without an appreciable increase in feed.

====================

I feed my pet hog, steer, and Mammoth ~ who all weigh about the same, close to 1,000 pounds ~ 5 ounces (1 cup) per day. There are many other favorable things happening besides deworming. i.e. flies can't breed in the manure, since the DE will kill the larvae, and your fly population diminishes; there are many trace minerals in the DE which will enhance the critter, etc. etc. etc.

It is a waste of time and money to use any additional deworming methods of you're using DE properly.

I mix into the chook feed the recommended amount of 5% of the dry feed. If the hopper holds 30 pounds, thats 30 x .05 = 1 1/2 pounds of DE.

Parasites can not become immune to DE; it is not a poison. The DE slits the outer skin of the insects/parasites and they dehydrate and die.

Many free feed DE to their critters. You can't over dose, but if you under dose, it does no good.

Food/Agricultural grade DE is available in feed stores and organic gardening centers. It should be 100% DE. If the percentage is less, something else, perhaps a chemical poison (silly, 'cause not needed) has been added. Don't feed it.

If you dust your chook pens with DE, they won't smell. This doesn't mean to cut down on your cleaning chores!!! :^)

Sprinkle the ant hills. They'll be dead in no time. Fabulous for us with fire ants! Can be sprinkled in the house if there's an insect problem, and you don't have to worry about the baby eating the DE. The baby eating the insects is another story! -LOL-

FILTER grade DE is treated/heated for swimming pools. It will not kill insects/parasites, but could kill your critters.

-- ~Rogo (rogo2020@yahoo.com), April 07, 2001.