Kittens can ingest larvae that pass through an infected queen’s milk, sometimes becoming infected soon after birth. The eggs require several days to several weeks to develop into the infective larval stage.Ĭats become infected with Toxocara cati by ingesting eggs or rodents (transport hosts) that have larvae in their tissues. Adult female worms produce fertile eggs that are passed in the infected cat’s feces. Adult roundworms are three to five inches long, cream-colored, and live in the cat’s intestine, where they don’t attach to the intestinal walls and survive by eating food ingested by the host. Roundworms ( Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati) are the most common intestinal parasite of cats, affecting 25% to 75% of cats, with higher rates in kittens. Importantly, some GI parasites of cats have the potential to infect humans. The vomiting, diarrhea, anemia, and dehydration caused by intestinal parasites can weaken a cat, making it more susceptible to viral and bacterial infections and other diseases. They usually cause fairly nonspecific symptoms, such as a dull coat, coughing, vomiting, diarrhea, mucousy or bloody feces, loss of appetite, pale mucous membranes, or a potbellied appearance. These parasites can be wormlike or one-celled protozoan organisms. Gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism is a common problem in cats, with prevalence rates as high as 45% in some populations. What Is There to Treat Idiopathic Megacolon?
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