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Roundworms in Cats

Roundworms in Cats

Ascariasis

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Updated on September 26, 2024

Summary of Content

Roundworms, often called ascarids, are the most common parasite of the digestive tract in dogs and cats.

SEVERITY:

Severity will range from mild in adult cats to severe and can become life threatening for kittens or debilitated senior cats.
  • Diagnosis Icon
    Requires diagnosis by a veterinarian.
  • Time to Cure
    Resolves within days after treatment
  • Treatment Icon
    Treatable by a veterinarian, and/or the pet parent
  • Prevention Icon
    Regular deworming, proper cleaning and sanitation, rodent control
  • Spread Icon
    Transmission is possible between animals and between cats and people
  • Lab Icon
    Diagnosis is generally performed during a physical examination performed by your veterarian, and fecal testing

VERY COMMON IN

Roundworms are widely distributed in North America and are more common in kittens and catteries.

Symptoms & Signs

In the intestine, roundworms absorb nutrients from what the animal eats, interfere with digestion, and can damage the lining of the intestine. Animals with mild infestations of roundworms may not show any signs of disease. Animals with more severe infestations may be thin, have dull hair coats, and develop a pot-bellied appearance. Symptoms may include: anemia, decreased appetite, poor growth rate for kittens, vomiting, diarrhea, or constipation. Rarely, in severe infestations, the roundworms can cause obstruction of the intestines. A cough may be observed in some animals due to the migration of the larvae through the respiratory system. In young kittens the migration of the larvae in the lungs can cause pneumonia. Adult roundworms can be seen by the naked eye and may be seen in your cat’s stool or vomit.

Diagnosis

Adult worms are usually three to four inches long and may be seen in the feces or vomit. The worms are round on cross-section and look like spaghetti. The eggs are easily identified in the feces through fecal testing. A flotation solution is used to separate the eggs from the rest of the stool, and the resulting sample is examined microscopically. A very slight difference in appearance of the eggs of roundworms can allow experienced persons to distinguish them from other parasites.

Causation

Roundworms, often called ascarids, are the most common parasite of the digestive tract in dogs and cats. There are two species of roundworms that affect cats: *Toxascaris leonine* and *Toxocara cati*. Because they can cause disease in humans, they are also very important human health concern as well. They are prolific and an infested animal can pass millions of eggs in the feces each day. An animal can acquire a roundworm infection through ingestion of eggs in the environment, ingestion of a transport host (rodents), or by larvae entering the animal while in the uterus or through the mother’s milk. Of the roundworms, *T. leonina* has the simplest life cycle. After an animal ingests infective eggs, the eggs hatch and the larvae mature within the small intestine. The adult female worm lays eggs which are passed in the feces. The eggs become infective after remaining in the environment for at least three to six days. Animals become infected if they eat infected feces or an infected transport host. Roundworms of the species *Toxocara cati* have a more complicated life cycle and a very effective way of making sure its species will be passed from generation to generation. After a cat eats the eggs, they hatch and the larvae enter the wall of the small intestine. The larvae migrate through the circulatory system and either go to the respiratory system or other organs or tissues in the body. If they enter body tissues, they can encyst and remain in the tissues for months or years. This migration is most commonly seen in older cats. In very young kittens, larvae move from the circulation to the respiratory system and are coughed up and swallowed. The larvae mature into adults who lay eggs which are passed out of the animal in the feces. The eggs need to remain in the environment for two weeks before they become infective. If an animal ingests a transport host having encysted larvae, the larvae are released when the transport host is digested and they mature in the intestines. A pregnant cat that has *Toxocara cati* encysted larvae in her tissues can pass them to her kittens in two ways. The larvae that were dormant in her tissues can migrate through the uterus and placenta and infect the fetal kitten. The larvae can also enter the female’s mammary tissue and the kittens can become infected while nursing. A month after a cat eats an infective egg or a kitten with a prenatal infection is born, the adult worm has matured in the animal's intestine and the next generation of eggs are passed.

