How Do Cats Get Worms?
Discovering that your cat has worms can be an unpleasant experience for any pet owner. Not only can finding the worms be frightful (and gross), but their presence can also raise some serious concerns about the health of your cat.
Read on for information about diseases and other medical inflictions that frequently impact cats.
Cats most commonly contract worms after coming into contact with parasite eggs or infected feces.
A cat may walk through an area with eggs or infected feces, and since cats are often such fastidious groomers, they will then ingest the eggs or fecal particles as they clean their fur and feet.
This can occur in indoor cats as easily as it can in outdoor cats, particularly if multiple cats share a litter box that is contaminated with infected feces.
Cats that live outdoors and regularly hunt small rodents are also at a higher risk of contracting worms because the worms can live in the muscle tissues of their prey.
After eating a rodent that’s infected with worm larvae, a cat can develop a worm infestation as those larvae develop to maturity in the cat’s intestines.
Can Cats Get Worms from Dogs?
Yes, cats can pick up infected eggs from dog poop, as not all roundworms and hookworms are species-specific. Ancylostoma braziliense hookworm can affect both dogs and cats, as well as Toxascaris leonina roundworm.
Cats can also get tapeworms via the flea on dogs if they are living in an infested home or yard. If a flea from a dog jump onto a cat (or vice versa) and gets ingested, there is the potential for a tapeworm infestation to develop.
Types of Worms in Cats
Outdoor cats and those who are routinely exposed to soil where other animals defecate are prone to worms. Kittens and cats who do not receive regular preventative health care are most at risk for developing complications associated with internal parasites.
Roundworms
Are the most common internal parasites in cats. Resembling spaghetti, adult worms are three to four inches long. There are several ways cats can become infected. Nursing kittens can get roundworms from an infected mother’s milk, while adult cats can acquire them by ingesting eggs from the feces of an infected cat.
Hookworms
Are much smaller than roundworms—less than an inch long—and reside primarily in the small intestine. Because they feed on an animal’s blood, hookworms can cause life-threatening anemia, especially in kittens. Hookworm eggs are passed in the stool and hatch into larvae, and a cat can become infected either through ingestion or skin contact.
Tapeworms
Are long, flat, segmented parasites that range from 4 to 28 inches in length. An infestation can cause vomiting or weight loss. Cats acquire tapeworms by ingesting an intermediate host, like an infected flea or rodent. When cats are infected, tapeworm segments—actual pieces of the worm that resemble grains of rice—can often be seen on the fur around a cat’s hind end.
Lungworms
Reside in the lungs of a cat. Most cats will not show any signs of having lungworms, but some can develop a cough. Snails and slugs are popular intermediate hosts of this type of parasite, but cats are usually infected after eating a bird or rodent who has ingested an intermediate host.
Though means of transmission can vary, one of the main ways that cats get worms is through the ingestion of the feces of infected felines. Mother cats can also pass on worms to their kittens.
Symptoms of Worms in Cats
Worm infestations in cats may be completely asymptomatic (showing no symptoms) or severe and life-threatening, depending on the type of worm and severity of the infestation.
Common signs of worms in cats include:
- Vomiting (sometimes with worms in the vomit)
- Diarrhea (with or without blood)
- Tarry feces
- Weight loss
- Distended abdomen
- Skin lesions
- Generally poor body condition and a dull coat
- As infestations worsen and symptoms progress, you may see signs such as:
- Weakness
- Dehydration
- Pale lips and gums due to anemia
- Low blood pressure
- Shock
- Death, in the most severe cases
Symptoms for Specific Types of Worms in Cats
Use this guide to help determine the specific type of worm based on your cat’s symptoms.
Roundworms can cause of number of serious issues, such as:
- Coughing/pneumonia (if larvae penetrate the lungs and mature in the respiratory tract)
- Vomiting (which may contain adult worms)
- Diarrhea
- Distended abdomen (enlarged)
- Weight loss/unhealthy appearance
- Intestinal obstruction (in severe cases)
Hookworms can cause health problems that include:
- Skin lesions (if larvae penetrate the skin and migrate through the tissues)
- Coughing (if larvae penetrate the lungs)
- Diarrhea (with blood)
- Dark, tarry stool
- Weight loss
- Poor appetite
- Pale lips and gums (secondary to anemia)
Whipworms can be asymptomatic, but in more severe infections, can cause:
- Large bowel diarrhea (with blood)
- Weight loss
- Dehydration
- Anemia
With tapeworms, your cat may not have any symptoms, but you may see worm segments that look like white grains of rice in these areas:
- On and around the anus
- Attached to the fur around the anal area and under the tail
- In/on the feces in the litter box
- Lungworm infestations can cause:
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Pneumonia as the infestation worsens and symptoms progress
Heartworm disease in cats can cause:
- Coughing
- Difficulty breathing
- Lack of appetite
- Lethargy
- Vomiting
- Sudden collapse
- Seizures
- Sudden death
- Bladder worm infestations may not cause symptoms in some cats, but severe cases may cause:
- Visible blood in the urine
- Straining
- Pain with urination
- Severe infestations of liver flukes may cause:
- Swelling of the liver
- Abdominal distention (swollen belly)
If you think your cat may have worms, it’s important to bring her to a veterinarian, who can confirm the presence of worms. Avoid self-diagnosis, since worms are not always visible or identifiable.
Visit your veterinarian as early recognition, diagnosis, and treatment are essential.
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