How to worm your cat

Types of worms cats can get

Ensuring cats are regularly wormed is a staple responsibility of cat owners. Cat worming treats worms present in your cat’s body, preventing them causing further damage and, in serious cases, death.

There are a variety of different worms that cats and other pets can get, including roundworms, hookworms, and tapeworms. In this section, we’ll describe some of the different worms cats can get.

Roundworms 

These are among the most common intestinal parasites found in cats and look like thinner versions of everyday garden worms. They are hard to avoid, and most cats will come into contact with them at some point in their lives.

Roundworms can affect both kittens and adult cats, who can become infected by swallowing roundworm eggs. This happens commonly because of the presence of roundworm eggs in faeces, which can remain in the environment for several years. They can also be passed from an infected host that a cat preys upon, such as a rat or a mouse.

Roundworms can also be passed between mother and kittens through the milk the mother cat produces. This variety is known as Toxocara cati, or feline roundworm, and is passed on when dormant larvae remain present in a cat’s bodily tissue and she produces milk.

Signs of roundworms can include:

• Vomiting (sometimes containing worms)

• Diarrhoea

• Weight loss

• Distended abdomen

• Pneumonia and coughing

Hookworms 

Hookworms are a specific variety of intestinal roundworm prevalent in many countries around the world. They can cause weight loss, anaemia, and bleeding by damaging the lining of the intestine, which they attach themselves to. They have teeth like hooks and are very small and thin in size.

Like other types of roundworms, hookworm infestations can be caused by consuming either worm eggs or an infected host animal. Hookworms can also be acquired from exposure to hookworm larvae in the environment, which can then burrow through a cat’s skin.

Symptoms of hookworms can include:

• Diarrhoea and tarry or dark stool

• Lack of appetite and weight loss

• Coughing

• Pale lips

• Skin lesions

Tapeworms 

Tapeworms can often by longer than roundworms and have sacs (egg capsules) on the end, which can break off in segments. The sacs look like grains of rice and can be found in the fur on the back end of a cat, in their cat bed, or in their faeces.

Tapeworm infections can happen when a cat eats tapeworm eggs, while fleas can carry tapeworm larvae, which then grow inside a cat when a flea is ingested. Like roundworms, tapeworms can also be transmitted between mother and kitten.

Signs of tapeworms can include:

• Diarrhoea or intestinal blockages

• Irritable or unpredictable behaviour

• A shaggy coat

• Emaciation

• Seizures

How can I tell if my cat has worms?

We’ve listed some of the most common types of worms your cat may be exposed to, so now we’ll cover identifying them. While the worms listed above show slightly different symptoms and worm infestations can vary in significance, some key signs to look out for are as follows. If you notice that any or all of the below are affecting your feline friend, it’s best to speak to your vet.  

Common symptoms of the presence of various worms include: 

• Diarrhoea (sometimes with blood) or tarry faeces 

• Vomiting (with worms sometimes present in the vomit) 

• Skin lesions 

• Weight loss 

• A dull coat and poor overall body condition  

As an infestation worsens, you may see the following signs develop: 

• Dehydration 

• General weakness 

• Low blood pressure 

• Pale lips 

• Anaemia 

In worst case scenarios, severe infestations can lead to death, so regular worming is critical for your cat.

Where to buy worming medicine

The good news is that fast, effective worming medicine is widely available and can be purchased from clinically approved retailers like Pharmacy2U Pet Health. Buying cat worming treatments recommended by your vet from trusted retailers helps to protect your cat. We don’t advise using home remedies to treat your cat’s worms.

Next, we’ll take you through some of the most common worming medicine options for your cat.

What types of cat worming medicine are available?

Spot-on worming applications: Spot-on worming applications allow you apply treatment directly to your cat’s skin and can kill every type of intestinal worm common in UK cats. Products like Dronspot Spot-on Wormer for Cats provide general coverage, while Droncit Spot-On Tapewormer for Cats is specific to tapeworms.  

Worming tablets: Tablets for worms kill intestinal worms and can be taken with or without food. You can get worming tablets that kill all varieties of intestinal worms currently found in cats in the UK, and tablets are available for small, medium, and large cats. 

Worming granules: Granules are smaller than tablets and can be more friendly for pregnant cats and kittens. They offer protection from roundworms, have no taste, and are simply added to your cat’s food.  

Worming oral paste: Oral pastes can treat immature to mature stages of roundworms and roundworm eggs. They are applied inside your cat’s mouth, and options include Panacur Oral Paste. 

You should speak to your vet about the best and most suitable treatment option available for your breed, size, and age of cat, as well as the type of worms they have.