Treatments

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TREATMENT

Administer medications as directed by your veterinarian/as outlined on the label and keep the environment clean by picking up feces on a daily basis.
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SUPPORTIVE CARE

Feed a high-quality easily digested diet to ensure proper nutrition.
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MEDICATIONS

There are many medications that kill roundworms. Most medications, however, kill the adult worms but do not affect the migrating or encysted larvae. This is why most manufacturers of dewormers recommend repeating medication administration two to four weeks after the first treatment. By that time, most larvae that were migrating during the first treatment have come back to the intestine where they can be killed by the second treatment. Regular deworming is recommended by the American Association of Veterinary Parasitologists (AAVP), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC). Many flea and heartworm monthly preventatives contain active ingredients targeted to kill roundworms. Be sure to check the labels of any prevention products you administer to alert your veterinarian before additional treatments are provided. * **Kittens and Nursing Queens** - Initiate treatment following the advice of your veterinarian. General recommendation will be to treat at two weeks; repeat at four, six, and eight weeks of age, and then start a monthly heartworm / intestinal parasite combination product such as (Revolution, Advantage Multi, Heartgard, Interceptor) etc. * **Adult Cats** – Keep on a year-round heartworm/intestinal parasite combination product, have a fecal test performed one to two times per year and treat appropriately. * **Newly Acquired Animals** - Deworm immediately upon receiving a positive fecal or at the recommendation of your veterinary partner, after two weeks, start a year-round heartworm/intestinal parasite combination product. Have a fecal test performed one to two times per year and treat appropriately. While the industry standard would be to deworm before breeding and again at weaning, check with your shelter to see if cats were dewormed at weaning considering they do not purposefully breed cats and would not have control of the first deworming.
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DEVICES

None
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SURGERY

None
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SPECIALISTS

A general practitioner veterinarian typically manages roundworm infections and a specialist is not needed.

Cost Of Treatment

Cost of treatment will vary widely by location and will often include costs such as an exam fee and fecal testing which your local vet can often provide a quote for before your appointment. Roundworm infection can oftentimes be treated for under $50 per cat. Monthly prevention may cost as little as $10-$20 per dose.

Recovery

Cats with roundworms usually recover quickly if identified early with proper treatment.

Monitoring

Fecal exams can help detect what parasites a pet may have and how the pet should be treated. A fecal examination should be performed four to eight weeks after the last treatment of an infestation. A fecal exam should also be performed at a pet's annual exam and up to three or more additional times per year depending on the risk of exposure.

Prevention

Many heartworm preventions such as Revolution, Advantage Multi, Heartgard, and Interceptor treat and control infections with roundworms and are an important addition to a prevention program. Look at your preventive package to check its efficacy against roundworms. Any feces in yards should be picked up on a daily basis. The eggs of roundworms are extremely resistant to environmental conditions and can remain infective in the soil for months to years. Pets need to be discouraged from ingesting feces or anything contaminated with infective eggs. Floors in kennels should be impervious so they are easier to clean. Roundworm eggs are resistant to most disinfectants. but are susceptible to extreme heat. Be sure to follow CDC guidelines on wearing proper personal protection equipment (PPE), laundering clothing or bedding that cannot be discarded in hot soapy water, follow measures needed to safely disinfect the area using boiling water. For large kennels or large spaces that are not flammable, your local fire department would need to assist you in the event a blowtorch is the most efficient way to proceed with disinfection. Always thoroughly wash hands after disinfection, even when disposable gloves are worn. Since mice and other rodents can serve as transport hosts, their control is important. Remember there are a number of humane live traps that can be utilized. Mouse and rat poisons are poisons for dogs, cats, and other animals as well. If one of these products is used in a location your pet may visit, follow the manufacturer's recommendations and prevent access by your pets. Pets should be prevented from scavenging and preying on wildlife. If your pet consumes part or all of a deceased animal you suspect passed away from poison exposure, seek veterinary attention or contact the Pet Poison Hotline immediately.

Disclaimer
The information contained on this page is for educational purposes only. Treatment should only be provided under the advice of a veterinarian who has examined your pet under the laws applicable to your state of residence.

