How to Tell if A Cat Has Round Worms

Round worms are the most common type of parasite that can affect cats, and can lead to a multitude of health problems. Fortunately detecting and treating them is fairly easy, and in most cases there are no long term after effects.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A Cat

1. Notice the Symptoms
   Although round worms can present a number of different symptoms, the most common tend to be vomiting and diarrhea. Cats often have bad reactions to new foods, animals or insects they might have eaten also however, so make sure you note these symptoms for several days before rushing to the vets.

2. Identify the Parasite
   The easiest way to identify the roundworm rather than similar infestations is sometimes to find one. If the number of worms is small then the first symptom might simply be the sight of the worm in the stool. They pass into the cats vomit and stools after a few weeks, and resemble pieces of spaghetti. They are usually a couple of inches in length and can be transmitted to humans also.

3. Take the Cat to the Vets
   The next step is to take the cat to the vets office for an official diagnosis, which is usually done with a stool sample. If you happen to have caught one of the worms in a jar with some tweezers, then this usually suffices also.

4. Treating the Cat
   Although using the vet is usually the easiest way to treat the cat, it isn't always the cheapest. Over the counter treatments are available from most pet supply stores, and are usually just as effective as prescribed medication.

Tips & Warnings

• Cats should be de-wormed while pregnant and new kittens should be de-wormed when approximately 3-4 weeks old to prevent infections.