3 Major Types of Intestinal Worms in Cats

Your cat may have worms, but there is no need to panic. Worms in cats are very common, especially in kittens. Typically, your vet will test your cat annually via a stool sample.

Worms are intestinal parasites and may or may not cause visible signs of illness. Worms use your cat as a host in order to get nourishment, reproduce, and complete their lifecycle. There are a number of cat parasites, including a few major classes of worms.

The main types of intestinal worms in cats are hookworm, roundworm, and tapeworm. Fecal examinations are done as a diagnostic.

Cats in the same household are also nice enough to share worm infestations with each other. Normally, if a fecal sample from one of the cats tests positive, your vet will want to treat the whole crowd.

Below is an overview on each of the major types of worms found in cats.

Roundworms - Roundworms (Toxocara Cati) have a spaghetti-like look to them, and you usually won't see them unless your cat vomits. Roundworm is common in kittens, who can become infected via their mothers, who may be asymptomatic. The mother cat may have the encysted form of the worm which lies dormant. Don't be surprised if your vet wants to worm your kitten 2-3 times, even if the test results are negative.

Mature cats often develop a natural immunity against roundworm. Adult cats, therefore, do not usually exhibit symptoms due to this parasite.

Hookworms - Hookworms hook themselves to the cat's intestinal wall. Rather than get their nutrition from what the cat takes in, hookworms are tissue feeders. Because of this, they can cause blood loss which may result in your cat developing anemia. In addition, a cat with this worm may also experience weight loss, poor hair coat and intestinal distress. Luckily, most of the medications that are used to treat roundworms will also take care of hookworms. At least two treatments are needed to get rid of hookworm.

Tapeworms - Tapeworms consist of segments containing eggs. The segments drop off the worm, and along with the eggs are passed in the stool. They then dry out and begin to look like grains of rice and are fairly easy to spot. You'll sometimes see them in heavily traveled areas or around the cat's anus. Cats with these worms have been known to experience anal irritation and exhibit excessive licking.

It's important to control fleas. The flea ingests the tapeworm eggs and then your cat eats the flea. The tapeworm then lives in the intestinal tract of your cat and then produces, you guessed it, more tapeworms.

More often than not, these worms do not cause any visible symptoms of illness in your cat. Understand that you cannot completely get rid of the tapeworm without also addressing the flea problem. As long as there are fleas, your cat is at risk.

Tapeworms, roundworms, and hookworms are enemies of your cat. Keep in mind that while intestinal worms in cats may not always produce any visible signs of illness, your cat is still sick. Cat parasites put undue stress on your little friend, and you should do all you can to help him or her. That includes not only regular check ups, but proper care, high quality food, regular exercise, and the room to play and explore.

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Kurt Schmitt, an experienced cat owner, keeps cat lovers only visitors informed about worms in cats and other feline health issues.

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