7 Best Heartworm Prevention Medicines for Cats – 2024 Reviews & Top Picks
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Some owners think heartworm medication isn’t as necessary for cats as it is for dogs because it’s less common in our feline friends. And while it is less common, there is no effective treatment in cats once infected with heartworms which makes heartworm prevention critical. The best heartworm prevention should be appropriate for your individual pet, kill juvenile heartworms, be effective and protect against other parasites.
Fortunately, several treatments are available, but it can be tricky sometimes to navigate through them. So, we’ve picked out the best, and hopefully, these reviews will help you find something that works for your cat. We recommend checking with your veterinary clinic before choosing medication for your pet.
A Quick Look at Our Favorites in 2024
Rating | Image | Product | Details | |
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Best Overall | Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats |
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Best Value | Interceptor Chewable Tablet for Dogs and Cats |
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Premium Choice | Bravecto Plus Topical Solution for Cats |
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Best for Kittens | Heartgard Chew for Cats |
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Centragard Topical Solution for Cats |
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The 7 Best Heartworm Prevention Medicines for Cats
1. Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats – Best Overall
Type: | Topical Solution |
Suitable For: | Kitten, Adult, Senior |
Treats: | Fleas, Ticks, Heartworms, Ear Mites, Roundworms, Hookworms |
Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats is our pick for the best overall heartworm prevention medicine. It’s available in various concentrations based on weight, so make sure you get the one suitable for your cat’s needs. You can select a 3-month, 6-month, or 12-month supply. Revolution Plus kills fleas and ticks, prevents heartworm disease, and also treats ear mites, roundworms, and hookworms.
It’s suitable for adults and kittens from 8 weeks and older. It is one of the pricier options on our list, but customers only seemed to have issues if they did not consider their cat’s weight and ordered the incorrect box, so it is worth the extra pennies.
- A 6-in-1 topical solution
- Suitable for kittens, adults, and seniors
- Reliable
- Pricey
2. Interceptor Chewable Tablet for Dogs & Cats – Best Value
Type: | Chewable Tablet |
Suitable For: | Kittens and Adults |
Treats: | Heartworms, Hookworms, Roundworms, Whipworms |
Interceptor Chewable Tablet for Dogs and Cats is the best heartworm prevention medicine for the money because you pay a lower price for double the supply in comparison to some of your other options. Unlike other brands, Interceptor tablets are only available in a 6-month supply.
Not only does this tablet treat heartworms, but it also treats adult hookworms, adult roundworms, and adult whipworms. It’s suitable for cats and kittens weighing over 1.5 pounds and from 6 weeks of age onwards. Tablets are sometimes tricky to get your cat to take, but you can hide in its food.
- Excellent price for 6 months’ supply
- Suitable for adults and kittens
- Treats multiple parasites
- Limited supply options
3. Bravecto Plus Topical Solution for Cats– Premium Choice
Type: | Topical Solution |
Suitable For: | Kitten and Adult |
Treats: | Fleas, Ticks, Heartworms, Roundworms, Hookworms |
Bravecto Plus Topical Solution for Cats is one of the slightly more expensive options and is available in a 2-month and 4-month supply. You can select the appropriate volume based on your pet’s weight, and it is safe for adults and kittens. It offers treatment for heartworms, intestinal roundworms, and hookworms while also killing adult fleas and controlling tick infestations. It’s simple to administer, but some owners complained of a residue left on their cat’s coat afterward.
- Treats multiple parasites
- Easy to administer
- Suitable for kittens and adults
- Leaves residue on the cat’s coat
4. Heartgard Chew for Cats – Best for Kittens
Type: | Chewable Tablet |
Suitable For: | Nursing, Kitten, Adult, Senior |
Treats: | Hookworms, Heartworms |
Heartgard Chew for Cats kills and prevents heartworms and helps to control hookworms. It comes in a tasty beef chewable that you can break down if your cat eats its treats whole and you’re worried about choking. Otherwise, you can add it to your cat’s food if it is a picky eater. Heartgard is suitable for nursing mothers, which is invaluable since hookworms can be passed from mother to kitten through her milk. Some pet parents mentioned that their cats dislike the taste, so it might not suit every kitty.
