I've recently acquired a kitten - is it true they already have roundworms?

[oceanauk]

I am slightly concerned about the fact that my cat book has mentioned that kittens already carry roundworms and that it is possible, although rare to pass to children. How true is this and should I start a worming course now? My kitten is 10 weeks old and has not had a vet check yet. Is there anything else I need to do now or is she still too young? Also on another note, I do like to go on holidays and I have real concerns about leaving her - a friend can come in everyday and feed her and keep her in at night (she will be older by the time I next go on holiday) which won't be for at least another six months - but is this stressful for her and should I use a cattery or is this even more stressful. Any help/hints would be great. Many thanks.

[Elfin]

Take her along to the vets. She is not too young for worming and she should have had her first vaccinations at 9 weeks. The vet will ensure she is healthy and probably give her a flea treatment too. Then she will need the next vaccinations at 12-16 weeks. After that lot she will be sorted for a while and you'll just need to maintain the worming and flea treatments. Later, you'll have to consider neutering and microchipping if she is to go outside.

As for going on hols, if you trust your friend to look after her dailyneeds, I'm sure she'll be just fine with that. Visits to the cattery are always more stressful than staying home, even if there's nobody there most of the day.

[felinechums]

Good advice about vaccinations. She also needs wormed straight away, as she will have roundworms passed on from her mother. The best worm treatment for a kitten this age is Panacur paste. It comes in a syringe, with gradations, and you give the kitten one gradation of paste per kilogram of bodyweight. At this age, your kitten is probably not much more than one kilogram. You administer the worming paste daily for three days. That should see her ok.
Please, please don't neglect her worming. Worm infestation in kittens can become very serious very quickly and the kitten can die if the worms block her digestive system. Also, the worms are robbing her of nutrients in her food, so she will very quickly become anaemic or undernourished. Worms will also affect her eyes, and deplete her reserves of calcium leading to insufficient bone and tooth development.
Off to the vet with you!!

[oceanauk]

Wow didn't realise that worms were such a problem in kittens - are all kittens infested with worms from their mothers? And I would like to re-ask my question of whether they can be passed to humans - she was jumping on me the other day and scratched me - is that something I should worry about if she draws blood? Many thanks

[felinechums]

Hi again,
By taking care of your kitten's health, you are taking care of your own. If you leave the worms untreated, you may pick them up yourself. But once the kitten has been treated (and continues to be treated regularly twice a year), you have nothing to worry about.
Your kitten scratching you should not cause you any problems - but you should treat it as you would any cut, and make sure it is clean and doesn't get any dirt in it.
I hope that you and your kitten have many happy years together - don't forget to get her neutered/spayed when she is around 5 months. Neutered cats live longer, healthier lives and of course you don't have the problem of unwanted kittens. Also, neutered cats don't engage in mating behaviour, so they don't get the hideous viruses (eg Feline AIDS; Feline Leukaemia; Feline Peritonitis) that are passed on through mating. You can get help with neutering costs, if you are on benefits. Ring your local branch of Cats' Protection to ask about it (should be in the phone book) or ask your vet.
Love your kitten, and she will love you.
X X X X X

[oceanauk]

Thank you felinechums - I have her booked in for the vets tomorrow and hopefully they can advise me on the best worming treatment and give her a complete check up. She is such a chilled out kitten - I'm so lucky she's really sweet. It's strange that I've been around cats my whole life, literally from a baby and I'm now in my mid 30's but having one of your own is completely different and I take the responsibility very seriously of course - just like having children!! Thank you for all your wonderful advise!!!