intestinal parasites in cats are probably one of the most frequent reasons for veterinary consultation, especially when we have just adopted a short-term kitten age. However, we must know that adult felines are also susceptible to suffering from them, even those that live indoors, since we ourselves can unintentionally transport them in our shoes. Hence the importance of deworming our cats periodically, always using veterinary prescription products.
The presence of what we commonly know as "worms in cats", commonly present in the feces of the individual, is usually enough to make a diagnosis. However, there are some less conspicuous symptoms such as rough coat and abdominal distention that can hide the presence of the parasites until the infestation is widespread.
In this article on our site we will talk in detail about the parasites in cats and you will find a guide complete about intestinal parasites in cats, symptoms and treatment We will explain details about the symptoms, how the infection occurs, what treatment options exist and much more, keep reading!
Symptoms of intestinal parasites in cats
How do I know if my cat has parasites? As we have told you in the introduction, not all intestinal parasites are easily noticed through the presence of worms in stool, so it is important to be vigilant to the most common symptomatology, which includes other clinical manifestations, such as:
- Weightloss
- Anemia
- Diarrhea
- Growing problems
- Dull coat
- Swollen abdomen
- Swollen abdomen
- Vomiting
- Dark stools
- Gastritis
- Food malabsorption
- Apathy
- Bloody diarrhea
- Watery diarrhea
Now that we have seen what the symptoms of parasites in cats are, specifically the intestinal ones, we are going to learn more about the types.
Types of intestinal parasites in cats
There are different types of internal parasites in cats, so it is important to learn to differentiate between them. Next we will talk about the most common:
- Nematodes: Also known as roundworms.
- Cestodes or tapeworms: known as flatworms.
- Giardia, Coccidia ortoxoplasmosis , among others.
Now that we know what types of intestinal parasites can exist in cats, we are going to see in more detail what symptoms each of them cause.
Nematodes in cats or roundworms
Since we already know how to tell if my cat has parasites, let's find out which intestinal parasites are most common in cats. Under the denomination of nematodes many types of parasites are grouped that could be classified as authentic worms due to their similar appearance to them. Within this group, cats are frequently affected by two types of parasites:
- Ascarids
- Ancylostomidae
Ascarid nematodes
Here we find Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina, the latter being less important in terms of incidence and symptoms. Without a doubt, the prevalence of Toxocara cati makes it necessary to mention it in depth: it has a direct biological cycle, but very complicated, basically the eggs go outside and after Within a few days, an infective larva (stage III larva) forms within them.
This egg with infective larva can be swallowed by a kitten, in which case the egg hatches in the intestine, the L-lll passes through the wall intestine and through the circulation it reaches the liver and from there to the lung (portal system).
There is a new molt to the next larval stage, and through coughing, which produces phlegm and a swallowing reflex, this larva passes into the mouth and returns to the small intestine. There it will become an adult, and will attach to the intestine, taking in nutrients directly and competing for their absorption with the kitten.
They do not ingest blood, but they plunder nutrients, which can give rise to characteristic symptoms of these parasites in cats,roundworms, are:
- Rough fur.
- Poor weight gain.
- Abdominal distension.
- Vomiting with worms coiled like springs.
- Diarrhea.
Sometimes they cause mechanical obstruction of the intestine due to the presence of an enormous number of parasites and can even cause death.
Hookworm nematodes
In this type of nematode, we find Ancylostoma tubaeforme and Uncinaria stenocephala. They have hooks on their mouthparts with which they are firmly anchored to the small intestine, to suck blood To do this, they release an anticoagulant and, if there are a lot of parasites, will cause considerable bleeding, appearing tarry colored stools The characteristic symptoms of hookworms are:
- Anemia.
- Weakness.
- Death: only if the kitten is severely parasitized.
Its size is minuscule compared to roundworms, 0.5-1.5 cm, and the way it is spread is transmammary(when drinking breast milk), prenatal (in utero, the larvae can cross the placenta, the kitten will be born infected, something that does not happen in Toxocara cati) and even percutaneous, that is, when the cat steps on surfaces with infective larvae.
The biological cycle is the same as for Toxocara cati, except that it cannot cross the placenta and its treatment is also the same. We can find paratenic hosts: rodents, birds, earthworms, beetles… Eggs with infective larvae are a little less resistant than those of roundworms in the environment, but in conditions of high humidity and mild temperatures are stable.
