Cat Worms
How To Deal With Cat Worms
Cat worms are parasites that live in the cat's intestinal tract. Some are more dangerous than others; in fact some are potentially deadly, especially to kittens. All the different types should be dealt with however, not only to protect the health of your cat, but for its comfort as well. Four types of cat worms are the most common, some of which enter the cat's system through ingestion, while others the cat may be born with. We'll look at these four, the means of treatment, and the symptoms.
Roundworms are quite common. Most kittens are born with them, unless the mother has been treated for them before the kittens were born. A breeder will normally treat the mother ahead of time and also treat the newly born kittens. When you take your kitten in for the first visit with the vet, it will probably be treated once again. Outdoor cats may need treatment on a periodic basis, as the parasite is often ingested if the cat eats other infected animals, such as bugs, birds, or mice. The medication can usually be given at home, in the form of liquid or tablets.
If your cat has fleas, there is a good chance that it also has cat worms, specifically Tapeworms. Cats get Tapeworms not from the fleabites, but from eating the fleas, as cats are prone to do. Tapeworms are of course best known as nutrient and energy robbers, and symptoms can vary from barely noticeable to quite severe. Most people will recommend a prescription medication for treatment, as these are very effective. Over-the-counter medications often are less effective. When you do treat your cat for tapeworm, it is probably the smart thing to treat it for fleas as well, as a preventative.
Hookworms tend to be a problem in dogs more so than in cats but they are nothing to mess with. An infestation of Hookworms can cause your cat to become seriously ill, and even lead to death. Even the remote possibility of Hookworms is more than enough reason to have kittens treated with an all-in-one worm medication. Hookworms are bloodsuckers and, like the other worms mentioned in this article, can infect humans as well. That alone is one more reason to keep your pets worm free.
A fourth worm variety is the Whipworm. This worm is not particularly common in cats, more so in dogs. A mucous covered stool is one sign that your cat might be infected. Weight loss may be an accompanying symbol. If an infestation of the Whipworm, or any of the other three worm types is suspected, take a fecal sample to your vet. If the symptoms are severe, take the cat.
You can worm kittens when they reach about 6 week in age, repeat the treatment every three weeks, and after the fourth month, a treatment every three months is a good idea, or just let your vet take over. Remember it's always a good idea to read the instructions. We accidently gave a kitten a substantial overdose of worming medication one time. It wandered around like a drunkard for an hour, acted weird for months thereafter, but had a good life, and lived to the age of 18. Sometimes we're just lucky. One more thing about medication. It's never a good idea to give a pregnant cat medication of any kind without consulting with your vet first.
The symptoms you're most likely to witness can be caused by conditions other than a worm infestation, but often include anemia, stunted growth, poor condition of the cat's coat, vomiting, diarrhea, or repeated licking of the anal area. If you are always on the lookout for symptoms indicating a problem with cat worms or anything else, you have a good chance of getting your pet treated before things get serious.