Cat Health Section – Worming Kittens. Unlike puppies, kittens are not born with worms. However, disgusting as it sounds, most kittens become infested with the cat roundworm, Toxocara cati, from their mother’s milk shortly after birth.
Symptoms of Intestinal Worms in Kittens
In contrast to adult cats, kittens usually exhibit symptoms of a worm infection. Keep an eye out for these symptoms:
- Little rice-like fragments in your kitten’s excrement or on their posterior
- Diarrhea
- Blood in the stool
- Weight loss
- Bloated abdomen
- Rapid breathing
If your kitten exhibits any of these signs, contact your veterinarian.
Types of Worms Commonly Found in Kittens
Three primary worm species can infect your kitten: hookworms, tapeworms, and roundworms.
Roundworms are very common and can be passed on through:
- The feces of an infected cat
- Infected soil
- Their mother’s milk
- Eating rodents
Cats are especially prone to roundworm because of their age and evident close contact with their mother.
Tapeworms are long, flat and segmented. The most common way for kittens to get a tapeworm is if they unintentionally eat contaminated fleas while grooming. The kitten consumes these disease-carrying fleas while grooming, and the tapeworm larva attaches itself to the kitten’s small intestine where it matures into an adult worm.
Additionally, contaminated feces or soil, as well as eating infected rodents, can expose kittens to hookworms, which are internal parasites with razor-like mouthparts.
Pets in homes with young children, immunocompromised people, or senior citizens should have their pets dewormed at least once every three months to prevent human infections.
kinds of worms in cats and dogs Worms are parasites that live inside pets and deplete their blood and nutrients. Worms that can be categorized as round or flat are found in the stomachs of dogs and cats. Pet intestines are home to three different species of roundworms, also known as nematodes: whipworms, hookworms, and roundworms. Echinococcus and taenia are two species of flat-shaped tapeworms (cestodes) that reside in the liver and other organs of pets. Dogs commonly get hookworms, whipworms, roundworms, and tapeworms. Cats commonly get roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms, but not whipworms. Additionally, intestinal protozoa, kidney worms, lungworms, esophageal worms, liver flukes, and bloodworms can infect pets. The most common pet worms are roundworms, and hookworms. Heartworms, or Dirofilaria immitis, are parasites that reside in the heart rather than the intestines. Unlike ordinary intestinal worms, heartworms are transmitted by mosquitoes. They can be fatal and infect both cats and dogs.
After their pets have defecated, adult dogs and cats can acquire worms from eggs that remain in the soil. Some worm eggs survive for years in soil. Pets also pick up worms from:
Which animals are most susceptible to worm infestations? Puppies and kittens almost always have intestinal worms Worm burdens are highest in puppies and kittens that were whelped in large kennels or in unsanitary conditions. Worms are common in pets that use pet parks, dog day care centers with shared restrooms, farmyards, and city streets where pet waste is on the sidewalk. Pregnant and lactating females have worms. Pets kept in humane shelters generally have intestinal worms. Recommended products for dogs and cats with worms:
Puppies and kittens are born with intestinal worms. This happens as a result of pregnancy-related hormones stimulating the growth of worms that are at rest inside the mother’s body. Before the young are born, the newly formed worms inside the mother enter them through the placenta (transplacental). Furthermore, the young receive worms through the mother’s milk (transmammary). Regular deworming is recommended for female dogs nursing puppies, kittens, and other animals.
FAQ
How likely is it for a cat to have worms?
Do indoor only cats get worms?
At what age do kittens need to be dewormed?