Buzz
Intestinal parasites, commonly known as worms, are frequently found in both kittens and adult cats. These bothersome parasites can enter the body in several ways. Kittens may become infected with worm eggs through their mother's milk, while older cats can get hookworms through their skin and tapeworms via fleas, rabbits, or other animals that carry the infection. Since worms are very common in cats, it is important to recognize the signs early for prompt treatment.
Steps to Follow
Look for Physical Signs in Your Cat
Pay attention if your cat’s abdomen is swollen. Cats with a heavy worm infestation often have a bloated belly with no fat around their spine or pelvis. The abdomen will appear distended, round, and sagging (the cat might even look pregnant). The difference between a swollen belly from worms and simply being overweight is that the rest of the cat’s body will also appear in poor condition.
- Roundworms are the most common cause of bloated bellies, though other types of worms can cause similar symptoms.
Check the fat pads on your cat's body. When you run your fingers along the spine of a healthy cat, you will feel lumps along the vertebrae, rather than protruding sharp bones. These are the cat's fat pads. Cats with severe worm infestations often lack these fat pads. When you feel the spine and pelvis of an infected cat, you will notice they are sharp and angular.
Examine your cat's coat condition. Intestinal parasites drain most of the nutrients from your cat's food. This means that your cat might not receive the vitamins, minerals, and proteins it needs to maintain a healthy coat. Look for the following signs in the fur:
- Fur looking dull.
- Lack of shine.
- Matted and sticky fur.
Watch for signs of vomiting or diarrhea. Worms can irritate the stomach and intestinal lining, leading to diarrhea and vomiting. Cats with a severe worm infestation might experience intestinal blockages, resulting in severe vomiting that could be life-threatening. Cats may also vomit worms, which appear like wriggling spaghetti strands.
- If your cat begins vomiting uncontrollably, take it to the vet immediately.
Observe the color of your cat's gums. Certain types of worms, especially hookworms, can cause bleeding gums, leading to slow but continuous blood loss. This results in anemia, making your cat lethargic and weak. In kittens, it can be life-threatening.
- You can check for anemia by gently lifting your cat's lip and inspecting its gums. Healthy gums appear pink, while anemic gums may appear pale, white, gray, or even bluish.
Watch for signs of worms in kittens. Kittens with worm infestations tend to be lethargic and underdeveloped, meaning they don't grow as strong and healthy as their littermates. They are small, less active, have rough fur, bloated bellies, and minimal fat around the ribs and spine.
- If you don't have another kitten to compare, it might be hard to assess, but a healthy kitten is active, playful, round, and has soft, shiny fur.
- Kittens with heavy worm infestations may face long-term health consequences, weakening their overall health for life.
Check for fleas on your cat. Fleas can carry tapeworm eggs, and when your cat licks its fur, it may ingest the flea and the tapeworm eggs along with it.
- Flea droppings are a clear sign of fleas on your cat. These droppings are dried blood left behind by fleas and are typically stuck in your cat's fur.
- To spot them, comb your cat's fur in the opposite direction. You'll notice small dark specks near the base of the hair.
- To test whether the specks are flea droppings or just dirt, take a damp paper towel and press it on the area. Flea droppings will leave a reddish or orange stain, as they consist of dried blood.
- If you discover flea droppings or fleas, you'll need to treat your cat and address your home environment (such as the cat’s bedding) to eliminate any flea population.
Identify the type of worm
Understand why it's important to identify the type of worm. If you suspect your cat has worms, the next step is to determine the type of worm. This will help you choose the right treatment to effectively address the issue.
Look for migrating tapeworm eggs. Examine under your cat’s tail. Tapeworm eggs are often expelled through the anus and become trapped in the surrounding fur. These eggs are typically cream-colored and resemble small grains of rice, cucumber seeds, or sesame seeds.
- These clusters of eggs might fall into your cat's resting area, so be sure to check their bedding.
- If you find tapeworm eggs, take your cat to the vet for treatment.
