Worms in a Cat With a Distended & Firm Stomach

Keeping your cat in good health includes providing basic veterinary and maintenance care, including regular worming. While many animals do naturally have some worms, a severe worm infestation can cause your cat to become extremely ill and in some cases, it can cause complications which may lead to death. If your cat's stomach appears to be distended and feels firm or hard to the touch, you should take your pet to the veterinarian to ensure the cat receives proper diagnosis and treatment before the problem can get worse.

  1. Worms

    • Roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms can all affect domestic cats. Your cat can get worms by ingesting infected fleas, coming into contact with feces that contains worms or eating contaminated food. Kittens often get worms from drinking the milk of a mother cat that has worms. A cat can be infected with more than one type of worm at the same time. Your veterinarian can identify and diagnose worms using a fecal test, since worms or parts of worms will be present in the feces of an infested animal.

    Worm Symptoms

    • A large, swollen and firm stomach is one of the more common symptoms of a severe worm problem. Other symptoms include severe lethargy, a lack of appetite, pale gums and anemia. Roundworms are most commonly responsible for making a cat's stomach appear hard and swollen, but other types of worms can be to blame as well if the infestation is severe enough.

    Kittens and Worms

    • If your kitten has a firm, distended stomach it is especially important to get medical treatment for him as soon as possible. Worms can cause severe anemia, intestinal blockage and even death in kittens. You have to use caution when worming kittens because too large a dose of wormer may prove toxic or cause health problems for the kitten. Your veterinarian will be able to prescribe a kitten-safe wormer in the correct dosage for your pet.

    Preventative Care

    • By the time most pet owners notice the symptoms associated with a severe worm problem, such as a large, firm, distended stomach on an otherwise normal or skinny cat, chances are the cat has had worms for awhile. Rather than waiting for your cat to show signs of worms, you should take your cat to the veterinarian for regular check ups and get your animal on a preventative maintenance program that includes regular worming, flea and heartworm treatments. A cat that receives wormer on a regular basis is unlikely to develop the type of severe infection that would cause an uncomfortable, distended stomach or other worm-related health problems.