Are Natural Cat Wormers Advisable to Use on Cats?

Worms - roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms - are tiny intestinal parasites that can cause other serious health problems, like pneumonia, for cats. So, it is not only necessary to get rid of them when they infest your cat, but it is also important to prevent them from getting into the cat's body in the first place. There are numerous products available for these purposes and pet owners can choose between two types of medication: conventional or natural cat wormers. Conventional or traditional cat wormers are those that use a combination of chemicals to fight the disease. The two most common active ingredients are pyrantel and praziquantel. Examples of products with these ingredients are Drontal for Cats and Valucat All Wormer Paste. Natural or alternative cat wormers are those that make use of herbs and plants to treat and protect against the disease. The most common herbs or plants used are betel nut, garlic, pumpkin seed, and mint leaf. Most of these are considered home remedies, while others have been combined with other herbs to produce over the counter medications. Both of these types of medication has their own advocates. Some even go to the extreme of claiming that their type of cure is the only way to go. There are also some who propose to combine both in treating worms. Who is right? Which will you choose? For me, I believe that using natural cat wormers has a few advantages. It's cheaper, easier to get, and has no chemicals which may cause side effects. However, they usually cannot guarantee that our pets will be completely free of worms because herbal medicine is not an exact science. So, I may still use them but only as a supplement for my cat. In the case of worm infestation, I would still prefer to give my pet the conventional medications because in the long run, they are safer and more effective. Between these two type of medications, it is up to each pet owner to find which is effective for their pets. To make sure that you are choosing wisely, consult a vet. As for me, traditional medications are effective for my cats and that's reason enough for me to keep using them. Why change when these wormers are serving my cats well?