What to do if my cat has worms? How to remove intestinal worms in cats? That a cat can have worms is something quite common or it may happen to him sometime in his life. But, Why does my cat have worms, where did he grab them or where did they come from? How can I get rid of worms? There are several reasons why a cat may have intestinal parasites and there are several ways to get rid of them.
Cats with intestinal parasites may suffer discomfort or lethargy
Intestinal parasites in cats and dogs
Dipylidium caninum, “The dog had”, is a parasite of canids and felids in general, as well as other animals that host fleas.
The worm in its adult form it measures between 15-70 centimeters long by 2.5 – 3 millimeters in diameter and has a coloration that varies between White and the light yellow.
The parasite needs two guests to develop: a intermediate host (the flea) and final guest (usually a mammal).
Image: Wikipedia
How do cats get worms?
- Inheriting parasites from his mother, which also had them
- Having fleas or ticks, these infected the parasite
- When infected with other animals infected by contact with them
- By ingesting feces from other cats or animals infected with parasites
Symptoms and signs of intestinal parasites in cats
- Diarrhea
- Vomiting
- Loss of appetite
- Discomfort and / or lethargic state
- Weightloss
- Locate worms in your stool or anus
Remember that these symptoms may not always be due to parasites, you must go to the vet because It could be a disease.
How to locate worms in cats?
If you have the symptoms we have mentioned above it may be intestinal parasites. Also if we see them in their bowel movements. Obviously, if we locate in its fur (in the back area) or in your anus worms like the ones in this picture (we can see them coming out of their anus or around) clearly have parasites:
Image: cattime.com
How to eliminate worms or intestinal parasites in cats?
exist various ways to get rid of intestinal parasites of your cat Conventional and most used methods are:
- Antiparasitic pills to eliminate parasites. Your veterinarian should prescribe it and tell you how to administer it and for how long.
- Pipettes (solutions that are applied to the skin) that penetrate and eliminate parasites quickly and easily. It is good if it is impossible to give pills to your cat.
- Also exist home remedies that could eliminate parasites, but its effectiveness cannot be assured to 100%. Important: Consult your veterinarian before to start with any home treatment or remedy.
* Before supplying any medication or pipette consult with the veterinarian.
Remember to clean your entire home to sanitize everything, because your cat may have left worms:
- Clean the floor with water and bleach and all surfaces as usual.
- Wash your beds and your bedding, if possible at 60º in the washing machine.
- Clean your house in general thoroughly, especially where your cat is most (like the scraper, a specific area …)
- Wash your hands often
Home remedies to eliminate intestinal parasites in cats
As I said, We should NOT give our cat any home remedy without first discussing it with an expert veterinarian. Home remedies that are said to work may be:
- Fasting with apple cider vinegar: 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar are added to the cat’s water (although I doubt the cat would like to drink from this concoction)
- Ground pumpkin seeds: Mixing it in your food acts as a laxative and can help eliminate the parasite naturally.
- Apply tea tree oil on your anus: To eliminate parasites externally.
- Ground thyme: Crush like a tablespoon of thyme and mix it with your food for several days.
- Crushed Garlic: They say to mix a teaspoon of crushed garlic in their food 2 times a day for 15 days. Although garlic is a doubtful food, since many include it in harmful foods for cats. I would not use it as a remedy, but if you think about it, discuss it before with the veterinarian.
How to prevent my cat from having worms again?
- The best prevention is that let’s deworm our cat periodically in a preventive way, especially if you have contact with the outside or with other pets, then we must deworm it more regularly.
- Home cleaning is very important, because dirt attracts fleas, ticks and more insects to the home. Don’t forget about Clean your sand tray daily.
- That our cat is up to date with his vaccinations and reviews.
Can I get cat intestinal parasites?
Indeed. We can also get intestinal parasites from our infected pet. Once we detect that our pet has intestinal parasites, what Recommended is that we go to the doctor and comment on our concern. There are antiparasitic pills that we can take U.S. They should make a prescription with the pills and take them as directed by the leaflet or as directed by the doctor.
Any concerns you have with your cat, do not hesitate to go to the veterinarian.
Good luck!