Answers to frequently asked questions about cat deworming, for novice cat lovers, take a look! Cat deworming is a measure that cat owners must take, and it is of great help to the health of cats. However, many owners will have many questions or misunderstandings about cat deworming. Only by understanding these can we correctly deworm cats. Below are answers to some common questions about cat deworming.

Cat deworming

Q: What kind of worms should be dewormed?

A: General routine deworming refers to nematodes and tapeworms, the most common of nematodes. Common ones are roundworms and hookworms.

Q: How old do kittens need to be dewormed?

A: Kittens can be dewormed for the first time after they are 28 days old, but only nematodes can be dewormed at this time, and tapeworms are the most common. It is best to deworm them after they are two months old.

Q: How often should you deworm?

A: This depends on the cat’s activity range. If your cat is kept completely indoors, it can be done every six months. Carry out routine deworming once every month to a year. If your cat can go outside and have contact with stray cats, it is best to carry out routine deworming every 2-3 months. If a beloved cat that was originally raised indoors accidentally gets lost outside, routine deworming should be carried out when it is found. If a new cat is introduced to the original cat group, in addition to isolation, routine deworming should also be carried out; Before deciding to breed, it is best to carry out body worming to avoid worms from spreading to future generations.

Q: Can deworming be done at the same time as vaccination?

A: When vaccination is given, the veterinarian will conduct a complete physical examination and fecal examination. If everything is normal , if the cat’s spirit and appetite are both OK, and deworming becomes just a preventive medication, then the two can be carried out at the same time; if a large number of worm eggs are found in the feces examination, the veterinarian will consider The two should be carried out separately. The deworming part should be carried out first. When it is confirmed that the parasite infection has been relieved, the vaccination should be carried out. Of course, these views are only personal suggestions, and there will be different considerations in different situations. Each doctor or hospital has its own deworming plan, and the recommendations of family doctors should be the main ones.

Q: Will worms come out after taking anthelmintics?

A: If there are really parasites in the intestines, they will disappear within a few days after taking the anthelmintics. It is possible that the worms will come out. Some worms will keep crawling, some will appear dead, some will be embedded in the feces and cannot be seen, and some will be digested by the digestive juice in the intestines and cannot be seen intact. of insect body. When the number of parasites infected is large, the cat may vomit the worms. This situation is most common in severe roundworm infections. Under normal circumstances, tapeworms will continue to discharge body segments from the cat’s anus, which will They show amoeba-like wriggling, some will adhere to the surface of the stool, and some will adhere to the anal opening. After drying, these body segments will appear like white sesame seeds and scattered in the living environment.

Q：How do you get infected with parasites?

A: Ascaris infection is transmitted through kittens sucking the milk of an infected female cat, or by licking the feces of an infected female cat. Roundworm infection in adult cats is It is caused by ingesting food, drinking water, and feces discharged by infected persons that are contaminated with insect eggs.

Hookworm infection is mainly caused by ingestion of infected feces or other parasite-carrying hosts (such as mice). Occasionally, hookworms can be infected through the skin, but they will not be infected through the placenta or breast milk.

Fleas are the intermediate hosts of tapeworms. Tapeworms must develop to a certain stage in the body of fleas before they can infect cats. When cats are infected with fleas, most cats will bite their skin and lick their fur, which may cause the fleas to be infected. If ingested, if the flea happens to be infected with tapeworms in its body, it will successfully infect the cat with tapeworms. Therefore, when a cat is infected with tapeworms, it must have a flea infection on its body, or it must have been infected with fleas before. There are other tapeworm infections that are contracted by cats hunting other small mammals, but such cases are very rare in Taiwan.

Q: What symptoms will cats experience after being infected?

A: Ascaris infection: vomiting, or vomiting of the roundworms, diarrhea, or the roundworms may come out, abdominal distension, abdominal pain, Weight loss or loss of weight, cough, or rarely intestinal obstruction.

Hookworm infection: diarrhea, melena, vomiting, weight loss, or the kitten is not fat, or the kitten is weak and lethargic due to anemia.

Infection with tapeworms: There are no obvious symptoms. The main reason is that pet owners will find tapeworm segments adhered to feces, anal hair, or dry segments scattered in the environment.

Q: If no eggs are found in the fecal examination, do I still need to deworm?

A: The most common sampling method used in fecal examination is to use the sample that is attached to the thermometer when taking the body temperature. The stool is examined under a microscope, so such sampling does not represent the exact true state. If eggs are found, it means 100% possibility of infection. If no eggs are found, it does not mean that there are really no parasites in the body. infection, so the so-called routine deworming is generally used, that is, regardless of whether there is a parasite infection, a regular deworming plan is still carried out, so as to provide an extra layer of protection for the cat's health.

Q: My cat has not gone out, does it still need to be dewormed regularly?

A: As the world is unpredictable, even if deworming drugs have been given before, it does not mean that there is no need for deworming. 100% efficacy, regular deworming will make up for this gap. Furthermore, your cat will always go to the beauty salon and the hospital. Is it possible to make friends with other cats through the screen window? Is the soil in the potted plants at home contaminated by the feces of infected cats? There are always too many questions. There are many possibilities, and deworming is a simple, cheap, and safe job. For the health of your cat, it is better to deworm regularly!

Q: Can it be transmitted to humans?

A: Roundworms: Roundworms that can infect cats and are too easy to infect humans.

Hookworms: Certain rare species of hookworms (braziliense) can be transmitted to humans.

Tapeworms: are not directly transmitted to humans.

Q: How do you know if there are parasites in cats?

A: Owners should pay attention to any abnormalities when cleaning cat litter. You may be able to find such parasites that are visible to the naked eye. Internal parasites, when combing, you should pay attention to whether there are amoeba-like tapeworm segments attached to the hair around the anus. When cleaning the environment, you should pay attention to whether there are dry tapeworm segments like white sesame seeds. Pay attention to whether there are fleas on the cat. Traces of black sand-like flea excrement appear. If it is impossible to distinguish between black sand and flea excrement, you can place the black sand-like thing found on wet toilet paper. If it is flea excrement, change the color. It will slowly turn reddish brown. If it is confirmed that there is a flea infection, it is best to administer tapeworm medicine and carry out flea removal at the same time.

When a cat has relevant clinical symptoms, the veterinarian will conduct a careful microscopic fecal examination, or directly administer comprehensive anthelmintics to rule out the cause of parasitic infection. Whether your cat is vaccinated or is seeing a doctor due to gastrointestinal symptoms, the veterinarian will conduct a fecal examination. Only through constant and careful examination and regular deworming can you ensure that your cat is not infected with this type of internal parasite. Infected by parasites.