A cat with worms is often a problem and it is something that must be fixed as soon as possible to avoid putting it in danger. Fortunately, worms are not inevitable and their treatment is easy to implement.
If your cat has worms, stay with me, I’ll explain everything you need to know to understand but above all to act in the event of an invasion of worms in your cat.
Cat with worms: How these parasites work
Worms are endoparasites that live inside the cat and feed on the nutrients the cat ingests while eating. It is therefore a real problem because your cat needs these nutrients to be able to be healthy. The worms weaken him by preventing his body from using these nutrients. But as we will see, it does not stop there because these worms wreak havoc on these internal organs.
How do I know if my cat has worms?
A sure way to tell if your cat has eggs is to see if there are eggs in her feces. These eggs are those of the worms that are present inside the cat’s body. Generally the signs that worry are a swollen belly and signs of malnutrition.
However, be careful because sometimes worms are literally present in the cat’s stool and they can be transmitted to us. If you have children, avoid putting them in contact with the cat until you have put in place the solutions to get rid of them.
Here are the main signs of a cat suffering from worms:
- Worms around her anus : Tapeworms will often be in the surrounding hair if your cat has worms. Generally, they are directly in the cat’s body and part of it comes out when it does its business. This is also what makes them very dangerous for your cat, reproducing in his body and being able to cause carnage.
- Worms in the stool: Small white dots that move are worms. There are usually also eggs. For the same reason as the previous point.
- He has a swollen belly: A swollen and hard-to-the-touch belly is a possible sign of worms, especially if it is intestinal problems, such as diarrhea for example, sometimes accompanied by blood .
- Dull coat: Again , if your cat has a sudden change in her coat, worms could be the cause. The reason this happens is because the worms feed on its nutrients and weaken it, which is felt in the coat.
- Signs of disease or fatigue: A cat parasitized from the inside will always be in poor health, because everything it absorbs is taken by the worms and these multiplying, there will come a time when the cat will no longer be able to absorb nothing for him.
- He does not eat: The presence of worms can make him lose his appetite and this is a sign that you have to act quickly. In the meantime, try to stimulate his appetite with salmon oil, for example.
- He has pale gums: Pale gums are a sign of undernutrition, it is the sign that the stage where the worms absorb all his nutrients has arrived.
Types of worms
All worms are not the same, the best known is the tapeworm, which is known as the tapeworm. But there are many kinds, such as roundworms, which are most common in young cats being transmitted through breast milk.
Insect bites can also transmit worms to the cat, heartworms, which infiltrate the blood vessels.
Some live in the lungs and will cause problems with coughing and runny nose.
There are mainly two types of worms:
- Roundworms: Very common in young cats because these worms are transmitted via breast milk. Feeding on the kitten’s body, they can endanger it. Some are up to 20 cm.
- Tapeworms: Transmitted by ingesting a flea or raw animal food, these worms can measure up to 80 cm and endanger all cats.
Precautions to take while he has worms
Before the anti-worm treatment, be very careful because the worms could penetrate your body or even worse that of fragile people. The following precautions should therefore be taken:
- Keep your children away from the cat: Your children have a fragile body and worms can wreak havoc on them if ingested. Young children also have the annoying tendency to put their hand in their mouth very often.
- Always wash your hands after contact with your cat : Eggs can cling to them and are difficult to see with the human eye. Once on the hands, they will be transmitted easily. Ideally, do not touch your cat.
- Do not feed him with raw meat : Raw meats, especially those that are expired, are potential carriers of larvae. This is also what can cause toxoplasmosis in humans.
How to get rid of it?
If your cat has worms, it is necessary to put in place solutions that will allow it to get rid of the worms that are ruining its life. These are fortunately very easy to set up, you just have to go through the veterinary box.
Deworming
After going to the veterinarian, who was able to do the test proving the presence of worms, you will have a prescription for deworming the cat. You can already improve his condition by taking an anti-worm for cats in a drugstore, which I recommend to you in order to be able to keep his condition under control and limit the number of worms present in his body.
Deworming: To prevent and cure
Dewormers for cats make it easy to deworm a cat. In prevention, it allows to protect it from cats and must be done regularly. Broad-spectrum dewormers can get rid of all worms of any kind. Generally, dewormers are in the form of tablets or pipettes?
But how do cats catch these worms?
Apart from kittens who can get it through mother’s milk, cats often get it by the following means:
- Fleas: Fleas can be infested and carry worm larvae. An outdoor cat will often have fleas that they can ingest while getting rid of them since they clean themselves by licking themselves. He will also sneak into the tall grass where they are present in very large numbers?
- Via contaminated hunted animals: Cats are formidable hunters and they can eat animals contaminated by worms, such as rodents or birds. Worms attack all species.
- Insect bites: Insects can directly implant worm larvae when they drink blood. Which is therefore dangerous even for cats that are indoors all the time.
My cat has worms: FAQ
Many questions remain unanswered regarding worms and the cat. I give you all the answers to your questions in this short FAQ:
Are worms painful for cats?
Worms are often painful and can potentially cause pain. The migration of the larvae in the cat’s organs often causes discomfort because the cat’s tissues ignite on contact with its parasites.
He will have a stomach ache, irritated eyes and may also have breathing problems.
Can humans have worms?
Yes, as said above, worms can be transmitted to us via contact and have the same effects as in cats. Here too, the most fragile people are at high risk, such as children and pregnant women.
What if I don’t treat it?
In this case, your cat is in serious danger and will probably die in the long term, the worms becoming larger, more numerous and absorbing all the nutrients in addition to damaging your feline’s organs.
Worms cannot be eliminated by the cat’s immune system which is not designed to be able to get rid of such things.
Good practices to put in place
Before having it treated against parasites, you must be careful, because these parasites can reach the organism of other members of the household, which can endanger pregnant women and children. So take good gloves and put on your mask when you clean the bowl and make sure he wears a diaper so he doesn’t put worms everywhere, especially if he rubs his butt against the floor because of the itching .
Cat with worms: The final word
Does your cat have worms? Treatment is essential and should not be delayed, check your cat’s symptoms carefully and go to your veterinarian as soon as possible for appropriate treatment. In the meantime, don’t forget the good habits to always protect you and your cat from parasitic infestation.