Among the most common gastrointestinal parasites that cats contract are roundworms and tapeworms. Most infected cats don’t show any signs of worms, but heavy worm loads can cause losing weight, vomiting and diarrhoea, anus irritation and failure to thrive.
Aside from the dangers they pose to the cat, some worms can be transmitted to humans and cause serious illness. Cat worming tablets are the solution. Cats and kittens should be treated regularly to avoid or eliminate worms due to these reasons.
A worm’s type
Roundworms
This parasite is found in cats of all ages and is the most common cause of intestinal illness. Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati are the two most common roundworms found in cats. These worms’ eggs can stay viable in the surroundings for several years after being deposited in the stool. Two ways in which these eggs can spread the disease other cats exist. Cats can consume eggs that have been exposed to pathogens by simply eating them (ingesting them). Cats can contract the disease from an infected intermediate host, such as a mouse or rat, if they prey on the infected host.
Feline Toxocara cats can be passed from mother cats to kittens via milk. It is common for roundworm larvae to stay dormant in the tissues of cats infected with the parasites. Larvae relocate to the mammary glands, where they are removed from the body in the milk of pregnant female cats, which is usually harmless. Every kitten would be infected with Toxocara cati because of this standard method of transmission.
Hookworms are short intestinal roundworms found in most countries, but they are more prevalent in some than others. Weight loss, bleeding, and anaemia are all possible side effects of the damage caused by these parasites in the lining of the intestines.
A cat can become infected by eating eggs from the environment, eating a diseased intermediate host, or larvae in the surroundings burrowing through a cat’s skin (as with Toxocara cati).
Tapeworms
In general, tapeworms are long, flat worms with numerous segments. Faeces contain mature sections containing eggs released from the tapeworm’s end. In the cat’s anus, faeces, and bed, these segments, which resemble rice grains, can be found on occasion.
There must be an intermediate host for all tapeworms to complete their life cycle, and a cat must eat this intermediate host. Variations in intermediate hosts can be found based on the tapeworm’s species. Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaeformis are the two most common tapeworms in cats worldwide.
When rats and mice eat eggs from the environment, they ingest the parasite Taenia taeniaeformis, passed on to other rodents. Most of the time, it affects cats who hunt.
Worming your pet
Considering that kittens can be contaminated from their mother’s milk, it is best to assume that all kittens have been infected and begin worming them as soon as possible. The following is a typical recommendation:
Starting at three weeks and continuing every two weeks until eight weeks old, give kittens a monthly roundworm treatment until six months of age.
Adult cats (those older than six months) should be treated every 1-3 months with this medication.
Unless a puppy also has fleas, tapeworms are rarely an issue in older cats.
Every 1-3 months, administer a good that is effective against tapeworms and roundworms to adult cats older than six months.
Flea-infested kittens should also be treated with an effective product against Dipylidium caninum.
What are the best worming products?
It’s possible to find many different worming products available, and drug accessibility varies significantly between countries. Even though worming products can be purchased in pet shops and some grocery stores, these are often outdated or less effective; some are even less safe to use in cats.
It is best to actually consult a veterinarian to suggest the most effective and suitable cat worming tablets. Additional treatment options include an injection from your veterinarian, a small tablet that can be swallowed with food (or even some drops applied to the skin), or a pill that can be destroyed.