Can a kitten get infected?
Not most likely Actually these ascarids have many strategies and the worst is the one that occurs if the infective larvae ingest them by a adult cat with good immune status. The infective larvae pass through the intestine after hatching, but dedicate themselves to migrating through the body organs of the cat (visceral larva migrans): brain, heart, liver, lung, muscle and mammary gland. There they remain encysted, in a latent state for even years. The cat's good immune status keeps them at bay.
But pregnancy and then childbirth cause lowering of defenses, and the larvae "awaken", being able to pass from the mammary gland via galactogenicity to the kitten. Once in it, it does not need to do all the juggling described above to become an adult, it directly changes to larva IV and adult, our kitten having active parasites and of a considerable length (from 3 to 15 cm) at three weeks of age, only for having suckled.
The hunting instinct of cats makes them constantly exposed to these parasites, since rodents or even worms, can ingest eggs in the environmentwith infective larva. It will use the same strategy by migrating to muscle and other organs in those hosts, then encysting and waiting for a cat to ingest the rodent, to complete its cycle.
The rodent acts in this case as " paratenic host", the cycle stops there, it only serves as a vehicle. To make matters worse, ascarid eggs are quite resistant in the environment, being able to remain stable for months if there are acceptable humidity and temperature conditions. Porous soils are ideal, such as sand.
Treatment of nematodes in cats
These types of cat parasites are combated with milbemycin oxime (in pill form), which is an ideal product for adults, or even selamectin (in a pipette), but in kittens between 3 weeks and three months, the ideal is to use an albendazole or fenbendazole (in suspension) for several days, since its slow but sure action causes them to gradually get rid of the parasites and do not obstruct the intestine.
They should be dewormed every two weeks from three weeks to three months of age and every month until they are six months old. Pyrantel or febantel pomoate-type s alts are somewhat less effective, but in adequate doses they can cover ascarids quite well.
Ideally, continue with deworming every three months after six months, or more regularly if there are children and the cat goes outside outside, but our veterinarian may also choose to float feces from time to time and deworm in case of observing ascarid eggs.
Cestodes in cats or flatworms
Continuing with the intestinal parasites in cats comes another large important group, that of flatworms, which also includes the famous tapeworms. Below we will mention the most outstanding:
Canine tapeworm
The canine tapeworm (Dipylidium caninum), which can also affect cats, needs an intermediate host to complete its biological cycle (indirect). It is usually transmitted mainly by fleas on cats, although it can also be transmitted by lice on cats
We will not observe very evident symptoms, except for the gravid proglottids in the animal's feces and anus or some anal itching. It is treated with praziquantel, being necessary to eliminate the intermediate hosts.
Discover more about canine tapeworms in our article on Tapeworms in cats, symptoms, contagion and treatment.
Taenia genre
Taenia taeniformes is the most important, it is another cestode that can parasitize our cat by ingesting infected intermediate hosts, in this case rodents. It does not usually give symptoms, perhaps itching in the anus, so we would find the presence of parasites in the cat's anus, abdominal distension, dull fur or thin. And, of course, the observation of gravid proglottids in feces.
Genus Echinococcus
Echinococcus granulosus is rare in cats, but it is interesting to mention it because of its importance as being responsible for a known disease in man, the hydatid cyst The cat, however, is a very unlikely host, reported in very few cases, with the dog and fox being the most prominent hosts.
Microscopic intestinal parasites in cats
There are other parasites that can affect cats, especially in communities (kennels, shelters, colonies or shelters, for example). The most notable are the protozoa, among which it is worth mentioning:
Giardias
giardiasis in cats is due to a flagellated protozoan that gives rise to symptoms that vary from intermittent diarrhoea, with some mucus and a drop of fresh blood, to a good general state of he alth or to a complete absence of symptoms.
It thrives in humid environments, and contagion is by the oro-faecal route, cleaning, disinfecting and drying surfaces in these communities is important. The treatment consists of applying fenbendazole for five days or using metronidazole in a somewhat longer period of time. The latter is an antibiotic with antiprotozoal capacity.
Coccidia Apicomplexa
They are another type of protozoa, like G iardia but without flagella. Within the coccidia we find the genus Isospora spp that mainly affects young kittens from feline groups, giving rise to:
- Yellowish diarrhea.
- Growth delays.
