Cat Heartworm Symptoms

Heartworms are fatal worms that are transferred through something as small as a mosquito bite. They live in the circulatory system of the infected animal. Cats are very susceptible to being infected with heartworms.

Coughing

A cat infected with heartworms will experience persistent coughing if they have reached the lungs. When the worms die, the cat will experience a lot of coughing as her body tries to remove the dead parasites from her lungs.

Difficulty Breathing

The worms are very inflammatory. They can infiltrate the lungs, causing a cat to lose her ability to breathe correctly.

Vomiting

An infected cat may experience increased vomiting, because the parasites will affect the kidneys and cause gastrointestinal tract problems.

Fatigue

The cat will seem lethargic, because the heartworms cause the animal to lose weight and become tired.

Death

Sudden death is a symptom of heartworm infection. If your cat experiences any of the previous symptoms followed by a sudden death, heartworms may be the cause.

References

• Cat World: Heartworm in Cats
• Mar Vista Animal Medical Center: Feline Heartworm Infection