Parasites in cats
Cats may experience many health issues from parasites. Fleas cause itching and ticks may transfer diseases like Lyme’s disease. Besides external parasites like fleas or ticks, cats can also suffer from internal parasites like worms or microbes. These internal parasites are a risk not only for the cat; they can also be transferred to humans. Therefore it is extremely important to have your cat treated against these unwelcome guests. Cats living in rural areas usually are at higher risk of attracting parasites than urban cats.
Fleas
Fleas are small parasites that feed on blood. They cause itching and may transfer tapeworms when swallowed by the cat. Flea treatment should not be restricted to the cat itself, but should also include the environment, like the cat’s favourite places in the house. Flea eggs will drop from the cat to anywhere in the house where the cat walks or rests. Especially in dark warm areas these eggs will develop into new fleas. Several products are available to get rid of fleas, such as flea-collars, spot-on drops, special sprays and powders. These are all available at your local pet-store.
Worms
Cats can suffer from different types of worms. Most commonly known are tapeworm and maw worm. Tapeworm may cause diarrhoea. If your cat is infected with tapeworm, you might find little sections of the worm that look like rice-grains, around the anus or around the cat’s favourite resting place. In such cases, it is necessary treat your cat both for fleas and worms, since the tapeworm is transferred by swallowing fleas. Kittens usually have maw worms. An infested kitten may have a swollen stomach, diarrhoea and retardation. Kittens are best given a worm treatment at an age of 4, 6 and 8 weeks and after that every two months until they are 6 months old. The mother cat should be de-wormed at the same time while she is feeding the kittens. After this initial period it is best to de-worm cats twice a year. There are several options, like tablets, paste or drops, all of which are dosed based on the cat’s weight.
Ticks
Ticks are tiny, eight-legged spider-like parasites. They feed on blood from their host, which can be human or animal. They start out as tiny, hardly visible creatures that may become five or ten times their original size when filled with blood! At that point the tick looks like a grey ball-shaped spider. Cats usually catch ticks when they walk through shrubs, woods or grass. Ticks may transfer diseases, such as Lyme’s disease. This started in the Mediterranean, but has spread to our areas as well these days. The blood-meal of a tick takes approximately a week. When a tick is saturated with blood, it will release itself from the cat to digest. The shorter the time the tick is feeding off the cat, the less chance of infection with diseases there is. Check your cat regularly and remove ticks immediately with a special tick remover. This can be either a mechanical tick remover, or tick-preventing spray or drops.
Toxoplasmosis
Toxoplasmosis is a parasite that may appear in cats. Cats carry the parasite without showing any signs of illness themselves. Toxoplasmosis is infectious in humans and may be dangerous for pregnant women, because it might lead to pregnancy loss. Toxoplasmosis is transferred via cat’s faeces. Therefore it is wise to use gloves while cleaning the litter box. Also vegetables should be rinsed very thoroughly to eliminate the risk of infection. Once infected with toxoplasmosis, humans are resistant against the disease. Many people have gone through an infection during their lives without noticing.