Cats / Getting Started
Not every aspect of cat ownership is pleasant, and roundworms are firmly in the “unpleasant but important” category.
Not every aspect of cat ownership is pleasant, and roundworms are firmly in the “unpleasant but important” category.
Roundworms, known scientifically as Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati, are extremely common in both cats and dogs, so most owners will encounter them at some point. According to Cornell University’s College of Veterinary Medicine, this parasite affects between 25% and 75% of cats, with kittens especially vulnerable. The worms themselves can grow three to five inches long and live in the intestine, feeding off whatever their host has eaten.
PetMD notes that the real concern isn’t the worms themselves so much as the disease they cause, known as ascariasis, which can trigger a wide range of problems, particularly in kittens and cats with weakened immune systems.
Here’s what you need to know to spot, treat and ideally prevent this thoroughly unpleasant but very common parasite.
There are a few common routes of infection. Kittens are often born with roundworms already present, passed on in utero or through nursing shortly after birth, and if one kitten in a litter is infected, the rest usually follow. Cats can also pick up roundworm eggs accidentally from soil, grass or other contaminated surroundings, or become infected by eating infected prey such as rodents.
Watch for abdominal swelling, lethargy, loss of appetite, vomiting, diarrhoea or abnormal stools, coughing (as larvae migrate to the lungs), malnourishment, and, unpleasantly, visible worms in vomit or faeces. Left untreated, the condition can progress to serious complications including life-threatening anaemia or, in extreme cases, stomach rupture.
Vets can often suspect roundworm from a swollen abdomen or other symptoms, but a fecal test checking for roundworm eggs is the usual confirmation method. Treatment generally involves deworming medication that kills both adult worms and larvae, which also helps prevent the wider environment, and other pets, becoming contaminated. Severe cases occasionally require surgery to fully clear the parasite.
Most cats respond well, though repeat fecal checks at the vet are usually recommended to confirm the infection has fully cleared. Reinfection is common in cats, so ongoing vigilance matters.
Yes, they can, though humans only ever host immature, migrating larvae rather than adult worms, since we aren’t a suitable host for the full life cycle. That’s still no reason for complacency: the larvae themselves cause illness, potentially fever, abdominal pain and breathing difficulty, and can migrate through the body, even causing blindness if they reach the eyes.
Reducing your own risk means treating any infected pet promptly, disposing of pet waste quickly and thoroughly, and making sure children wash their hands regularly, particularly after playing anywhere dogs frequent or near cat litter.
Complete prevention is difficult given how common roundworms are, but a good quality dewormer from your vet, honest conversations with your vet about any concerns, discouraging hunting behaviour, and prompt disposal of pet waste all help improve the odds of keeping your cat clear of them.
Article content © Ravi Teja. All rights reserved.
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