How will I know whether my Kitty has worms?

4 Types of Worms found in Cats
Cats have a notorious behaviour in concealing things even diseases. Hence, it is not uncommon to find your tabby affected by worms, but you are unaware about it as he is not showing any signs about discomfort. Usually it has been found that worms are natural breeding areas in cats and kittens. If they are left untreated for a very long time it can result in serious problems in your tabby. Hence, it is very important to understand the symptoms when worms affect your tabby. Some of these symptoms include:

  • Bloody stool
  • Constipation
  • Coughing
  • Diarrhea
  • Inflation
  • Poor coat
  • Trouble breathing
  • Vomiting
  • Weight loss
  • Worms seen in stool or near the anus of your tabby

Hence, it is always important to regularly provide deworming treatments to your tabby. You can do this during their vaccination series. For kittens it is important to worm them every two weeks till they are twelve weeks of age. After that you need to do it once every month till they are six months old. Regular worming needs to be conducted every three to six months thereafter. For a detailed deworming program, consult your veterinarian who would devise a customized parasite control problem for your tabby.

Now it has been found that your tabby is affected by four types of worms:

Roundworms
These worms are found in the kitten’s small intestine. They form balls in the intestine and lead to intestinal blockage. If your kitten is being nursed they can get roundworms from an infected mother’s milk. Adult cats can acquire this worm by eating an infected rodent or feces of an infected cat. The only way to detect roundworms in your kitten is by looking at the presence of the roundworm eggs in the kitten’s stool or on their anal areas.

Tapeworms
Cats can get infected with two types of tapeworms. But the most prevalent ones are the ones that they get after fleas bite them. Tapeworms stick to the wall of the intestine of the cat and then lead to inflation and diarrhea. Through this way tapeworms take in all the major nutrients from your kitten’s body from what they eat and often lead to a poor coat condition in cats. The only way to detect them is through the stool of the cat. They are visible in the form of grains in rice.

Hookworms
These types of worms are most dangerous to your cat as they can lead to bleeding in the intestinal tract. If your kitten is young possible hookworm infection can cause a lot of blood, which can even lead to their death. To treat this disease, it is important to carry blood transfusions to keep the kitten live long along with various types of medications to kill the worms.

Whipworms
These types of worms are usually found in the cecum and colon of your feline. They cause relentless irritation to the cat which can lead to watery bloody diarrhea, weakness and weight loss. Whipworms are most dangerous types of worms found in felines.

Once you are aware that your tabby is affected by worms it is important to give them proper deworming treatment after consulting with your veterinarian. Remember, it is always better to take precaution. Hence, deworm your cat on a regular basis and if you see anything suspicious in the behaviour of your cat, then immediately take them to your veterinarian for further examination and treatment.