Even though it might break your heart (we’re speaking from experience), every cat catches a mouse or other animal from time to time. It’s a pity for the prey, but it’s also not without risk to your cat. Because this is how your beloved fur ball quickly catches an intestinal parasite, such as worms. It’s not possible to quell the hunting instinct. So you have to deworm your cat every now and then, even if the animal is still a kitten.
If your cat has contracted worms, this parasite shows up in your pet's feces, among other places. But you can’t see it because of its microscopic size.
How to spot a worm infection
When your cat has a worm infection and you don't treat it, the animal's immunity decreases, making it more susceptible to other diseases. A kitten can become seriously ill and/or its growth can become stunted.
Symptoms that can indicate an existing worm infection include diarrhea, vomiting, a swollen abdomen, a dull coat, weight loss, and a rash. Eighty percent of cats are said to have more than one worm infection. And almost all kittens are infected with roundworms, which they contract through the placenta or breast milk.
These roundworms, by the way, can infect both humans and animals. That is all the more reason to prevent them in cats if you have small children, or if you or your partner is pregnant. More than enough reasons to deworm your cat regularly.
Deworm your cat and kitten: it’s the thing to do
To deworm your cat or kitten, you can buy different products that come in many forms: from tablets to deworming paste or pellets to liquid drops that you apply to your pet’s neck.
Deworming a kitten takes place when it’s two, four, six and eight weeks old. Repeat the treatment every month, until the animal is six months old. You need to deworm adult cats that stay indoors up to twice a year. If your pet is an outdoor cat, it’s better to deworm it up to four times a year. This way, both cats and cats and humans are less likely to develop health problems.