Infestation depends on the type of worm, but most often, cats get worms by coming into contact with fleas, eggs or infected particles in feces. Fleas are carriers for tapeworm eggs. If a flea jumps onto your cat, they could accidentally ingest the flea by grooming or scratching.
Owners of one in five cats (20%) do not treat their cats for intestinal worms until instructed to do so by their veterinarian. 1.
Although scooting your cat’s bottom across the floor is a recognizable sign that your cat may have intestinal worms, one in ten cat owners only treat their pets when this happens. However, cats who show no symptoms at all may still be harboring these parasites. 2.
The adult flea develops inside the pupa, which it spins into a cocoon and can live in for up to two years before hatching into a fully formed flea that is ready to bite and restart the lifecycle.
In spite of this, 2040% of owners admit that they do not use a preventative product on their cat, and in 2016 they state that they wait to treat for fleas until they see a flea or flea dirt on their pet. 1.
Adult fleas can transmit from one animal to another, feed on blood, and bite people. Fleas can lay up to 50 eggs a day, which hatch into larvae that feed on organic debris, such as flea droppings, skin scale, and hair. Within 48 hours of feeding, they lay eggs, which fall into carpets, furniture, pets’ bedding, and anywhere else your animal goes. This may include your own bed!
Help your cat avoid ear mites, worms, fleas and ticks, and other parasites.
Your cat can quickly turn into a walking feast for parasites, with worms in its stomach, goopy ears from ear mites, and blood loss from scratching fleas. Help protect them with effective year-round parasite control. The venomous insects that could harm your cat’s health can be avoided, identified, and treated by your veterinarian team.
Young kittens require more veterinary visits in order to maintain their health because they are particularly vulnerable to parasites. When they reach adulthood, take them for twice-yearly examinations at the veterinarian, along with regular deworming and medication to fight parasites, to help ensure they don’t have cooties.
Flea-ridden cats usually scratch a lot, especially on their ears, necks, or behinds. Use a cat comb to regularly go through your cat’s hair. On your pet’s skin or the comb, you might see tiny black fleas or reddish-brown flea “dirt,” which is essentially flea excrement and mostly dried blood. Watch out for signs of aggravated itching, red, irritated skin, and patchy fur if your pet has a flea allergy.
Bring your pet into your veterinary team ASAP. (Especially when there is a severe flea infestation, cats are vulnerable to blood loss.) We’ll be able to identify an infestation, recommend a suitable course of action, and provide a reliable, all-year flea prevention regimen. There are numerous ways to prevent fleas, and they are frequently coupled with other parasite control methods. Talk to your team about what they recommend.
You will also need to use a pesticide that is safe for cats to treat your yard, house, and other pets for fleas. Before you start, consult your veterinary team because cats are sometimes extremely sensitive to pesticides. This is one of the main reasons we always advise against treating fleas; prevention spares your family, pets, and yourself from having to deal with constant hassles throughout the entire house!
Look for small bumps on your pet during petting sessions. Part the hair. Indeed, that small lump you may notice—which might resemble a bean filled with blood—is a tick.
You can attempt to remove the tick yourself (we have advice), and then place that icky little bloodsucker in a plastic bag for your veterinarian. Alternatively, you could simply schedule a time and visit with your catBAE. In any case, discuss potential tick-borne disease symptoms with your veterinarian team. If necessary, we’ll be able to remove the ticks, suggest treatment for any secondary diseases, and provide reliable year-round tick control. In order to further protect your pet, a lot of tick prevention medications also include flea control.
Diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, a swollen stomach, an unhappy coat, and visible worms in poop or vomit are warning signs for worms. If kittens come into contact with worms—which they can even acquire through their mother’s milk—they are particularly vulnerable to bleeding to death. (People should wash their hands frequently as some worm species can be contracted by eating tiny eggs on them.)
Worms come in a variety of forms and can settle down in your cat’s digestive tract. Take a sample of any puke or wormy poop in a clean bag or container (yes, this can really aid in the diagnosis) and take your cat to the veterinarian as soon as possible. To try to identify the worm, your veterinary team will perform tests and a thorough physical examination. After that, we’ll suggest a deworming program to get rid of the parasites along with a potent worm prevention drug to keep your catBAE safe from infestations in the future.
Ear mites are tiny, spider-like creatures that reside in ear canals and produce excruciating itching because they eat ear wax and blood. When a cat has ear mites, they frequently paw, shake their heads, or scratch at their ears. If your cat exhibits these symptoms, carefully examine its ears for any brown or black, rusty discharge. It may smell really funky. This mite crud is an obvious indication that your cat needs veterinary care for its ears.
Avoid attempting to treat ear mites at home as many do it in a way that makes the condition worse. Ear infections are among the many ear problems that can cause a cat to shake their head and paw at its ears. It’s not what you want to treat incorrectly and create more issues!
Bring your cat in to see your veterinarian team if they have any issues with their ears. We can assist with accurate diagnosis, ear cleaning, and prescription of medication to combat mites. We’ll even demonstrate how to properly clean your cat’s ears and insert medication into their ear canals.
Although cats frequently throw up hair, grass, and occasionally food, frequent episodes of vomiting and diarrhea are warning indicators that your cat needs to visit the veterinarian. Don’t wait because young kittens in particular are susceptible to rapidly dehydrating.
Note: Contagious microbial parasites are just one of the many causes of digestive distress in cats. Please wash your hands thoroughly after handling your pet or any of their waste.
Take your cat in to see your veterinarian team as soon as possible. We’ll perform a thorough physical examination and order tests to determine the cause of your cat’s digestive problems. We’ll go over several treatment options with you to try to help your catBAE depending on what we find.
FAQ
How do you know if your cat has worms from fleas?
Should I deworm my cat if it has fleas?
Can cats get worms from flea bites?
How did my indoor cat get worms?