Treatment for a Cat's Fecal Worms

There are a variety of intestinal parasites that affect cats, including roundworms and tapeworms. These types of parasites live in the kitty's intestine and absorb nutrients from the feline. If left untreated, the parasites can cause the cat to become extremely thin, undernourished and worse. Therefore, if you see worms in your cat's stool or suspect it has worms, contact a veterinarian as soon as possible for treatment.

  1. The Facts

    • Intestinal worms in cats are often detected when an owner notices the parasite in the animal's stool. Roundworms, a common parasite found in cats and kittens, often looks like spaghetti noodles. MarvistaVet.com states that tapeworm segments, which look like pieces of flat rice, are sometimes found in the animal's stool, but also on the hair around the anus. The parasites often attach themselves to the animal's intestine, in which it absorbs nutrients from the cat.

    When to Treat

    • Your cat's veterinarian will treat your cat for parasites based on its history. For instance, if you or the doctor have detected worms, the doctor will likely administer medication to the cat right away. If your cat goes outdoors, the doctor may decide to administer worming medication on a preventative basis. In addition, if you obtained a cat or kitten and have no knowledge of its prior care, the vet may give the feline worming medication just to be safe.

    Medication

    • There are a variety of worming medications available for treating cat parasites. Some medications are only available through prescription, while others are obtained over-the-counter. Each parasite is typically treated with a different medication. For instance, PetPlace.com states that tapeworm infections are commonly resolved with praziquantel, while roundworms often respond well to pyrantel pamoate.

    Dosage

    • Many veterinarians will administer multiple dosages of worming medication to ensure that all of the worms are eliminated. Your cat may have many different life cycles of the worm inside its intestine and providing wormings at different times will often eliminate all stages of the parasite. For instance, according to MarvistaVet.com, tapeworms are typically contracted by ingesting fleas. Fleas usually take about one month to fully resolve. If the cat is given one dose of worming medication, but continues to eat the fleas, the chances are high that it will contract tapeworms again. Giving multiple worming doses decreases that risk and eliminates the tapeworms at its various stages.

    Side Effects

    • Administering worming medication can cause side effects within the cat. If you didn't notice worms in the stool before, you may once you have given the medication. In addition, worming medications can cause diarrhea in cats, although it is rare.