{"id":2933,"date":"2023-08-09T09:44:34","date_gmt":"2023-08-09T09:44:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/?p=2933"},"modified":"2025-11-01T13:17:45","modified_gmt":"2025-11-01T13:17:45","slug":"worms-in-cats-and-kittens-causes-effects-signs-and-cat-deworming-treatment","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vetic.in\/blog\/pet-health\/worms-in-cats-and-kittens-causes-effects-signs-and-cat-deworming-treatment\/","title":{"rendered":"Deworming Your Cat or Kitten: Causes, Effects, Signs and Treatment of Worms in Cats"},"content":{"rendered":"

Worms or internal parasites are a recurring problem in cats and kittens in India. <\/span>The cases of severe worm infestations in kittens and cats can cause serious health complications, such as chronic anaemia, digestion problems, chronic diarrhoea, vomiting, bloody diarrhorea,<\/a> immunity-related issues and bleeding in the GI tract. That makes deworming your cat or kitten on time a necessity for their health, whether they are indoor cats, or indoor-outdoor cats<\/a>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Deworming your cat as per schedule can help control the different types of worm population in your cat. It will also reduce the risks of the transmission of worms between cats in a multi-cat household. Deworming is cost-effective preventive healthcare that contributes to a pet’s good health and long life.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s everything you need to know about worms in kittens and cats<\/a> including how they get worms, the types of worms, if humans can get worms from cats, signs of worms in cats and how to reduce worms in cats.<\/span><\/p>\n

How can your kitten get worms?<\/span><\/h2>\n

Worms are very common in kittens irrespective of their age and breed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

\"How<\/p>\n

Kittens can get worms in various ways, including –<\/span><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Their mother (through the mother\u2019s milk)<\/span><\/li>\n
  2. Ingesting worm\/larvae contaminated food<\/span><\/li>\n
  3. Coming in contact with infected stool of other cats<\/span><\/li>\n
  4. Other cats and kittens in a multi-cat household<\/span><\/li>\n
  5. From fleas carrying worm larvae<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Keeping your kitten\u2019s living environment clean, <\/span>deworming their mother<\/span><\/a> and other cats on time, cleaning out the litter boxes regularly and keeping the cats in your house free from fleas can minimise the risk of gastrointestinal parasites (worms) in your kitten.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    How can your cat get worms?<\/span><\/h2>\n

    Your cat can get worms easily if they follow an outdoor or indoor-outdoor lifestyle.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

    \"How<\/p>\n

    Adult cats often get gastrointestinal worms from –<\/span><\/p>\n

      \n
    1. Killing and eating infected rodents<\/span><\/li>\n
    2. Fleas from other cats<\/span><\/li>\n
    3. Coming in touch with faeces of other infected cats<\/span><\/li>\n
    4. Eating contaminated food<\/span><\/li>\n
    5. Stepping on soil containing worm larvae or eggs, then grooming themselves<\/span><\/li>\n
    6. Shared litter boxes that aren\u2019t cleaned properly<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

      If you have an outdoor or indoor-outdoor cat do your part to keep them healthy. You cannot stop your cat from hunting other small animals or stepping on infected soil, but you can keep them <\/span>free from fleas<\/span><\/a> and administer dewormers on time.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Can your cat get worms from your dog?<\/span><\/h2>\n

      It is entirely possible for your <\/span>cat to catch worms from any dog<\/span><\/a>. Not all types of worms are niche to cats. <\/span>At least two types of worms – roundworm (<\/span>T. leonina<\/span><\/i>) and hookworm (<\/span>A. braziliense<\/span><\/i>) can infect both cats and dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      What are the common types of worms in a cat\u2019s digestive system?<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Cats can be host to several types of worms throughout their lives. Some of the most common types of gastrointestinal parasites in cats include –<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"Types<\/p>\n

      Roundworms <\/b>(2 types: <\/span>Toxocara leonina<\/span><\/i> and <\/span>Toxocara cati<\/span><\/i>)
      \n<\/span>Almost all kittens have roundworms since birth or early kittenhood. The worm larvae can pass through the placenta and mother\u2019s milk.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Hookworms
      \n<\/b>Hookworms enter the cat\u2019s system through their skin while coming into contact with the larvae or direct ingestion. They are very tiny and not visible in the cat\u2019s poop.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Tapeworms
      \n<\/b>Tapeworms are common too. Since the adult tapeworm sheds mature sections of their segmented body that contain more larvae. Kittens can easily ingest that while grooming themselves or their siblings.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Whipworms
      \n<\/b>      Whipworms in cats<\/span><\/a> are far less common but they cause digestive problems like diarrhoea in the cat.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Why deworm your cat: You can get worms from your cat?<\/span><\/h2>\n

      Yes! It is possible for humans to get some worms from their cats. Although, it is not as common in adults who practise good hygiene.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      Common cat worms (gastrointestinal parasites) in India –\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

      \"Common<\/p>\n

      You can get roundworms, whipworms and tapeworms from your cat, but that shouldn\u2019t happen if you have the habit of washing your hands after handling the litter box or litter scoopers.<\/span><\/p>\n

      Here are a few points to keep in mind if you have one or more cats –<\/span><\/p>\n

        \n
      1. Always wash your hands after handling the litter tray and scoopers, or anything that goes near cat poo.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      2. Do not garden without gloves.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      3. Do not walk barefoot on garden soil.\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n
      4. Wash your feet every time you come from the garden or porch (if barefoot)<\/span><\/li>\n
      5. Eat food from freshly cleaned plates and bowls<\/span><\/li>\n
      6. Keep drinking water covered and always in clean bottles\u00a0<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

        Nonetheless, when living in a tropical country like India, one can never be too sure!\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        It is common for all children and adults to have some worms. You should speak to your doctor about effective deworming (especially if you have children) medicines if you handle cats and dogs.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

        Deworming your cat: What are the signs of worms in cats?<\/span><\/h2>\n

        \"Signs<\/p>\n

        Sometimes, it is quite easy to tell if a kitten or cat has worms. Do you also want to know if your cat has worms? Look for the following signs –<\/span><\/p>\n