Don’t let them worm their way into your household – stay diligent on intestinal worms and keep your cat healthy.

Intestinal worms in cats

What are intestinal worms?

Intestinal worms are internal parasites that live inside your cat’s body and feed off them once contracted. The most common varieties of intestinal worms in Australia are roundworm, tapeworm, and hookworm.

Roundworm and hookworm can be passed to kittens through their mother’s milk, or from the environment via contaminated faeces, water or soil.

Tapeworm is contracted when a cat eats fleas that have been infested with tapeworm. There are different types of tapeworms including the flea tapeworm and hydatid tapeworm. Ensure your cat’s worming treatment provides full coverage.

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Can an indoor cat get intestinal worms?

Yes, just because your cat never leaves the house doesn’t mean that other members of your family aren’t coming in and out and unintentionally bringing nasties back with them. Worm eggs are microscopic and can easily attach to clothing and shoes so make sure to remove or clean them before heading inside.

Can I get worms from my cat?

Some species of worms, including roundworms, tapeworms and hookworms, can spread from cats to humans if we accidentally ingest the worm eggs.

Stay vigilant with your hygiene and wash your hands thoroughly after handling your cat or playing in the garden as these eggs can cling to your cat’s fur, or survive for years in your garden soil.

Children are especially susceptible to contracting roundworm for these reasons so make sure to encourage their hygiene and keep their play area away from your cat’s litter tray.

Further, parasites like hookworm can pass from your cat to your family as the larvae is able to pierce through your skin if you walk barefoot through contaminated soil.

How do you prevent worms in cats?

Regularly providing your cat with worming treatment such as a tablet or a spot-on will help you prevent worms in your cat. Worming needs to be performed as a form of preventive health care whether worms are seen in droppings or not, as many worms are too small to be seen by the naked eye. Use our Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment Finder to understand which products will provide your pet with full protection.

Try our Cat Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment Finder

Try our Cat Flea, Tick and Worm Treatment Finder

How can I tell if my cat has intestinal worms?

Intestinal worms can cause diarrhoea, vomiting, weight loss, loss of appetite, anaemia and, in extreme cases, death. Look out for symptoms such as bottom dragging or ‘scooting’, weight loss, weakness, dehydration and lethargy.

How do you get rid of intestinal worms in a cat?

Being proactive and preventing your cat from contracting worms is always better than having to treat them after the fact.

However if your cat has already contracted worms or you suspect that they have, the best thing to do is to bring them and a sample of their stool in to your local Greencross Vets where they can perform a professional examination and diagnose which worm your pet has.

Once the worm has been identified, your Greencross vet will be able to provide your pet with the right medication to treat their worm infestation.