Your young cat is an inquisitive little creature! While your kitten performs the ever-important job of surveying their kingdom from their cat tree throne, it’s your job to remember to protect them from parasites.
When we focus in on parasites, we think of two primary types: internal parasites and external parasites.
Examples of preventable internal parasites include:
- Roundworms: Roundworms steal your cat’s nutrients from ingested food, stunting growth. They can also cause gastrointestinal upset, contributing to vomiting, diarrhea and excessive gas. These worms are transmitted through ingestion of eggs shed in the feces of other cats.
- Hookworms: These parasitic worms attach to the lining of your cat’s small intestine and feed on blood. A high number of hookworms feeding on blood can result in anemia. Your cat can contract hookworms by eating or licking objects contaminated with cat feces, or by walking through contaminated areas, like sandboxes. The infective larvae can enter through the skin of the paws.
- Tapeworms: The most common type of tapeworm, called Dipylidium caninum, infects cats when they ingest an infected flea, usually while grooming. They can also get tapeworms from eating rodents. Echinococcus is another type of tapeworm which can be passed to people. Though tapeworms are unlikely to cause significant issues in a cat who is 1 year old, they can contribute to gastrointestinal upset. Tapeworm segments are also shed into a cat’s environment, which is a sanitary issue for the human family members.
- Heartworms: Heartworm larvae are spread to cats by mosquitoes. The larvae mature into adults, which infest the cat’s heart and pulmonary artery (large vessel from heart to lungs). Symptoms in cats can include coughing, rapid breathing, weight loss, vomiting and in some cases, sudden death.
The two main external parasites we consider in preventives are:
- Ticks: Ticks hide in tall grasses and other foliage, waiting until your pet walks by to latch on. While cats who go outside are at a higher risk of tick infestation, it’s possible for ticks to hitchhike into the home on people or other pets. Ticks not only cause skin irritation, but they can carry diseases like cytauxzoonosis (bobcat fever) that could make your pet very ill.
- Fleas: Fleas can be transmitted to your cat by other pets and wild animals. Fleas can cause severe itchiness and allergic reactions. High amounts of fleas can ingest enough blood to make your pet anemic. Fleas also carry diseases such as tapeworm or typhus, which can affect your cat. Indoor-only cats can become infested with fleas if a flea hitchhikes in on you or another pet or through open doors and windows.
To protect your cat from parasites, choose parasite preventives that protect them from both internal and external parasites. Year-round prevention is recommended, especially as the ranges and active seasons of parasites continue to expand. Your veterinarian can help you choose the best product (or combination of products) for your pet based on your pet’s lifestyle and risks in your area. Keep up on fecal testing and heartworm testing to ensure your preventives remain effective.
When your kitten is well protected from parasites, you can watch them explore their surroundings without worry.
Shop myVCA™ for parasite preventives for your cat.
