Worms in Cats
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You cannot tell just by looking at your cat whether or not it has worms. The animal may look fit and healthy and because of this, you presume that the cat is worm free. But this is not necessarily the case. It is a very rare cat indeed that has not been infected with worms at some time in its life. |
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| Of course there are cases of severe worm infestation where the symptoms are very obvious. These include vomiting with diarrhoea or constipation, loss of weight and condition. The cat's immune system may become weakened making it susceptible to infection. It could even die as a direct result of a severe worm infestation. | ||||
| You may have-heard it said that worms do not occur in pedigree cats. This is not true. You get worm infestation in all cats whether they may be Siamese, Persian or just a common or garden moggie. | ||||
| There are two types of worms which infect cats in this country, they are the roundworm Toxocara Cati, and the tapeworm sometimes called the flea tapeworm. | ||||
| Roundworms resemble strings of spaghetti and are transmitted from one cat to another by eggs or larvae which are passed in the cat's droppings. These eggs or larvae can survive in the soil for months waiting for another host to pass by to pick up them on its coat or paws. | ||||
| As you know cats are meticulous about their grooming and will ingest the eggs or larvae during this cleaning process. Once in your pet's intestine these will mature into adult worms, which in turn produce more eggs to be passed out in the cat's poo and further contaminate your home and garden. | ||||
| A hunting cat can also pick up roundworm eggs from its prey, mice often carry the larval stage. | ||||
| Kittens will become infested by suckling from their mother. | ||||
| Tapeworms look like strings of flattened rice grains. They can grow up to 60cms in length. Like the roundworm the tapeworm can be picked up from a hunting cat's prey. | ||||
| However the most common cause of tapeworm infestation is the flea. Fleas carry the tapeworm eggs. The cat during its grooming may swallow an infected flea thereby infecting itself with tapeworm. Even the most cosseted cat will pick up an occasional flea so, it follows, that it may also get tapeworms. | ||||
| From a pet shop you can buy a cheap and cheerful wormers - which may or may not be totally effective. But to be sure that you are using the most effective worming preparation that is best for your cat it is wisest to buy it from your vet. | ||||
| You cannot prevent your cat from becoming reinfested with worms so it must be wormed regularly - usually four times a year (or as advised by your vet) especially if your cat has had fleas. | ||||
| In this way you can keep your cat free from worms and from the health problems that they cause. |