Tapeworms in cats are intestinal worms that can grow to a length of 4 to 28 inches. They fasten themselves to your cat's intestines using their hook-like mouthparts. And while they are not terribly dangerous, they can cause your cat discomfort and, if left untreated, can cause other, more serious problems.
Tapeworms in cats are classified as cestodes and belong to a different family of worms than hookworms and roundworms, which are classified as nematodes. While cats can be infested with several different kinds of tapeworms, the most common is Dipylidium caninum. As these tapeworms mature, individual segments calls proglottids break off from the tapeworm’s main body and pass into the cat’s stool.
Symptoms Of Tapeworms In Cats
You probably would rather not spend a lot of time examining your cat’s poop. However, this is the easiest way to determine if your cat has tapeworms. This is because the proglottids can often be spotted on a surface of your cat's fresh bowel movement. They will be white and look like grains of rice. You may also see them near the cat’s anus. When he proglottids dry out, they are typically yellowish in color, hard and measure about 2 mm.
Your cat might also have tapeworms if you notice that your cat is frequently licking its genital area, coughing continually, or having frequent and difficult urination. If your cat does have tapeworms, its food habits may also change -- your cat will either need more food or will eat larger proportions of its food.
Another one of the symptoms of a tapeworm in cats is if the cat is occasionally scooting or dragging its bottom across the ground or carpet. This is because the cat is suffering an anal irritation caused by the proglottids.
Occasionally, the tapeworm will unhook from your cat’s intestine and migrate to the stomach. When this occurs, the cat may vomit up an adult tapeworm several inches long.
Diagnosis Of Tapeworms In Cats
If you see proglottids crawling around on your cat’s poop, you can just about bet that it has tapeworms. If your cat has a very heavy infestation of these slimy critters, it may show abdominal discomfort or nervousness. In the worst cases, your cat may vomit or suffer convulsions, which are believed to be caused by toxins produced by the tapeworms.
Another sure sign of a tapeworm infestation is if you see the moving segments - or proglottids - crawling around your cat’s anus.
A routine fecal exam performed by your vet is unlikely to detect the presence of the tapeworms because they rarely release eggs into the cat’s feces. This means your veterinarian will have to depend on you to let him or her know of a possible infestation.
Treatment For Tapeworms In Cats
If you do detect the presence of proglottids in your cat’s stool or near its anus, you will want to get your cat to your vet for treatment. While the vet can usually identify the segments on sight, he or she may want to do a physical examination in order to confirm the infestation -- particularly if this is your cat’s first problem with tapeworms.
The good news of a tapeworm infestation is that it is reasonably easy to cure. There is a prescription medication named Praziquantel (brand name Droncit) that your vet will use to treat the cat either orally or by injection. Plus, there is a generic form of Praziquantel named Tradewinds Tapeworm Tabs that you can purchase over-the-counter and is much less expensive than the Droncit. The amount of dosage you use to treat your cat is determined by its weight. For example, you use only 1/2 tablet if your cat weighs 4 pounds or less, one tablet if it weighs five to 11 pounds, 1 ½ tablets if it weighs more than 11 lbs., In most cases, a single dosage of the Praziquantel will rid your cat of the tapeworm.
Preventing Tapeworms In Cats
The most important point to understand for preventing tapeworms in cats is that the tapeworms came from your cat's fleas. Cats get tapeworms by accidentally ingesting a flea that is infected with a tapeworm larva. When the flea is digested, the tapeworm is released and anchors itself to your cat's intestinal lining.
Since it is impossible for your cat to develop a tapeworm unless it has ingested an infected flea, the important thing in preventing tapeworms in cats is to eliminate any and all fleas in its environment. There are many good cat flea treatments available you can use to rid your house of these tiny pests.
This is an area where your veterinarian can also help as he or she can provide guidance as to whether you also need to treat your house and yard for fleas. There are numerous effective flea-killing treatments available today. Some of the more popular of these are Frontline® Spray, Raid® Flea Killer Plus Carpet and Room Spray, and Bio-Spot® Inverted Carpet and Premise Spray. Your veterinarian can help you decide which of these anti-flea treatments might be best for you and your cat. If your cat spends a lot of its times outdoors, your vet may suggest you also treat your yard for fleas.
Tapeworms in cats may not represent a really serious health threat to your pet but it is still best to get your cat to the veterinarian as soon as you notice the symptoms of a tapeworm infestation. After all, you would not want a tapeworm hooked to the lining of your intestine and neither does your cat.
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