Types of Flat Cat Worms

Cats, like most other animals, are susceptible to parasitic infection. There are several types of parasites that can infect cats, including: various roundworms, flatworms and single celled protozoan parasites. Flatworm infections are prevalent in cats as many are easily ingested through a cat̵7;s normal behaviors. Common flatworms in cats include tapeworms and the North American lung fluke.

  1. Tapeworms

    • Tapeworms are an extremely common infection in cats. Tapeworm infection occurs when a cat ingests an infected flea, which is the intermediate host for this parasite. The tapeworm larvae travels through a number of systems in order to set up residence in the host animal̵7;s digestive tract. The tapeworm robs the animal of vital nutrients by absorbing them and irritates the digestive tract, causing nausea, vomiting, diarrhea and loss of appetite. Tapeworm infections are rarely fatal directly but can cause death through dehydration and nutritional deficiency.

    Lung Flukes

    • Paragonimus kellicotti, otherwise known as the North American lung fluke, is a respiratory parasite that infects a variety of animals including cats. Ingesting infective larvae found in common prey items such as crayfish and snails infects cats. The lung fluke sets up residency in the cat̵7;s lungs and causes an increase the amount of mucous produced, ultimately causing coughing, which is the most common symptom of infection. Lung fluke infection is usually fatal if left untreated due to the activities of migrating worms.

    Liver Flukes

    • Liver flukes can also plague cats. The worms behind this infection are known as Platynosomum concinnum and Eurytrema procyonis. They infect the biliary tract and cause liver disease, gall bladder problems and can even interfere with pancreatic activity. Common symptoms of liver fluke infection are jaundice, loss of appetite, vomiting and diarrhea. This infection can be fatal if left untreated due to dehydration, malnourishment and liver disease. Some cats will continue to suffer from liver disease even after treatment if the infection extended over a long period of time or the worm burden was heavy causing a large amount of liver damage.