Ivermectin use in cats?

[sourland]

I read in another post that Ivermectin is unsafe to use as a vermicide for cats. Does anyone have any information about this? I knlow that it has toxic affects in collies and collie crosses, but did not know about a problem with cats. During the winter a FERAL cat (as in wilder than the wild animals that frequent my backyard) took up residence beneath one of my pigeon lofts. She has since moved to a utility shed that she claims as home. She was in rough shape so I wormed her for tapeworms and then later I wormed her for roundworms with Ivermectin.

I actually used a dose 2 X what I use on my dogs. She now looks in great shape as she streaks to the security of her shed. I am hoping that she (calico so pretty positive as to her sex) is the result of a trap/spay/release program. My vet will not spay her after an experience with a feral spay that exposed him and his staff to rabies. I'll cross that bridge when I get to it. For now, is Ivermectin toxic to cats?

 

[sourland]

O.K. just did a google search. It appears that a very small percentage of cats (less than dogs) have a sensitivity and adverse reaction to Ivermectin. Other than that very small percentage of sensitive individuals, toxicity is not evidenced until dosage levels 20 X the therapeutic level or higher. I have to say that Scaredy Cat as she streaks to her security shed is looking good now a days.

 

[miss_thenorth]

I have used ivermec on one of my barncats. He apparently had some kind of skin mites, so as a last resort, I dosed hime with ivermec,.)08% sheep drench, three drops to the back of theneck, his skin irritation cleared up--he is fine.

 

[Akane]

Cats are much more sensitive to ivermectin than most animals we use it on. It's very easy to overdose them. Most of the people I know with farms have nearly killed a barn cat with ivermectin and learned that lesson first hand eventually. Safe dewormers for cats are not that much more expensive than ivermectin. Praziquantel and pyrantel pamoate are 2 that can be used with less risk and the most common ones you'll find sold for cats.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Topical ivermectin for ears (Acarexx

) is FDA approved for cats and kittens over 4 weeks of age.

The safe dose for adult cats is from 200-400 MICROGRAMS

http://www.petplace.com/drug-library/ivermectin-ivomec-heartgard/page1.aspx

For cats: Dose is 0.012 mg per pound (0.024 mg/kg) once monthly for heartworm prevention.​

 

[aggie9296]

Agree with Bear Foot.

Heartgard for cats is Ivermectin. 55 mcg for 5 lbs (55 mcg is 0.055 mg). Just looked at the box that my cat uses. He has no problems with it.

 

[sourland]

"Scaredy Cat" continues to thrive. Last winter I thought that a coyote had trapped and caught her in the utility shed. The tableau was written in the fresh snow and she disappeared until this spring. She has gone through 2 springs/summers with no kittens so I feel fairly certain that she has been spayed. She will no longer enter the utility shed, and now sleeps in an old dog kennel that is quite coyote proof. She is in beautiful condition, but still remains more wild than the 'true' wild animals that frequent my backyard. Every night when I get done feeding dogs I fill her feed dish. After I enter the house she will come out of a large brush pile, venture to the house, and start eating. I watched her tonight as she ate - every 30 seconds or so she would stop, look around, twitch her ears and then resume eating. She is apparently an excellent mouser and has rid my flower beds of voles. I also see her patrolling my pigeon lofts in a search for rodents. The girl is earning her keep. Too bad she can't learn to trust me.

 

[nikookamoto]

sourland, the cat may learn to trust you provided she stays alive to grow old. I have had strays and even feral come around and allow me to pet them eventually. You should try to trap her and get her spayed; or if there's a TNR group in your area perhaps they can help you. No kittens and it might help her stay alive and healthy longer.

 

[sourland]

Scaredycat is in her third winter here, and finally she is becoming a little more trusting. After she eats she will come up on the deck and rest on the deck railing. She will stare at us through the window and as long as we do not go outside she will stay on the railing. Now prior to feeding time she sits by the edge of the lawn (about 100 ft from where I feed her) and as long as I do not walk towards her she will remain there. She is building more trust in me ever so slowly.

 

[sourland]

She did not come out to eat tonight. I know that she is still around because I could see in the snow where she crossed the backyard this morning. Last year in the deep snow a coyote almost caught her. I guess she is playing it safe tonight.