- Keeps kittens safe through treatment of nursing mother
- Tasty beef flavor
- Doesn’t treat as many parasites as other brands
- Some cats didn’t like the taste
5. Centragard Topical Solution for Cats
Type: | Topical Solution |
Suitable For: | Kitten, Adult, Senior |
Treats: | Roundworms, Hookworms, Heartworms, Tapeworms |
Centragard Topical Solution comes from the makers of Heartgard Plus and prevents heartworms. It helps treat and control hookworms, roundworms, and tapeworms in cats. While this is suitable for kittens, they must be over 7 weeks old at the time. Centragard comes with an easy-to-use applicator, which is often preferable to feeding your cat a tablet. Side effects can include itchy skin, so if your cat has sensitive skin, it’s best to try another product.
- Treats multiple parasites
- Easy-to-use applicator included
- Can make skin itchy
6. Profender Topical Solution for Cats
Type: | Topical Solution |
Suitable For: | Kitten and Adult |
Treats: | Roundworms, Hookworms, Tapeworms |
Profender Topical Solution is suitable for adults and kittens over 8 weeks old and treats and controls hookworms, tapeworms, and roundworms. If your cat’s skin isn’t too sensitive for a topical solution, this is an excellent option. You can order single or double doses, but unlike other brands that provide multiple 3 to 12-month supplies, Profender’s options are based solely on your cat’s weight.
- Inexpensive
- Treats multiple parasites
- Reliable
- Order based on doses, not month’s supply
7. Advantage Multi Topical Solution for Cats
Type: | Topical Solution |
Suitable For: | Kittens and Adults |
Treats: | Fleas, Heartworms, Roundworms, Hookworms, Ear Mites |
Advantage Multi Topical Solution for Cats prevents heartworm disease and treats adult fleas, ear mites, roundworms, and hookworms. While it is suitable for kittens as well as adults, make sure the kitten is over 9 weeks older and weighs between 2–5 pounds. Advantage Multi also provides various concentrations based on your pet’s weight, and you select 3, 6, or 12-month supplies. Compared to the other brands on our list, it is one of the more expensive treatments.
- Treats more than one parasite
- Reliable
- Suitable for adults and kittens
- One of the more expensive options
Buyer’s Guide – Buying the Best Heartworm Prevention Medicines for Cats
We’ll answer a few of the most commonly asked questions to help you decide which heartworm treatment is best for your feline.
Is It Less Dangerous for Cats to Get Heartworms Than Dogs?
There’s a misconception that getting treatment for your cat is not as important as it would be for a pet dog because they get heartworms less frequently. However, heartworm disease happens when cats are infected with worms that live in their pulmonary artery (which brings blood from the heart to the lungs), and when these heartworms die, they can cause damage and disease.
This doesn’t happen for 2 to 3 years after infection, and the scariest part is that most cats don’t even show signs, so you might not know about it until it’s too late. Tragically, the first sign that your cat is infected can sometimes be its death. There is no effective treatment currently available for infected cats and so the risks are high.
There’s a condition known as heartworm-associated respiratory disease (HARD), and the signs are:
- Blindness
- Collapse
- Convulsions
- Coughing
- Decreased appetite
- Diarrhea
- Difficulty breathing
- Lethargy
- Rapid heart rate
- Sudden death
- Weight loss
- Vomiting
The arrival of the worms in the cat’s small arteries of the lungs triggers a severe inflammatory response that then damages the bronchioles, arteries, and alveoli.
If I Have an Indoor Cat, Can I Skip Heartworm Prevention Medication?
The life cycle of a heartworm is a complex one, and it requires two host animals: a mosquito which is an intermediate host, and a cat. There are as many as 30 species of mosquito that can act as the host, but since your cat spends all of its time indoors, you might think you can skip heartworm prevention medication.
However, mosquitoes are good at getting inside, which probably isn’t news to you. They’re experts at getting past the screens and finding any open space, like a window that’s ajar or bathroom exhaust vents. The only effective way to protect your cat is to invest in heartworm prevention medication.
Conclusion
Prevention is always safer and easier than treatment, and it’s vital to invest in your cat’s health and find a heartworm medicine. With the choice of tablets, topical solutions, and chews, the various heartworm treatments work for even the fussiest of cats. Our top pick, Revolution Plus Topical Solution for Cats, treats multiple parasites and is appropriate for cats of all ages. We picked Interceptor Chewable Tablet for Dogs and Cats as our best value selection because it’s affordable and treats several parasites.
All of the heartworm treatments require prescriptions to purchase, so selecting a brand for your cat is something you can discuss with your veterinarian if you’re struggling to pick, but we hope these reviews have helped you narrow your search!
- See also: Can Cats Have Benadryl? Our Vet Explains