Worms in cats

Types of worms in cats

Cats can become infected with different types of worms such as roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms. Each worm can have unpleasant consequences and should be controlled as soon as possible.

Certain areas of Europe are home to worms that are dangerous to your cat’s health. Take heartworm, fox tapeworm and lung worm, for example. Are you taking your cat abroad? Prepare well by bringing the right deworming products. Our employees can give you advice on this.

How do cats get infected with worms?

Cats can become infected with worms in several ways. Worms develop after contact with the feces of infected animals, through an intermediate host and through mother’s milk. Intermediate hosts are fleas, raw meat or mice. Finally, people can carry worm eggs into the house unnoticed under their shoes. When the eggs hatch, it can be contagious to your cat or yourself.

Recognizing worms in cats

You can most easily identify worms in cats by the stool. Are there tapeworm segments or other suspicious bits in it? Contact the veterinary clinic right away. Furthermore, you can recognize an infestation by the following symptoms:

• (Pieces of) worms in vomit
• Diarrhea with blood or worms
• Weight loss
• Decreased physical fitness
• Dull coat
• Shortness of breath (especially after lung or heartworm infection)

Cats with ineffective immune systems, such as kittens and older cats, are at greater risk of infection. For this vulnerable group, infection is more dangerous. This is also true for humans, by the way.

Cat deworming

You need to prevent worms in cats, as they can cause nasty infections in both cats and humans. It is therefore important to recognize worms early and to deworm your cat regularly. A preventive worming cure works wonders. These are part of our preventive care plan for cats, the Happy Pet Health Plan.

How often should you deworm your cat?

It is important to deworm your cat regularly, which is part of your pet’s preventive care. But how often and when should your cat receive a worming treatment?

Deworm your kitten at 3, 5, 7 and 9 weeks of age. Repeat the course again when the cat is 3, 4, 5 and 6 months old. After that, the frequency goes down.

Adult cats (that is, older than six months) should be dewormed 2 to 4 times a year. How often it should be done depends on the environment in which your cat lives. For outdoor cats (or cats that eat raw meat) you deworm 4 times a year, for indoor cats you deworm 2 times a year.

How does it work and what medicine does your cat need?

There are several different products for deworming your cat. Are you wondering which product to use for treatment? Most people use tablets. You can deworm your cat by putting the tablet in the cat food. Do you want to deworm your cat without a pill? Then you can choose deworming paste or a deworming liquid in the form of a pipette.

Can you deworm and de-flea the cat at the same time?

Yes, we even recommend de-fleaing and deworming your cat at the same time. This is because larvae of a flea eat tapeworm eggs. If the larva has become an adult flea and your cat ingests it, he or she can also become infected with tapeworm. Therefore, it is wise to treat your cat against both fleas and worms at the same time.

Are worms contagious to humans?

People can also suffer from worms. Infection can occur through both direct contact and indirect contact. Infection can occur because, for example, you get eggs on your hands and then put them in your mouth. The eggs can be in the cat’s feces but also, for example, on their paws or in their fur. Hygiene, in addition to preventive deworming of your cat, is therefore always important with pets.

Does your cat still have symptoms after deworming?

Despite the worming cure, is your cat still sick? Or did the cat get sick after deworming? If so, it is wise to contact your veterinarian. Our staff specializes in cats. They will investigate what is wrong with your cat.