What Causes a Wolf Worm in Baby Kittens?

Wolf worms, occasionally referred to as screw flies, are a member of the genus Cuterebra. Adult wolf worms, known as bot flies, do not parasitize other animals or bite, but the larvae can leave a painful abscess. They parasitize a variety of organisms, and kittens are frequently infected. These worms are not traditional parasites because they eventually leave their hosts to lay eggs and complete their development. However, the lesions they cause when they burrow into a host can lead to severe skin infections. Wolf worms are easily transmitted to other animals, including humans.

  1. Outdoor Kittens

    • Kittens who are allowed to go outdoors are much more likely to get wolf worms. Outdoor cats who give birth to kittens may also pass wolf worms to their kittens. Keeping your cat indoors is an important way to protect its health.

    Exposure to Rodents

    • Wolf worm infestations are most common among rabbits and rodents. Though you may be tempted to use your kitten to control household pests, allowing it to kill rodents makes it more susceptible to a painful parasitic infection. Keep your kitten away from rodent dens and hire a pest control expert to prevent rats and other rodents from invading your home.

    Exposure to Livestock

    • Livestock are common hosts for wolf worms, and kittens who live near livestock are much more likely to contract wolf worm. Kittens love to chase other animals, and their prey drive is activated by livestock like sheep. This makes it even more likely that kittens living on a farm will contract wolf worm. If you live on a farm or near livestock, keep kittens away from farm animals.

    Transmission from Mother

    • Kittens occasionally contract wolf worm from their mothers. Wolf worm larvae live underneath their host's skin, then burrow out to pupate in a moist environment. When the pupae develop into adults, they quickly lay eggs which then enter another host's body. This entire life cycle takes only a few weeks, which means a wolf worm living in a mother cat may burrow into a nearby environment to pupate and then infect the kittens. Treat cats with wolf worms immediately and don't breed them until the wolf worm is gone.