If I have to take stool samples to the vet to find out what sort of worms, how in the world am I supposed to differentiate the 4 different cat's stool??? I can't take a sample of each, as they all share litter boxes.
Also, how does this work without costing me a fortune? We don't exactly have money to blow. Will they take multiple stool samples without costing extra?
2006-12-30 11:41:56 · 8 answers · asked by The Only 3 in Pets ➔ Cats
Vets can actually take a stool sample right in their office using a probe type instrument. I know how expensive vet bills can be. At my house we have 13 cats, a kitten (just found last month), a wolf mix, a mixed dog, an iguana, 2 cockatiels, many fish, a kingsnake, a tarantula, a red sheep, a pigmy goat, 10 syrian hamsters and 11 dwarf hamsters. I have skipped paying utility bills to pay for vet care. Call your vets office and ask them how much they charge to do the stool check. If your cats are indoor only and you've seen no worms, then more than likely they don't have them. However, if their like mine and are indoor/outdoor they can get worms more easily. My vets rule is you see them, treat them, if you don't see any, then they don't have them
2006-12-30 13:24:33 · answer #1 · answered by wolfinator25840 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Unfortunately you've got a big project ahead of you. You'll need to wait for each individual cat to use the litter box collect a sample from each. Make sure you clean the box after each cat goes so you're not getting anyone else's poo. Also, you will be charged for each sample they look at (unless your vet is super nice), so my suggestion would be to take a sample from one or two cats, whoever's having the most obvious issues and have those two looked at. If your cats share food, water, litter boxes and just overall living space you can pretty much guarantee if one cat has it, all of them do. So just ask the vet for enough medication to treat all four. Most vets are pretty nice about that whole situation without making you bring samples in for everyone! Good luck and if you want to help avoid future problems I suggest feeding the cats out of stainless steel or ceramic dishes to avoid passing any illness and whatnot between the others. And the more boxes the merrier for cats. We have six cats and 3 large automated boxes to make sure that everything is clean enough for everyone!
2006-12-30 19:52:23 · answer #2 · answered by oh_shotdown 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You take about 1/4 teaspoon of EACH one to the vet for a composite sample. If anyone has anything, all should be treated anyway.
They will charge you for each seperate smaple that is run, so running one that is a sample of ALL is the way to go.
I do that yearly with my dogs. That way if ANY OF THEM have anything, I know. I would always treat all at the same time.
Just go in the box and collect from 4 different "piles". Hopefully, they are not all the same cat!!!!!!!!!
OR ask the vet to skip the stool smaple and just worm them all yearly.
2006-12-30 19:45:07 · answer #3 · answered by ARE YOUR NEWFS GELLIN'? 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
More than likely they all have the same thing. If you still want to or have to pay for 4 separate test I would lock each cat in a separate room over nightone in each bedroom (assuming you have 2 bedrooms) one in a bathroom and one in the litter room. Put a litter pan in each room. Family dollar sells cheap little ones for $1. then you know who's poo is who's.
2006-12-30 20:47:30 · answer #4 · answered by Trickey 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
HI
If they are using the same liter box then they are probably have been infected with the same worms so just take the newest stools in and the vet will probably have to treat all of them.
Lammy
2006-12-30 19:45:09 · answer #5 · answered by Clammy S 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Sit with the cats and wait for the cat you want to have a poo, until goes in the litter box. Simple!
2006-12-30 19:43:31 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Lock your cat in a room with a litter pan (it could be one of those aluminum cooking pans) for a day.
2006-12-30 19:47:31 · answer #7 · answered by Rach 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
If your cats all share the same litter box then if one has intestinal parasites they should all be dewormed.
2006-12-30 22:00:56 · answer #8 · answered by leftygirl_75 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