Internal parasites are a common problem in cats. Taking proper care of your cat, along with regular prophylaxis, effectively reduces the risk of worms. One of these conscious activities of a caring educator is deworming. It provides protection not only to the cat, but also to those who live with it. This problem affects not only street cats, but also domestic cats.

Usually cats are given their first deworming 4 weeks after birth. The reason is, among other things, a high probability of infection of the kitten when sucking milk from the mother. The next deworming is done every 2 weeks until the child is 15-16 weeks old. The procedure applies to the entire litter of the cat along with the mother, otherwise the babies still risk getting infected from their siblings or from the mother.

Worms have a weakened immune system, which means that it does not achieve sufficient immunity for it.

An adult cat also needs to be regularly dewormed, even if it is a cat that lives only in an apartment.

He, too, can become infected with parasite eggs brought home from home.

Another way is to get infected from a dog that is walking. The most common parasite is roundworm, which a cat can catch by sipping water from a puddle or digging in the ground. Its development takes place in the cat’s digestive tract and is excreted in the cat’s feces. You can get other parasites by eating contaminated raw meat.

If you are not collecting stool samples, you should deworm your cat at least 4 times a year.

Each deworming should be done at least 7 days before your cat is routinely vaccinated. An infected but untreated cat can develop skin problems or anemia, and in extreme cases this can be fatal.

How do you know if your cat has parasites?

Roundworm parasites can be excreted by cats when they vomit. Conversely, there may be tapeworm in the feces, but these are very advanced stages. So if a cat is infected with a tapeworm, it almost certainly has fleas.

The most common symptoms of a feline infection are:

– diarrhea

– vomiting

– unwillingness to eat,

– the presence of mucus and blood in the stool

– weight loss

– cough and breathing problems

– deterioration of the coat condition (matting, thinning)

– apathy and anemia

Infection with parasites can be asymptomatic for a long time.

The main and effective solution is to check feces for their presence, and if found, it is easy to choose the best remedy for their removal. If the cat is heavily infested with parasites, a one-time action is not enough. The deworming process must be carried out in stages, because a single too strong dose can be fatal. In this case, the treatment is carried out over several days. We remind you that the tablets only work against mature parasites.

The choice of a drug for worms is taken by a veterinarian.

There are various forms of anthelmintics on the market:

– deworming tablets are the most popular solution

– deworming pastes

– gels for deworming

– Drops for spot application, which, however, are intended against external parasites such as fleas and ticks.

– shampoos for external parasites

– external parasite spray

If you find parasites in one cat and you have more of them, deworming should be done in other cats as well. Infecting a cat with parasites is not easy, but possible. Children, the elderly, and immunocompromised patients are most likely to become infected.

The old rule is that prevention is better than cure, and we highly recommend this method. You will avoid unnecessary stress, prevent illness and give you a certificate of maturity in caring for your pets.