Cat Worms Symptoms

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     Worms in cats come in many different forms, including hookworms, roundworms, tapeworms, lungworms and heartworms. Most kinds of worm can be treated with over-the-counter medication, relatively easily. In the case of more serious infections, though, you should consult your vet and ask for help. Cat worms symptoms can be extremely diverse, and you need to keep an eye out for a wide range of problems - some of which may not be immediately obvious. In some cases, particularly with young cats, these can be serious and can make the cat very ill.

Roundworms
Two of the most common types of worms are roundworms and tapeworms. Roundworms look like short lengths of spaghetti, and are often visible in the cat's diarrhea or vomit - both of which are common symptoms. The cat may appear to be in discomfort, and look pot-bellied. They may also be unusually inactive, and be constantly hungry but never satisfied.

Roundworms can usually be treated with oral medication that is freely available. Spot-on medication may also be available, but will sometimes need to be procured from your vet. If you are in any doubt about the problem, you should seek assistance and a proper diagnosis from the vet anyway, since some cat worms symptoms could also indicate other conditions.

Tapeworms
Another common kind of worm is tapeworm. These are carried by fleas, which are very often found on cats. The fleas are swallowed by the cat when it is cleaning itself. The flea's body is digested, releasing a young tapeworm to latch onto the cat's intestine and grow into an adult worm. The tapeworm's body is segmented; each segment contains eggs, and segments periodically break off and are passed through the cat's digestive system. These can often be found in the cat's bedding - they look a little like fragments of rice, or rice husks. They are eaten by fleas, hatching into young larvae in the flea's body, continuing the cycle in the cat. Worms symptoms for these may be different to roundworms.

Inactivity and loss of weight are both common with tapeworms, as is vomiting. You may also see blistering or irritation around the cat's bottom, due to licking, and it may appear to be uncomfortable. Fortunately, tapeworms can be easily treated with spot-on medication that goes on the back of the neck, like worming medication. You should also treat for worms at the same time, since otherwise reinfection within a short time is likely.

Conclusion
Cat worms symptoms come in a broad variety, and may be quite different for the different types of worm that commonly affect cats. Should you be in any doubt that your cat does have a worm infection, you should take it to the vet. In some cases ?especially with younger animals and in severe cases, or with particular types of worm that are more dangerous than others ?you will need to take the cat to the vet anyway, since you may need a more reliable diagnosis and specialist medication. In most cases, though, cat worms symptoms indicate one or other kind of worms fairly reliably, and treatment is fast and simple.