The 6 Best Heartworm Medications for Cats, Recommended by Vets in 2025

Revolution Plus was the unanimous favorite among our review panel. This product is a 6-in-1 broad-spectrum parasiticide that targets heartworms, fleas, ticks, roundworms, hookworms, and ear mites. Many of our vets recommend this as the first-line parasite prevention for cats—and several use it on their own cats.

“This is a great all-around product,” said reviewer Stephanie Howe, DVM. “I personally use this on my cats and it’s the number one cat heartworm prevention I recommend to my patients.”

The panel also liked how simple Revolution Plus was to apply, with monthly applications of an easy-to-use topical liquid. After application, cats can get back to playing and running around quickly, although remember not to bathe your cat for 24 hours before or after application.

Howe also points out that the all-in-one nature of the product means “no oily, messy ear medications needed if your kitty has ear mites.”

The main active ingredient, selamectin, is backed by scientific studies, which our vets appreciated. In fact, several of our vets mentioned that they liked this product because Zoetis, the product’s manufacturer, does stringent research on everything it makes.

According to reviewer Veronica Higgs, DVM, “Zoetis is a very reputable company with many good products backed by research, so you can trust that this product will be both safe and effective for cats.”

Our vet’s pick for the best topical cat heartworm prevention medicine is NexGard® COMBO. This trusted solution can be applied once a month to a cat’s neck to provide protection all month long. It’s also backed by extensive research to prove its effectiveness.

One of the main advantages to NexGuard’s COMBO is that it can be applied to kittens as young as 8 weeks old and as light as 1.8 pounds, making it the best option in our lineup for younger and smaller kittens. It’s also easy to apply and difficult for cats to groom off and accidentally ingest.

This product is effective against fleas, ticks, heartworms, roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. It does not offer listed protection against ear mites, although one of the vets noted that it might offer some protection against these parasites.

In a market dominated by topical treatments, there aren’t as many chewable options for heartworm prevention in cats. Among the available chews, our vet panel singled out the Interceptor® tablets for dogs and cats as the best option. Cats as young as 6 weeks old who weigh over 1.5 pounds are safe to use this chew.

Interceptor can be eaten as a stand-alone treat or placed in a pill pocket. In addition to heartworms, it controls hookworms, roundworms, and whipworms.

It’s not advised to cut up the chew and mix into your cat’s food. This can result in under-dosing if your cat doesn’t eat the whole dose, or accidentally giving medications to other animals that might eat from your cat’s bowl.

If expense is a limiting factor, our vets recommend Revolt Topical Solution for Cats. This generic product contains selamectin, the same main ingredient as Revolution®. It works to prevent heartworms, hookworms, roundworms, fleas, and ear mites.

It does not offer protection from ticks, making it a good choice for cats with less likelihood of tick exposure. For cats at a greater risk for tick exposure, consider an option that offers enhanced tick protection, or work with your vet to identify what other products you might need to add for tick control.

Revolt is offered in two strengths: one for larger cats (at least 5 pounds) and one formulated for smaller cats and kittens weighing under 5 pounds and at least 6 weeks of age.

“This is a fantastic option for a budget,” noted reviewer Tiffany Tupler, DVM. “It’s very similar to Revolution, but made by a different manufacturer at a significant cost savings.”

Milbeguard is an affordable generic heartworm preventative that contains milbemycin, the same main active ingredient as Interceptor. In addition to heartworms, it prevents hookworms, whipworms, and roundworms. It does not protect against fleas and ticks.

Milbeguard is safe for kittens weighing more than 1.5 pounds and older than 6 weeks of age.  

Like other chews, this should be consumed in one sitting. As with other chews, it’s not advised to try hiding this chew in food or cutting it up into pieces. Not only does this raise the risk that your cat won’t eat all of the medication, it may also create food aversion if your cat doesn’t like the smell. For cats that are hesitant, consider using a pill pocket.  

“This product has been around for a long time, with an established safety record,” Dr. Higgs noted. “It has the same spectrum of coverage as Interceptor for cats that need an oral chew for heartworm, but it’s significantly less expensive for bigger cats.”