Questions about Roundworms in Cats
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I have a cat that as a kitten was very ill. We got him from 7 months old. We knew he’d had cat flu prior to him coming here. He is now nearly 5 yrs old. He picks huge fights with our other cat. He keeps urinating and scratching at doors and windows around the house. We allow him to go out via the cat flap unlimited. What is happening to him

I'm glad to see that Pippin has been neutered because this eliminates that possibility of hormone-fueled behavioral changes and aggression. Behavioral changes in cats can occur at any point in time, and could be related to anxiety or stressful situations (even rearranging furniture or introducing new people to the home can be stressful to cats). Without a lot more information and observing Pippin's behaviors, I can't precisely tell you why these changes are occurring. It may be best to consult a veterinary behaviorist in your home so that they can observe everything firsthand. You can also try using calming pheromone collars or diffusers (Feliway is one example), and discussing the use of anxiety medication with Pippin's vet. I hope that all goes well!

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Hi! My cat was recently diagnosed with diabetes. He’s taking insulin and taking antibiotics for a Uti. It’s been 4 weeks and he wobles when he’s walking. He can’t jump up on the bed like he used to.He’s blood sugar is 250 it’s better than it used to. I don’t understand why he’s so wobbly.

Cats can develop what's called diabetic neuropathy, where their hindlegs become progressively weak. The best thing to do is try to get his diabetes under control as quickly as possible. Here is a link describing the conditon: http://www.diabeticcatcare.com/DCCCOK/Neuropathy.htm

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My senior cat has metastized cancer.17 yrs old. My vet gave her predizone1 and one half tabs a day.i wanted to know if i can just stop the meds.

Is there a reason you want to stop the prednisone? I would recommend not stopping it and if you feel it is better to stop the prednisone then I would recommend weaning off of the prednisone. I would discuss how to wean the prednisone with your veterinarian. Thank you for using Boop by Petco.

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My 3 year old long haired tuxedo female pees just fine in the litter box, but she preferred to poop on the bathroom rug or on the carpet behind the sofa. Then, she will go weeks and everything is fine only start pooping outside the box again. I have 4 litter boxes and 3 cats. I clean all several times a day. She is the youngest. I've put wee wee pads down and she lifts them up and poops under them. Any ideas to help? Thanks!

A good first step, if you haven't already, is to rule out any health issues with your vet such as arthritis that may be causing the accidents. Secondly, making sure none of the other cats are bullying her away from the litter box may also alert you to any issues. Thirdly, a good enzymatic cleaner may help reduce the smell/discourage use of these areas in the future. That said, if you've done the above and the issue is still happening, it's probably time to call in a veterinary or animal behaviorist that can visit in person to see what may be going on. They may be able to check for stressors that could be causing the accidents where they are, look for issues with refusal to defecate in the box, or see if there is a cycle that is happening that is triggering this reaction. From there they may be able to set up a more tailored plan to help reduce the accidents and encourage use of the litter box at all times. If you're in the US, you can use this website to help find someone available in your area: https://www.dacvb.org/page/about

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There seems to be two wounds underneath my cat’s ear. There is not one on the other side. Does it look like ringworm or caused by fleas? What can I use to help her? It was smaller a week ago.

Thank you for contacting Boop by Petco with your question about Tor and for providing pictures, they are very helpful. Yes, I see the two wounds, and they could be caused by her scratching at her ear. While that could be due to fleas, it may be she has an ear infection causing her to scratch at her ears. Continually scratching at them would cause the wounds to get bigger. This does need to be checked out by a vet, as if she does have an ear infection, it could be caused by ear mites, yeast, or bacteria. In addition, the ear drum needs to be visualized through an otoscope to make sure it's still intact before any medication is given. Ear problems can be considered an emergency as leaving them untreated can lead to hearing loss. Given that these wounds are getting bigger, I'd see if you can get her into her vet asap. I hope this helps!

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My cat is having trouble passing a turd... He keeps producing small amounts of this brown mucous on the pee pad I have in front of the litter box, but hasn't been able to completely eliminate the actual piece. He's eating normally & drinking plenty of water, & he's at a healthy weight. I realize that I'm going to have to take him to the vet if this doesn't clear up, but in the meantime, is there anything I can do to help him?

Seeing your vet ASAP is definitely a good idea to make sure there isn't an impaction causing the severe constipation that may need an enema or stool softeners to resolve. In the meantime, you can try offering a little bland yogurt to try and help the soften the stool, as well as make sure he's drinking plenty of water by mixing some into his food, but if Booboo is in severe distress, hasn't passed any stool at all, or is having other symptoms such as abdominal pain or stops eating, you should seek out veterinary care from your vet or a local ER clinic immediately.

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