Does tobacco kill worms in cats? As cat parents, what will you do when your feline friend comes down with a worm, and you’re outside the reach of medical supplies or a veterinary doctor? A good picture would be taking a vacation in the country with your cat and you wake up to find your ailing cat struggling with intestinal worms. Would you risk a 14-hour road trip to get the help he needs or turn to a homemade remedy for quick relief?
While several home remedies have anthelmintic or deworming properties, Tobacco has been the most controversial. Everyone tends to have varied opinions about the effect of Tobacco and nicotine on cats. This article will give you a researched account of tobacco use in deworming a cat.
Table of Contents
- What’s Tobacco Made Of?
- Does Tobacco Affect worms?
- Does Tobacco Kill Worms In Cats?
- Can Tobacco Kill Cats?
- How You Might Treat Worms In Cats Using Tobacco
- Side Effects of tobacco on cats
- What Types Of Worms Can Tobacco Kill?
- How Long Does It Take For Tobacco To Kill Worms In Cats?
- Other Home-Made Worming Remedies For Cats
- Final Thoughts
What’s Tobacco Made Of?
Tobacco belongs to the nightshade family of plants. Like every other plant in the family, it contains high concentrations of nicotine compounds. All nightshade families of plants share similar compounds. One notable similarity is the presence of lethal chemical compounds.
Nicotine in Tobacco is the notorious element that gives it toxic properties. It is not only toxic to pets, but it also poses immense risks to human life and the lives of most living organisms.
Although nicotine is a toxic chemical, it still has some positive applications in our everyday life. For example, pharmaceutical companies, agricultural companies, pest control, and other industries use nicotine in their products.
Households have also adopted tobacco as a home-based remedy for worms in humans. Unfortunately, recent reports show several people are bringing the same use to pets, especially indoor pets like cats and dogs. Sadly, what’s good for humans could be Harmful to your cat.
Read:Worms that look like rice in cats
Does Tobacco Affect worms?
Yes. Tobacco has proven anthelmintic capabilities. The toxic properties of tobacco allow it to fight intestinal worms and other kinds of worms. Not long ago, Fetinuh Nouri and his colleague conducted research to observe how intestinal worms respond to tobacco on their premises.
To achieve this aim, the researchers introduced Nicotiana tabacum, a tobacco extract, into the sample, plus other chemicals. They discovered that a high concentration of Nicotiana tabacum in any substance could kill intestinal worms.
Surprisingly, Fetinuh and his colleagues are not the first to point out how tobacco or Nicotine is used in worm control. The remedy has been around before] modern medicine. Whenever Tobacco comes in contact with worms and other nematodes, it inhibits their growth and reproductive abilities. This action reduces their ability to survive, which leads to their death.
Does Tobacco Kill Worms In Cats?
Yes! Tobacco can kill worms in cats. However, you should be aware that tobacco is more likely to kill your cats, even faster than worms. Therefore, take precautions about the dosage and administering of tobacco to cats.
To put it in simpler words, a cat can die faster from ingesting tobacco than from intestinal worms. If you must administer tobacco to your cat, it has to be under intense control and proper guidance from your vet. The anthelmintic property of tobacco allows it to fight various worms. It got this ability from the strong presence of nicotine compounds in the plant.
Read: Will vaping Kill cats?
Can Tobacco Kill Cats?
Yes. If your cat ingests more quantity of tobacco than the recommended dosage, it’s likely going to be the end of his everyday life. Cats are Obligate Carnivores. When substances like tobacco get into their system, it gets absorbed into their bloodstream and attacks their nervous systems.
While humans and other herbivores are much more receptive to a large dosage of nicotine, doses as little as 45 mg, or 4-5 cigarette sticks, are enough to end the life of our feline counterparts. It is predicted that ingesting a high nicotine dosage can end the cat’s life within 4 – 16 hours unless you take immediate steps to forestall the effects.
How You Might Treat Worms In Cats Using Tobacco
It is not recommended to give tobacco to cats in any form. However, in extreme situations where you have no other option, the suggestion below could serve as a guide to help you safely administer tobacco as a worming remedy for cats. However, bear in mind that the steps could be very risky.
If you must treat your feline friend with tobacco, which is not quite recommended, there are some very stringent cautions you must adhere to. First, you need to ascertain the weight of your cat. The ideal dosage of tobacco is within 0.5 mg to 1 pound of the body weight of cats. Under no condition should the quantity of tobacco given to cats exceed 0.5 mg multiplied by its total weight.
A typical example would be a cat of 10 pounds. It must not ingest above 5mg of tobacco. Any quantity more than that could become lethal to your cat’s health. It’s best to mix the tobacco with their meals, as cats would naturally reject tobacco if it doesn’t come with some form of incentive.
And before proceeding to administer tobacco to a cat or any pet, it’s best to have an effective means of inducing vomit. It is handy if you need the cat to throw up the food due to side effects.
Side Effects of tobacco on cats
Alternative worming medications like Elanco, Droncit, high concentrations of praziquantel, etc., would make a better solution to your cats’ parasite problem. However, if you choose tobacco as a quick remedy, you must pay attention to your cat’s behavior after administering the treatment. Specific changes in your cat s overall health could indicate a need to bring in a vet. Below are some symptoms you’ll notice if your cat has taken too much tobacco or nicotine.
- Tremor
- seizure
- diarrhea
- stooling
- weakness
- loss of balance
- Breathing disorder
- Abdominal disorder
- Withdrawal
- Irrational behavior
- Death
Cat parents, who can’t find any alternative remedy, can provide a precisely controlled dosage of tobacco to cats. However, you must be careful when turning to tobacco as a worming aid because it may lead to the end of your cat’s life.
Read: Should cats eat bran muffins?
What Types Of Worms Can Tobacco Kill?
Tobacco affects a wide variety of intestinal worms and nematodes. Some examples include hookworm, pinworms, roundworms, tapeworms, flatworms, etc., and even earthworms. Most living organisms will experience a certain level of discomfort if tobacco is administered.
How Long Does It Take For Tobacco To Kill Worms In Cats?
There is no established timeline for the duration or how long it would take for tobacco to kill worms in cats. However, there is evidence that there could be immediate relief in the case of abdominal disorder. However, the species of worms and the type of tobacco determine how long it takes to see results. Chewing tobacco brings about the quickest results.
Other Home-Made Worming Remedies For Cats
Several recommended homemade worm remedies are safe for your feline friend. These don’t risk the life of your cats, and they are readily available everywhere. Below is a quick list of some you may or may not be familiar with.
- Pumpkin seed
- Apple Cider vinegar
- Neem leaf
- Alliums such as garlic
Before you adopt any of the alternatives, it’s critical to understand that some of these remedies have strong chemical properties. They can easily interfere with your cat’s medications. Therefore you must talk to your vet before giving any homemade worming remedies to your cats.
Final Thoughts
Due to high animal protein intake, cats are constantly at risk of worms and other parasites. Tobacco is one of man’s favorite pastimes, but it quickly becomes your cat’s worst nightmare. ASPCA has named tobacco (nicotine) as one of the most lethal substances for Pets.
The toxin in Tobacco is so potent it can end the life of your beloved pet within hours. It’s best to abstain because things could quickly spiral out of control. However, if you have your back against the wall and need help from your ailing cat to overcome intestinal worms, it’s best to first talk to your vet. Also, read through the recommendation above before administering tobacco as a worming remedy to your cat.
I was raised on a farm by my grandmother who grew up during the Depression and she used tobacco to worm the barn cats. She would just take a tiny sprinkle from a cigarette butt and put it in some milk. None of our cats ever died from it.