How Frequently Should a Cat Be Wormed?

The Types of Worms that Infest Felines and How Often to Treat Them

Aug 11, 2009

Worms are intestinal parasites that can affect the health of cats and kittens. Cat owners can control them with worming medication treatments at appropriate intervals.

Intestinal worms are quite common in cats and the main ones are roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. Cats can also contract heartworms, but this is rarer. It is often not obvious whether a cat has worms as an infected cat may go years before symptoms are obvious, but by then the parasites will be well established and it may take a long time for the cat to recover after they are treated.

Worming is important not only for the cat's health, but also for the owners that the cat lives with, as some cat parasites can be transmitted to people. The frequency of the cat worming treatment depends on the animal's age, its lifestyle (indoors vs outdoors, hunter vs sedentary) and the parasites that are prevalent in the area.

Common Intestinal Worms in Cats and Their Symptoms

Roundworms live in the small intestines and can cause a pot-bellied appearance and poor growth. Kittens can get them from their mother, and because they are young and vulnerable the effects of worms are much more serious in kittens. Roundworms can cause diarrhea and vomiting and can sometimes be seen in the feces or vomit like pieces of white spaghetti or thick thread up to 4 inches long.

Tapeworms attach to the walls of the intestines and are flat and ribbon-like. Fleas carry tapeworms that are ingested when a cat with fleas grooms itself. They are also carried by mice and other small rodents, so are more prevalent in cats that hunt, and can be found in some cheap contaminated catfood. Segments of the tapeworm break off and can be seen around the cat’s anal area like small grains of rice or sesame seeds. Cats with tapeworms lick around their anal area frequently, and gradually lose condition.

Damaging Worms in Cats and Their Symptoms

Hookworms are more dangerous than roundworms and tapeworms and are found in hot humid areas such as northern Australia and the warmest parts of the United States. They are very small worms with hook like mouth parts that burrow into the lining of the intestines and feed on the blood supply. They cause anemia and diarrhea and can cause death in kittens. Cats with hookworms will generally have blood in the feces and become progressively weaker.

Heartworms are another serious, but rare, issue for cats. These worms are not found in the feces as they stay inside the cat, generally in the heart. They affect the respiratory and circulatory systems and can cause illness and death. Symptoms can include vomiting, coughing, weight loss and lethargy. Cats can also get whipworms in their large intestines, which feed on blood. These produce few symptoms.

When Should Cats be Wormed?

Because kittens get worms from their mother and will suffer more from a worm infestation than adult cats it is particularly important to control worms in kittens. Most kittens are weaned at 6 weeks of age, and they should be wormed when they are 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks of age. After that they should be wormed every 3 months.

Once a cat is mature some people believe in continuing worming with a broad spectrum wormer every 3 months, while others believe that once a year is enough unless the cat exhibits signs of a worm infestation. Cats that hunt should be wormed every 3 months but those that are mainly sedentary and don’t have fleas or share a litter box with another animal can be wormed annually unless they appear to have worms.

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