All About Deworming Cats
There are over 29 million pets in Australia today, as 61% of the households own a pet today. Pet ownership in Australia is one of the highest in the world. One of the main responsibilities of cat owners is to take preventive care and health throughout its life with trusted products like advocate for cats. Deworming is a significant aspect of the care regime to reduce internal and external parasites to improve their health and prevent their transfer to humans. To identify symptoms and take the right care, owners must know these facts about deworming.
Types of Worms that Infect Cats
Hookworms
Hookworms are intestinal parasites that use hook-like mouths to attach themselves to the intestinal wall. Cats may get infected with hookworms through their mouth, skin, milk, their mother’s placenta or while ingesting soil and contaminated substances. Hookworms enter the pets in the form of larvae and migrate to the intestine and mature there. They feed on the blood and eject their eggs to the digestive tract, which exits the pet through its faeces and infect other animals.
Roundworms
Roundworms also reside in the intestine of pets. They consume the partially digested food that the pets consume, therefore, starving them. They pass their tiny eggs through the stools of cats and dogs and infect other pets. Kittens can also get infected by them through their mother’s milk during the nursing period.
Tapeworms
Tapeworms end up inside cats when they ingest a flea containing tapeworm eggs. It can be due to accidental licking or chewing their skin containing fleas. The tapeworm hatches inside the pet’s intestine and latches itself to the lining. Its bowel movements usually show white residue indicating the infection. Pet owners must immediately get their cat tested by a vet and provide them with advocate for cats to remove the worms and fleas.
How Do Owners Protect Their Cats from Parasites?
Kittens Must Be Dewormed Often
Veterinary clinics recommend that the owners deworm kittens every two weeks until they reach 3 months of age. Kittens are usually born with worms passed on from their moms, even if they are dewormed before they are born. Along with this, kittens have a high chance of being infected with worms due to their age and vulnerability. Therefore, pet owners must consult the vets and provide them with the right preventive care and treatment to keep them healthy.
Keep A Close Look for Signs and Symptoms
Internal parasites that infect cats are usually not visible to the naked eye. Although owners can detect some infections by observing the stool for worms, not every infected cat has an abnormal stool. Cats can also experience diarrhoea, abdominal pain, vomiting, itching and weight loss that one must look out for. Owners may also notice that the cats have a pot-bellied appearance or a dull coat.
Deworm Pets Occasionally
Along with deworming the cats when one observes signs of infection, it is always best to deworm them periodically to prevent the risk of infection and reinfection, especially when the pets are active and stay outdoors.
Exercise Strict Hygiene
Owners must designate a spot for the cats to defecate and dispose of their faeces immediately, whether it is in the house, lawn, yard or other public places. They must also exercise strict hygienic practices, provide the best food for their cats, and prevent them from venturing into contaminated spaces. It is important to keep pets flea-free to prevent contamination and infection.
