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Although cat roundworm is typically less severe than other worms, it should not be ignored. Infections are quite common, and your vet should be testing your kitten at the initial check ups and vaccination visits. Typically, kittens are treated even when they test negative. A fecal flotation exam should be done once per year at your cat's annual check up. Below are 7 things you should know about roundworm as it relates to your cat. 1. How your cat gets it - Felines can become infected with roundworm by contact with contaminated soil or eating infected prey, including insects. Contracting roundworm, therefore, is easier for outdoor cats that indoor. Kittens may get it from an infected mother, who may not show any signs of the disease. 2. Roundworm is common - Almost all kittens have roundworm, and even if they test negative, are usually treated for it. Although most cases are not severe, roundworm is dangerous in kittens if left untreated and can cause death. 3. What is roundworm - Cat roundworm (Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati) according to Cornell Feline Health Center, are the most common of the intestinal parasites that affect cats. T. leonina may also infect dogs, so your cat may not be the only one with a problem. Infection rates are an estimated 25 to 75% (higher in kittens than adults). 4. When you see them - Adult roundworms are 3 to 5 inches long, and are described as either cream or white in color. They have thin, tubelike bodies that resemble strands of spaghetti, but you'll usually only see them if your cat vomits them up. 5. Where they live inside your cat - Unlike some other worms infecting cats, such as hookworms, roundworms do not attach themselves to the intestinal wall and are not tissue feeders. Instead, they swim freely in the gut of the cat. T. cati and T. leonina have different lifecycles. T. leonina take 2 to 3 months to mature, and never leave the intestines. T. cati, on the other hand, migrate through tissue wall making their way to lungs. They then work their way into the throat, and back into the intestinal tract where they reproduce. 6. The next step - Eggs are produced by the female worm and passed in the feces. Fresh feces is not infective, and it may take up to several weeks or a month for the eggs to move into the infective larva stage. Once there, however, they can remain infective for years. 7. Preventing infection - Deworming females prior to pregnancy would make sense, except that medications do not affect dormant worms that reactivate during pregnancy, just in time to infect the kittens. Containing the worm population requires containing your cat and keeping him or her indoors, and control of the pest population. Cats at highest risk are those that roam and hunt. Roundworm infections are relatively benign as compared to other intestinal parasites that your cat might encounter. In fact, a cat can appear perfectly healthy and still have a mild case of roundworm. You should be aware, however, that there can be life-threatening cases of cat roundworm. This can happen if the worm population becomes large enough to cause blockage of the intestinal tract. Kittens are particularly at risk, with their small size and developing immune systems, and may be in serious danger if left untreated. Similarly, older cats, and adult cats with compromised immune systems or other debilitating diseases will be at risk as well. If you have an at risk kitten or older cat at home, you should have a discussion with your veterinarian about cat roundworm infection and treatment.
Article Source: http://www.rightarticle.com
Author Kurt Schmitt, an experienced cat owner, publishes the website for cat lovers keeping you informed about cat parasites and other feline health issues.
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