Inspect your cat's stool for tapeworms. This is easiest if your cat uses a litter box. Check the stool for signs of tapeworms. Sometimes the worms are visible on the feces, but you may need to wear gloves and use disposable tools to break open fresh feces for a closer inspection.
- Tapeworms are cream-colored, flat, and segmented. They typically range from 10-60 cm in length.
- Dipylidium caninum: Cats can get this type of tapeworm by ingesting fleas that carry tapeworm eggs.
- Taenia taeniaeformis: Cats can get this type of tapeworm by hunting, catching, and eating infected rodents.
Identifying roundworms. Roundworms are quite common and resemble spaghetti. They typically measure 5-10 cm long but can grow up to 12 cm. There are two types of roundworms, both of which infect cats in various ways:
- Toxocara cati: This roundworm can be transmitted through the mother’s milk, and most kittens become infected at birth. This worm causes bloating in kittens and leads to symptoms like diarrhea and vomiting.
- Toxascaris leonine: This species is contracted through contact with infected cats or feces from rodents. These worms may be vomited out or found in the stool.
Identifying hookworms. Hookworms are tiny (about 0.5 to 1 cm long), curled, and have hook-like mouths. They are challenging to spot with the naked eye. Ancylostoma duodenalis hookworms can be transmitted via the mother’s milk, but kittens can also get infected from walking on soil or bedding that contains the worms.
- Their hook-like mouths, which resemble teeth, latch onto the intestinal lining and release anticoagulants that cause bleeding in the intestines. Infected kittens suffer from anemia, lack of energy, and poor growth.
Consult your vet to check for heartworm infection in your cat. Heartworms are more common in dogs than cats, but cats can still get infected. These worms are usually found in the bloodstream rather than the stomach, so a visit to the vet is necessary for detection.
- Dirofilaria immitis: Mosquitoes carrying these heartworms can transmit the larvae into a cat's blood. Symptoms are often vague, such as low energy, weight loss, and coughing. Unfortunately, many cats show no symptoms at all and may suddenly die from blood flow blockage to the heart.
Visit the vet to have a stool sample analyzed. The best way to check for worms (excluding heartworms) before they cause severe health issues is to bring your cat's stool to the vet’s office. Adult worms lay eggs in the intestines, which are often (but not always) expelled in the stool. These eggs can be seen through a microscope during preparation and observation.
- Different worm species lay eggs with distinct shapes, helping to identify them.
- If the stool sample and checkup reveal no worms, that doesn’t necessarily mean your cat isn’t infected. It could mean the worms haven’t been expelled. Many cats may have a heavy worm burden but don’t shed any. The only way to be sure is to have the stool analyzed by your vet.
Brian Bourquin, DVM
Veterinary Doctor for Cats
Veterinary Doctor for Cats
Experts agree that: Collecting a stool sample from your cat twice a year is the best method for checking for worms. This is especially important if your cat spends time outdoors, although indoor cats are also at risk of worm infestations.
Advice
- Identifying the type of worm your cat is infected with is not just an academic exercise, as different worms require different medications to be eradicated. However, this is helpful if you, as a cat owner, suspect your pet may have worms.
- Determining the type of worm will give you a preliminary understanding of what kind of infection your cat might have.
- A cat with a bloated abdomen, low fat, and no deworming treatment in the past six months is likely suffering from a severe worm infestation. However, other health conditions may cause similar symptoms, so it’s important to take your cat to the vet if you have any concerns.
Warning
- Aside from heartworms, the most effective way to prevent worms is by minimizing your cat's exposure to them.
- Always wash your hands – and make sure children in the household wash their hands – after handling a cat that may have an undiagnosed worm infestation. While cat worms don’t live in the human stomach, they can burrow under the skin and cause harm, especially if they migrate to the eyes.
- Identifying which worms your cat has and taking proper steps to address the infection will help your pet stay healthy. Moreover, worms in cats can also be transmitted to humans, especially children who may not wash their hands thoroughly after playing with a cat. With just a little attention to your cat's health, litter box hygiene, and sending a stool sample for analysis once a year, you can keep your cat and your family free from worms.
