How to Treat a Cat With a Ravenous Appetite That is Losing Weight & Has Diarrhea

Tapeworms, which occupy the digestive tract, rob their host animals of nutrition by absorbing many if not most of the nutrients ingested by the host. Because of this, cats infected with tapeworms will sometimes lose weight regardless of how much they eat. The presence of the tapeworm in the colon can aggravate the wall of the lower intestines where it absorbs water from feces, resulting in diarrhea. Examination of the cat's stool is the best way to diagnose a tapeworm.

Things You'll Need

  • Flea collar
  • Vacuum cleaner
  • Insecticide designed to kill fleas
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Take your cat to your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment. Most likely, the vet will administer an anthelmintic, or de-worming, anti-parasitic medication. This medication may be in the form of a pill or injection and a single dose will usually kill the parasite.

    • 2

      Examine the cat's stool after the vet administers the medication for the complete tapeworm or segments of its body to verify the effectiveness of the treatment. The animal may have more than one tapeworm.

    • 3

      Return the cat to the vet should the symptoms persist or return. The cat may have other parasites that require different treatment.

    • 4

      Place a flea collar on your cat or replace the one it is wearing. Fleas carry tapeworm eggs; when cats ingest fleas while cleaning themselves, the eggs hatch in the intestines, causing the infection. If you own other mammalian pets, such as dogs, fit them with new flea collars as well.