How Do Cats Get Worms

The cat is an atypical host for heartworms and most worms in cats do not survive to the adult stage.

How do cats get worms. As discussed above many parasites are not species-specific. While this means heartworm disease often goes undiagnosed in cats its important to understand that even immature worms cause real damage in the form of a condition. These are some of the most popular intestinal parasites found in both dogs and cats.

Your cat can pick up a case of worms by sharing a litter box or food and water bowls with an infected cat. Cats living area must be neat and clean. Mostly cats get worms by contact with infected feces or parasite eggs.

White or cream spaghetti-like and long round bodies. Moreover cats can get worms from their canine friends if an infected flea jumps from dogs onto them and gets ingested. A mother can infect her kittens either during pregnancy or while breastfeeding.

Even indoor cats can be infected with worms as you will see below roundworms are transmitted to kittens even before they are born indoor cats can get fleas which come inside on peoples clothing open doors or windows fleas transmit tapeworm. Cats become infected by ingesting an intermediate host another mammal that is infected with the tapeworm parasite. You can treat a worm infestation with anti-parasitic medications.

If you have both indoor and outdoor kitties be prepared for parasites and diseases to spread between them. Because it is relatively easy for a cat to acquire worms it is a good idea to know the warning signs so you can seek veterinary treatment for the problem early on. Fleas also play a huge role in the infestation of worms.

Kittens often pick up worms from the mother in her milk while adult cats pick up worms by accidentally eating worm eggs or eating vermin infested with worms. Similar to hookworms roundworms can not only pose a threat to your cat but to you as well. 1 From the living environment.