Search
Close this search box.

Intestinal worms

Worms in your Cat’s Intestines, It’s Possible and Harmful!

The different types of intestinal worms

When we talk about intestinal parasites in cats, we usually visualize horrible worms… However, there are several types of intestinal worms that affect cats: roundworms, flatworms and hookworms.

Watch the video

Flatworms

Did you know that when your pets get fleas, or if they often hunt mice, they could get infected with flatworms? How is it possible and what are flatworms, really?

Flatworms are parasites. Also referred to as intestinal worms, that live and reproduce in the intestines. There are three types of intestinal worms that can affect our pets: roundworms, hookworms, and flatworms. The two main flatworms infecting cats and dogs: Dipylidium caninum and Taenia.. Flatworms are usually pretty long and flat like a piece of tape. They are made of many small off-white segments.

Each of the segments will eventually come off and appear in an animal’s stools, or around an infected animal’s anus. They look like rice and sometimes they even move for a little while until they dry off. It’s a bit gross!

These segments contain microscopic eggs that will eventually spread in the immediate environment of the animal. These eggs will then be ingested by intermediate hosts such as fleas or rodents. These eggs will then be ingested by intermediate hosts such as fleas or rodents: fleas for Dipylidium, and rodents forTaenia.. The larvae stay in the intermediate hosts until cats and dogs ingest the fleas chewing in an itchy spot or eat the rodents. Ingestion is a mandatory phase in the flatworm’s life cycle. Which means that cats and dogs cannot get infected with this worm directly from other cats and dogs.

Surprisingly, infected pets show very few to no symptoms. It is the pet owners who usually react in disgust when they see something moving on their pet, or when they see worm segments after their cat gets up from taking a nap on their lap.

So, how can you protect your pets against flatworms? It’s rather simple: protect them against fleas and keep them from hunting. This gives you a great reason to adopt a preventive approach to flea management during hot weather, from May to November. It is also important to give monthly deworming treatment against flatworms, especially for cats who hunt.

Roundworms

In cats, the most common roundworm is Ascaris (Toxocara cati).). These tiny parasites live by the thousands in cat’s intestines. Their eggs are microscopic and can literally be found everywhere in our environment. They are resistant to the cold and seem to be indestructible.

Kittens are typically infected by their mothers before they are even born. When the contaminated queen gives birth, hormones released in the ovaries make it so that larvae are released, which are then passed in the breast milk. This is why a kitten that is only a few weeks old may already have worms in the intestine.

When it comes to outdoor cats, they can get infected when they dig in the soil as litter and then clean their paws. Eating field mice that carry roundworm can also infect adult cats. If cats are outside for long periods of time, or they live outside, up to 85 % will be infected with roundworms. That’s quite a lot! Unfortunately, it is a parasite that can affect humans. It has even been reported to migrate toward the eyes. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone… Remember to cover the kids’ sandbox in the backyard as it is the perfect litter box for neighbourhood cats and wildlife.

Hookworms

Hookworms are also worms that live and reproduce in the intestines. They get their name from their hook-like shape. They are Ancylostomatidae. On top of affecting cats and dogs, they can also be found in humans… Making the source of zoonotic diseases.

Females lay microscopic eggs that are evacuated through stools into the soil. The eggs hatch in the environment creating tiny larvae that can hang on and penetrate the skin. Once in the skin, it will make its way to the intestines. Pets will get infected by simply walking on contaminated soil, through skin contact with larvae, by eating soil, grass, or contaminated food. Kittens can get infected by drinking maternal milk when the queen has hookworm.

Symptoms may vary according to the number of worms in the intestines. We usually see diarrhea (with or without blood) and moderate to severe weight loss. Hookworms hold on to the intestinal wall and drink their host’s blood. They can also cause anemia and even death, especially in young animals.

Hookworms can be transmitted to humans. Infection happens by direct contact of the skin with the larvae. They can cause rashes and discomfort because they enter and migrate in the skin. We can even see the canals – little red lines – made by the migration under human skin. Luckily, this condition is easy to treat once diagnosed, but it is always best to choose prevention.

To prevent the risks and unfortunate effects of various parasites, contact your veterinary clinic to help you choose the best treatment for your pet. There is a wide variety of flea and deworming treatments and your veterinary team will know how to help you decide the preventive or curative treatment specific to your pet’s condition.

Contact your veterinary team, they are there to promote your pet’s health as well as your own.

Have more questions?

Please do not hesitate to contact the Passionimo veterinary clinic near you.