Understanding Roundworms In Cats

Roundworms in cats are one of the most common intestinal parasites that pose a risk to our beloved felines, whether your kitty stays strictly indoors or spends time outside. Discover the answers to important questions about this frequently diagnosed creepy-crawly, including whether you can see roundworms in cat stool, whether you can get roundworms from a cat, and what to know about treatment and prevention.

Various types of worms can affect our feline friends, from tapeworms to lungworms. (Notably, despite its name, ringworm has nothing to do with worms at all.) And then there are roundworms. While you're unlikely to see the actual worm in most cases, these wiggling spaghetti-like worms can occasionally be visible in your cat's stool or vomit. Tubular in shape and several inches or more in length, the most common species of roundworms in cats include the Toxocara cati and Toxascaris leonina species.

Also known as ascarids, roundworms can cause disease in not only cats but in dogs, people and a number of other animals. Roundworm control and prevention throughout your cat's life is part of keeping your cat healthy — as well as keeping your home safe for other pets and human family members.

While you may see cat worms in poop or vomit in heavily infected cats, most cases don't involve visible roundworms in cat stool. This is why regular fecal exams are such an important part of routine veterinary care. Fecal examination under a microscope, which allows the examiner to identify worm eggs, usually leads to diagnosis.

Occasionally, however, a cat infected with roundworms may not be shedding eggs at the time the stool sample is taken. If your veterinarian suspects your cat has roundworms, they may recommend examining another stool sample or treating the worms as a preventive measure.

Indeed, you can get roundworms from a cat. Children, seniors and people who are pregnant or immunocompromised are at increased risk of health problems from roundworm infection. Most cases of transmission are tied to improper sanitation — swallowing the microscopic eggs is the most common way humans become infected. Litter boxes are a common source of infection, so litter box sanitation and handwashing after scooping or otherwise handling the litter box is pertinent to sharing your home with a cat. Children can also become infected by swallowing parasite eggs after spending time in contaminated sandboxes or dirt.

Some people can be asymptomatic, while others may present a range of signs — some serious — depending on whether the parasite's larvae migrate into the organs. For instance, migration to the eye can cause blindness, though this is considered rare.

While the common cat roundworm does pose a risk to humans, people can become infected with a number of roundworm species from different animals. Most cases of human infection are linked to ingesting contaminated food, water or soil — not sharing your home with a cat. Still, as one of the most common parasitic infections in people worldwide, roundworms shouldn't be taken lightly.

Roundworm infection is one of the most common parasitic illnesses affecting cats, often caused by ingesting contaminated mother's milk, soil or prey (raw meat). Infected adult cats may be asymptomatic, while infection in kittens can be more serious and even life-threatening.

In most cases, roundworms are easily treatable with a simple dewormer. During and after treatment, take steps to sanitize your cat's litter box to help prevent recurrence. Routine fecal exams and year-round parasite prevention are key to avoiding this parasite altogether, so talk to your vet about how to support your cat's health and keep roundworms at bay.