Cats and worms

Question
I am feeding some feral cats that live in my yard.  They are very skinny even though I feed them as much as my indoor cats which are normal to heavy.
 I want to give the a dewormer and would like to find one that covers all types of worms.  Most of the kinds I have found online only cover round worms.
 Can you recommend or point me to some that can cover all types of worms?  It has to be something I can get without a prescription since I cannot catch them to take the them to the vet (at least not without a great deal of work and trauma to the cats and me ;>)
Thanks.

Answer
Amy,

I am very glad to hear that you are taking care of the local feral/stray colony. To the best of my knowledge there are no over the counter deworming products that are effective against all types of worms. In terms of prescription dewormers you would have to be able to get close enough to each cat to administer a pill or apply a topical product that kills worms, ticks, fleas, etc. Some vets are very understanding and willing to offer medication for feral and stray colonies at a reduced cost, but I can't speak for your vet. Some vets may be willing to do a trap, vaccinate, medicate, neuter and release with the use of a humane trap. Studies have shown that these programs are very effective in preventing a colony from growing. To be honest when it comes to food intake you have to consider the fact that your kitties are in a stable environment with good medical care. Unfortunately the colony you are caring for isn't so lucky. They have to spend most of their energy looking to find safe places to sleep, food and people who are willing to feed them. Another unfortunate reality of life in a feral/stray cat colony is that these kitties must always be alert and ready to deal with potential predators such as dogs, cruel humans, coyotes, fishers (depending of course on the area), and they have the added task of trying to stay away from traffic. In the case of a feral colony (which is what I believe you are dealing with based on your description) the cats have not had human contact, they have typically been born outside and not had the pleasure of creature comforts that owned cats take for granted. Sadly this also includes proper medical care for illnesses, preventative and routine health care is not usually available to these kitties either unless a person is willing to humanely trap them and shoulder the expense of spaying, neutering, deworming and vaccinations. Cats who live on the streets live very difficult and short lives due to predation, starvation and disease. If you are able to use a humane trap in order to catch the cats, deworm, vaccinate, spay and neuter them it is a viable option which prevents the colony from getting any larger. It is only fair to warn you that this option is prohibitively expensive with a large colony. All in all, I think it is fair to tell you that I think you are doing a great thing for these guys just by providing a safe place to come and eat...If you are concerned about the cats being a bit on the thin side you can offer more food to help them meet the higher energy needs that living outside requires. If you are able to do more for these guys then humanely trapping them and getting a vet to give them basic medical care is great. You do have to keep in mind that these kitties may only ever get one vaccine and deworming as you may be unable to catch them again. I wholeheartedly wish that I had an easy answer for this heart breaking situation. Unfortunately this situation breaks my heart because there are simply not enough preventative measures to stop human beings from creating this scenario over and over again. It all comes down to one main issue, if people spayed and neutered their cats instead of abandoning them when they became pregnant or sexually mature thousands of people worldwide (including you and I) wouldn't have to agonize about what the best decision is to care for these lost kitties. I have managed several feral cat colonies and participated in trap, neuter, vaccinate and release programs. I am so sorry that I have not been able to offer any simple answers. If you would like further help and support, please don't hesitate to contact me again.