- Rough and dull fur.
- Abdominal distension.
Serious symptoms are generally due to co-infection with bacteria and it is common to find asymptomatic infections that are self-limited. They are diagnosed by coprological study (oocysts are observed in feces), but sometimes there are false negatives and it is necessary to use laboratory detection techniques. Treatment consists of sulfonamides (antibiotics with activity against protozoa) for 5-7 days or the use of diclazuril or toltrazuril in a single dose, a drug not registered for felines but is often used.
Toxoplasmosis
The toxoplasma genus has Toxoplasma gondii as its only representative, another type of coccidia, sadly famous. The cat and other felines are the only definitive host for toxoplasmosis in cats (sexual reproduction takes place in the cat). The feline becomes infected by ingesting meat from reservoirs infected with the oocysts of the parasite, particularly rodents.
Although we include it within intestinal parasites, it can cause very varied symptoms, and generally it is not usually acute:
- Anorexy.
- Fever.
- Apathy.
- Neurological symptoms.
- Eye injuries.
- Dyspnoea.
It will show mild and intermittent symptoms, which are usually misleading. In utero infection is usually fatal. Most commonly, coinfection with feline leukemia virus or feline immunodeficiency virus gives rise to symptoms of toxoplasmosis.
Adequate treatment is based on use of clindamycin for 4 weeks, twice a day, and relapses are frequent. Diagnosing it by coprological analysis is not very precise since the infected cat eliminates the eggs (oocysts) intermittently and erratically, so determining antibodies in the blood by specific methods is indicated, together with the appearance of clinical symptoms that point towards this protozoan.
Preventing our cat from eating raw meat, or accessing rodents, is the way to avoid contagion. Infection of cats through the ingestion of sporulated oocysts in the environment is not common (humans do get infected by not washing vegetables, for example), since these are found in the feces of other cats, and felines are not given to coprophagia.
Going to the vet regularly will be essential to find out if a cat has toxoplasmosis. It is very important in pregnant women, since it can affect to the fetusHowever, if we refrain from handling feces, its transmission is very complicated.
Prevention against microscopic parasites in cats
The training of community staff in terms of disinfection and cleaning measures is key to avoiding reinfection, since the Treated kittens can excrete oocysts for a long time even after they have overcome the diarrheal episode, and can cause a new infection in their congeners.
How to deworm a cat?
Now that you know the most frequent intestinal parasites, you will understand why it is so important to deworm regularly felines, internally and externally. But also, if you suspect that your cat suffers from a generalized infestation, it is highly recommended to go to the veterinarian to determine what type of parasite is affecting him and what will be the most convenient treatment to eliminate it permanently.
Of course, it should be noted that eliminating intestinal parasites in cats is not always easy, because as you have seen in the previous sections, in some cases periodic treatment is required to avoid relapses, in which we must administer specific drugs or anthelmintics regularly
There are many medications for intestinal parasites in cats, however, not all of them are effective when a generalized infestation has already occurred, therefore, we advise you to completely avoid those that do not have studies that support their effectiveness, which we can generally find in supermarkets and non-specialized stores. We will always bet on effective products for sale in veterinary clinics
Home remedies for intestinal parasites in cats
On the net we can find endless tricks and home remedies to eliminate intestinal parasites in cats, however, natural remedies are usually used to prevent their appearance, not to treat them once they are already present in the cat. feline organism. For this reason, we do not recommend using home remedies to internally deworm cats, especially when we are talking about a large number of parasites.
If you want to prevent its appearance with natural remedies, it is advisable to contact a naturopathic or holistic veterinarian, who can advise us effectively and without putting our animal's he alth at risk.
Do intestinal parasites spread to humans?
To finish, you may be wondering if nematodes, cestodes or tapeworms can affect humans, right? Well, you should know that yes, intestinal parasites in cats are contagious to humans and can be especially annoying and harmful, especially for young children.
- Toxocara cati and canis: can cause infection in humans by accidentally ingesting eggs with an infective larva, resulting in visceral larva migrans, which can reach the eye It is very necessary to be careful with children and correctly follow the deworming to prevent it.
- Cestodes: like Dipilydium caninum, can affect humans if they accidentally ingest intermediate hosts, such as fleas or lice in the case of the kids.
Don't hesitate to take a look at this article on our site about Diseases transmitted by cats and their symptoms.
