The most common worms in cats are roundworms and tapeworms. Neither of them are good for your cat – they can cause everything from lethargy to a change in bowl habits, as well as weight loss and other symptoms.
Luckily, it’s easy to keep an eye out for the symptoms of worms in cats. If you know the most common signs, you can take your cat to the vet for treatment in good time.
What are cat worms and how can my cat catch them?
Roundworms (Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina) are the most common intestinal parasites in kittens and cats. They are long, white and look like spaghetti. Eggs from these cat worms are passed in the faeces and can live for months or years in the soil. Cats can become infected in three main ways:
• Ingestion of eggs directly from contaminated soil e.g. by licking them off their feet
• Consumption of a rodent who has previously eaten worm eggs from the environment
• Ingestion by kittens of worm larvae in their mother’s milk (Toxocara cati only). The vast majority of new-born kittens are infected with roundworms by this route.
Another type of cat worms your cat could be infected by are Tapeworms (Dipylidium caninum and Taenia taeniaeformis). Tapeworms are long, flat and composed of many segments which contain eggs. The segments are regularly shed in faeces and resemble grains of rice which can sometimes be seen crawling around a cat’s anus or on their bed.
To complete their lifecycle, tapeworms require an intermediate host to eat their eggs from the environment. Cats then become infected by consuming the intermediate host. Intermediate hosts include fleas and rodents. For this reason, if your cat is diagnosed with fleas, they will probably need treatment for tapeworms and vice versa. In addition, if they hunt and eats rodents, they will also require tapeworm treatment. You can find out more about tapeworms in cats with our easy guide.
What are the most common symptoms of worms in cats?
Weight loss and a distended stomach
Cats who have worms often still have a good appetite, but you may notice that despite eating a normal amount, they are losing weight. If your cat is losing weight for any reason it’s time for a trip to the vet, but if it is accompanied by a ‘distended’ stomach – i.e. a stomach that looks bloated – it may be a symptom of worms.
Coarse fur
Another symptom of worms in cats is a change in their fur condition. Their fur may become coarse and rough, and lack its usual lustre. This is particularly a symptom of worms if it is accompanied by a distended stomach.
