worms in cats

[butterfly76]

how do you know if a cat has worms, do they become more hungry. ?

[orange-gnome]

yes, in a word : )

[orange-gnome]

also they can look a bit bloated if it is a bad case they can have little rice like bits or spaghetti looking stuff in their poo.
Generally if your cat is a bit of a hunter and eats birds and mice etc then chances are he/she has worms. Its best to give them a worming tablet every 3-6 months to keep them clear, also just to mention that worming your cat won't prevent them getting worms, it just treats the worms they have at the time.

[Buddy]

My wee Buddy (hence the pseudoynm) tape worms hanging out his bot just now but although he is eating he doesnt have the same appetite.We have obviously treated him but he isnt quite the same.Mind you its saving me a fortune in those foil packets which in the cat world is the best thing since sliced bread!!!

Every time I happen to ever so gently open a kitchen cabinet Buddy is at the window rubbing the sleep from his eyes.Must be magic to think the whole world revolves round you!!

[HAnn521]

I believe the best sign is a bloated stomach...if the lil one's tummy is enlarged as if it's filled with air...

[greeneyes]

its best to worm him every 3 months with DRONTAL,it costs about 2 pounds and you get it from vets,dont use pet shop or supermarket stuff,as it doesnt work

[Kimmiebear]

Symptoms of worms include:
Patchy fur, weight loss, hunger, bloated stomach, abdominal discomfort, and of course visually seeing them (they will look like grains of rice most likely)

Deworming should be done a minimum of 2 times a year for stricktly indoor cats and 4 times a year for indoor/ outdoor cats. It is also a good idea to run a yearly fecal flotation at your vets just to be sure that there are no worms present that you aren't deworming for. To avoid the worms developing a resistance to the dewormer that you are using it is best to alternate between two different dewormers. At our clinic we use Strongid-T and Drontal.

Just as an aside a female roundworm can lay up to 20000 eggs in her lifetime. These eggs are quite sticky and can easily be transferred on your shoes.

If your cat is hungry all the time and loosing weight it may be a sign of something more serious, like hyperthyroidism or diabeties. It is a good idea to get the vet to take a look if this persists after deworming.

Cheers
Kim