How to Treat a Cat for Multiple Types of Worms

If you notice a change in your cat's personality, or sudden weight loss with a pot-bellied appearance, or a change in the frequency of bowel movements and mucus-covered feces, your cat may have worms. You may see worms around the cat's anus, either alive or stuck in the surrounding fur. If you have multiple cats, it is prudent to assume that all will be infected. There is not one common treatment for all types of worms, and home diagnosis is rarely possible. If you suspect your cat has worms, take a stool sample to your vet for professional diagnosis and traditional medical or homeopathic treatment.

  1. Tapeworms

    • Tapeworms, also known as cestodes, are carried by fleas. Two of the most common in the United States are Taenia and Diplidium caninum. Tapeworms are multi-segmented, with each segment representing a maturing egg that continues to thrive on its own while its head remains attached to the intestine. Tapeworms live and grow in the small intestine and are introduced when a cat swallows fleas or eats wild creatures such as rodents that have fleas. The worms rob the cat of the essential nutrients he needs, causing weight loss and a dull-looking coat. Veterinary treatments include medications that are given orally or by injection.

    Heartworms

    • Some veterinary sources report that heartworm, contracted by cats through mosquito bites, is seen in one-fifth as many cats as dogs, but cats do not always exhibit the presence of the heartworms in their blood. Although cats are resistant to heartworms, and most of the time the worms simply die off, there are cases where a dead or dying worm will cause sufficient lung damage to compromise a cat's life. Diagnosis is difficult in cats, even with a blood test, and several tests for antibodies and antigens are often required to confirm the presence of heartworms. Treatments are considered risky, and medications are usually administered only when a heartworm infestation poses a signficant risk to a cat's life.

    Hookworms

    • Hookworms are a significant problem for cats, particularly in the southern parts of the United States. They flourish in unsanitary or crowded conditions. Severe hookworm infestation can be serious because the worms suck a cat's blood, which may result in anemia. Black, tarlike stools that are fluid and foul smelling are characteristic of hookworm infestation. An infected cat may exhibit pale gums and appear weak and thin. Seek professional treatment immediately if you suspect your cat has hookworms.

    Roundworms

    • The most common worms found in cats, most prevalent in kittens, are two types of roundworms, Toxocara cati and Toxocara leonina. Roundworms are transmitted from a mother cat to her offspring or when cats eat infected rodents. But roundworms are not immediately apparent except in an instance of heavy infestation. Signs of infestation are a swollen belly, diarrhea, vomiting whole worms that resemble white spaghetti several inches long. Microscopic examination of a stool sample is the only method by which to confirm a diagnosis. Kittens generally require worming two to three times, even when fecal exams test negative. Roundworms can migrate in human tissue, too, leading to organ and eye problems. As a cat matures, it develops a natural immunity against roundworms.

    Prevention

    • Intestinal parasites are common in cats; some practical preventive measures are in order when you share your life with cats. Cats that are allowed outside should be regularly wormed, especially for tapeworms. If your cat stays indoors, keep his litter box immaculately clean. Frequently remove fecal waste. Multiple-cat households are more at risk for worm outbreaks. In addition to providing one litter box per cat plus one extra, keep the environment as clean as possible, and in all cases feed a nutritious diet.