Drontal for Cats – How Long Does It Take to Work?

Almost all cats have worms at one point or the other in their lives. However, that doesn’t mean that intestinal parasites should be ignored. Some animals can suffer such severe infestations that several of their organs, not just their digestive tract, are affected.

In fact, many worms can migrate to organs such as the liver, the lungs, and even the heart. Drontal cat worming tablets can be used to fight intestinal worms in our feline companions. 

In this post, we’ll look at how long Drontal for cats takes to work, but we’ll also answer some other questions that you might have about this deworming treatment. 

Drontal for Cats – How long does it take to work?

The vast majority of wormers currently available and that includes Drontal for cats, take 1-2 days to work. What does this mean for you? It means that you’re going to start larvae and adult worms being eliminated in your cat’s feces in 1-2 days after you’ve administered the treatment. 

What I’d like to note here is that the breeding cycle of intestinal parasites in cats depends on the exact type of worm your cat has. 

For example, roundworms (such as Toxocara cati or Toxascaris leonina) have a breeding cycle of 7 to 10 days, which is why a second dose of Drontal is necessary about a week after the first one.

If your cat has tapeworms (some of the most common ones being Taenia taeniaeformis and Dipylidium caninum), you will have to repeat the dose around 2 weeks after the first one. 

Why is this necessary? Well, the first dose usually kills the adult worms inside your cat’s intestines, but many (if not all) of the larvae and eggs are left behind. 

This means that if you don’t give your cat the second dose, you risk being confronted with another parasite infestation just one to two weeks following the first treatment. I’ve seen this happen a lot while I was practicing, so please make sure that you write down the date you’ve given your cat the first dose, check the calendar, and make sure to repeat it. 

Is Drontal better than other cat wormers?

Well, yes and no. It actually depends on what you want to give your cat against intestinal parasites. Before I move on to the actual explanation, I have to note that all pet parents (whether they care for dogs or cats) are advised to give wormers to their furry friends once every 3 months. 

A single dose is usually necessary, but it’s highly recommended that you keep an eye on your pet’s feces to see whether there are any traces of worms there, be they full-size adults, eggs, or larvae. 

As for the debate on whether Drontal is better than other wormers, I’ll say that I know for a fact that many veterinarians recommend it more than other products. The reason for this is that it contains two anthelmintic substances — pyrantel and praziquantel.

These two ingredients make it possible for Drontal to kill both tapeworms and roundworms, without you having to give your cat two different types of medications. 

And let’s face it – you might want to skip on giving your cat too many pills, right? It’s not the easiest task in the world. 

When can I first give my cat Drontal? What is the correct dose?

Any cat that receives a Drontal dose should be older than 6 weeks of age. Ideally, she should also weigh approximately 2kg (almost 4.5 pounds). 

A cat that weighs 4.5 pounds should receive half of a film-coated tablet while one that weighs 9 pounds can get an entire one. You can calculate the right dosage either with the help of your veterinarian or by adding half a tablet for every additional 4.5 pounds of body weight. 

Is Drontal safe?

The most important thing to keep in mind when deworming a cat (or a dog, for that matter) is to make sure that you use the right dose. If you give your cat an overdose, she might exhibit signs of intoxication and might require immediate medical assistance. 

Another aspect that I have to add is that the adverse reactions can also depend on how severe the parasite infestation is. If your cat’s intestines are filled to the brim with worms, larvae, and eggs, you might notice some side effects. 

The biggest problem, in this situation, would be for the adult parasites to die and not be released through the cat’s feces in their immense number. If that happens, their ‘corpses’ can release a number of toxins that can make your cat feel sick. 

So, in this case, the cat wouldn’t exactly show side effects to the actual medication but rather to all the parasites dying at once and inside her body.

While Drontal isn’t usually associated with any side effects, especially if you give your feline friend the correct dose, some cats can experience diarrhea, vomiting, increased salivation, and a decrease or lack of appetite. 

However, these symptoms usually last for less than 24 hours following which the cat returns to being herself. 

DO NOT GIVE DRONTAL (or other worming products) to pregnant cats. 

Always tell your vet if your cat is undergoing treatment with other pharmaceutical medications for possible chronic health problems so that the vet can choose the safest deworming product of all. 

What if I can’t give pills to my cat?

Well, you’ll be happy to know that there are some things that you can do even in this case. There is a product made by the same brand, Bayer, and it’s called Droncit (unfortunately, I see that it’s currently available in the United Kingdom alone). It’s a spot-on solution that works for tapeworms.

If your cat has a ringworm infestation, however, you will have to use a different spot-on product, or you’ll have to make an effort and give your cat a pill. In Europe, there’s a spot-on solution that’s quite popular, especially for young cats, and it goes by the name Stronghold.

The North America equivalent would be Revolution, but I haven’t managed to find it up for sale at any online marketplaces at the time I’m writing this post.