Worms in Cats: Symptoms and Treatments for Intestinal Parasites

July 11th, 2016 by Cherished Companions Animal Clinic

Good news, Colorado cat families! Worms in cats aren’t as common here as in other parts of the country.

Our Castle Rock veterinarians see about one in 10 cats come in with worms over their lifetimes.

But if your cat is among the 10 percent – or you’d like to help your furry friend avoid that incidence rate – we’ve put together this article for you.

And if you have a kitten, keep scrolling. Kittens are more prone to different types of worms.

Our Castle Rock vets most commonly see tapeworms in cats

Cats can get tapeworms from eating infected fleas or animal carcasses. Here in the Castle Rock area, the biggest sources of fleas are bunnies and prairie dogs.

Even indoor cats have a chance of getting tapeworms. We occasionally see indoor cats that have caught a mouse or that live with a dog that has fleas. But these cases are rare!

Tapeworms look like little pieces of rice in the hair around a cat’s anus.

Tapeworms eat the food your cat should be getting. So, if you don’t take action, you may notice your cat is losing weight and just isn’t thriving.

The best way to prevent tapeworms is to keep your cat inside and follow good flea prevention practices.

How to treat tapeworms in cats

What’s the treatment for tapeworms in cats?

There’s a specific type of medicine that will kill the worms. Usually one dose does the trick. (It’s available as an injection or a tablet.)

If you have a barn cat or an outdoor cat that’s a hunter, our veterinarians may recommend “deworming” your cat every three months. This simply involves giving your cat a special tablet.

Colorado kittens can get roundworms and hookworms

Colorado kittens are more prone to different types of worms, including roundworms and hookworms. Both types of worms require treatment.

If your kitten has roundworms, you may notice your kitty really isn’t thriving. Roundworm symptoms include lethargy, weight loss (your kitty may be really skinny except for a round pot belly) and diarrhea. Eventually, if no action is taken, roundworms can be fatal in kittens.

Hookworms can cause anemia. These intestinal parasites feast on the blood from the lining of your kitten’s intestine, making your kitty really sick.

How to treat roundworms or hookworms in kittens

With kittens, our veterinarians recommend using a liquid “dewormer.” Our veterinarians can give your kitten this medication, or you can take it home and give it to your kitty with food.

Then in two weeks, we’ll have you bring your kitten back in for an intestinal parasite screen to make sure we got everything.

If your kitten is recovering from roundworms or hookworms, we recommend you clean the litter box every day, so your cat doesn’t re-infect himself or herself.

Cats can transmit roundworms and hookworms to people

This is one reason it’s a good idea to cover the sandbox if you have kids. If an infected cat uses the sandbox as a litter box, it can be a source of infection.

It’s also a great idea to wear gloves when changing your cat’s litter and clean the litter box frequently.

Where to learn more about worms in cats

Check out this detailed article on parasites in cats, including hookworms, roundworms and tapeworms.

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Cherished Companions Animal Clinic is a veterinary clinic in Castle Rock, Colorado. Specializing in the care of cats and dogs, our goal is to help you and your pet feel more comfortable, keeping your stress to a minimum.

This article is intended to provide general guidance on worms in cats. If you have specific questions or concerns, please contact your local veterinarian. (If you live in or around Castle Rock, we welcome your call.)

© 2016, Cherished Companions Animal Clinic