Symptoms of Cat Worms

Does your pet show symptoms of cat worms? Most cats have worms, whether they live indoors or outdoors. Knowing these telltale symptoms can help you deal with the problem before your cat's health declines.

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Having worms is no fun for your cat. Symptoms can be extreme, such as chronic diarrhea and those less obvious, such as lethargy. The following is a list of types of worms common to cats and the symptoms from each type.

Roundworms (Toxocara cati, Toxascaris leonine) are one of the most common parasites your cat may come in contact with. They are two to four inches long, are usually a milky white or tan color and have tapered ends. Your cat passes them either through vomiting or in his or her stool, and they look like spaghetti.

In kittens, the presence of roundworms will cause the animal to have a pot-bellied look and constantly feel hungry. In adult felines, the animal will vomit, have chronic diarrhea and will not be as active as he or she had been. It is important to note that roundworms can be transmitted to humans.

Hookworms (Ancylostoma braziliense) are also a common parasite in felines, although they cannot be seen with the naked eye. They feed off the blood of the animal they have infested, causing anemia. This can be fatal in felines, especially for kittens. Adult cats often have built up immunity to these parasites, so they may not exhibit any symptoms.

Symptoms caused by hookworms are blood in the stool, diarrhea and abdominal pain. Hookworms can be transmitted to humans through the feet.

Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum, T. taeniaeformis) are very common in animals, especially those that have a flea infestation. Tapeworms are easily seen by the naked eye; they are small and white in color. They are usually found in the pet's stools or stuck in the fur under and around a cat's tail. Dead segments of the tapeworm can be identified as tiny rice-like balls in your pet's bedding. Cats get tapeworms from ingesting fleas, which are carriers of this parasite. These worms stick to the intestinal lining of the animal.

Symptoms of tapeworms are seeing these small segments of the worms, and your pet may appear to be losing weight while constantly being hungry. Luckily, tapeworms are not easily transmitted to humans.

Heartworms are seen more often in dogs than in cats. Generally, cats are not natural hosts of this particular parasite and probably will not suffer from it unless they are ill and have a compromised immune system. The animal gets the parasite through a bite from a mosquito.

Infected animals will have little or no symptoms of cat worms. Infected animals may die from this kind of infestation or suffer heart/lung damage. There is no single blood test to help identify this parasite. Usually a combination of tests will help a vet make the determination of the presence of heartworms.

Stomach worms (Ollanulus tricuspis and Physaloptera) live in a cat's stomach. Ollanulus is rare in the United States, but can still be found in stray cats and households or facilities that have multiple cats. Animals become infected with this stomach worm by ingesting the vomit of an infected animal.

Symptoms of Ollanulus worms in cats are vomiting, weight loss and lethargy. This worm can be identified by a veterinarian through inspection of the infected animal's vomit.

Cats can become infected with the Physaloptera worm by ingesting crickets or cockroaches. It can also be obtained by eating a transport host, such as a rodent, that has also eaten the infected cricket or cockroach.

Symptoms of the presence of the Physaloptera worm include vomiting, loss of appetite and lethargy. A veterinarian can inspect the animal's vomit or stools to identify the presence of these worm eggs.

The treatment of worms in a cat should be done under the direction of a veterinarian. While over-the-counter worm medications may work, they can also cause additional stomach distress for your pet, and may not kill the pests completely. Seek the advice of a veterinarian before beginning any de-worming program for the safety and health of your pet.

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