Kittens & Worms

You have settled in for the evening with your soft, sleepy kitten. As you rub her, you notice that her belly is large, round, and squishy.

- Nancy Kerr

You think to yourself that this is a good thing, my kitten is getting lots to eat. In newborn and very young kittens, this is a good thing. However, in older kittens this could mean that kitty has friends with undesirable benefits – worms.

Worms (gastrointestinal (GI) parasitism) are one form of feline parasites. “…GI parasitism is a common problem in cats, with prevalence rates as high as 45% in some populations.”1

Worm Types

The common types of worm parasites are roundworms, hookworms and tapeworms. “Roundworms (Toxascaris leonina and Toxocara cati) are the most common, affecting 25% to 75% of cats, with higher rates in kittens.”1 They survive on ingested food in the intestines. “Hookworms (Ancylostoma and Uncinaria) are slender, thread-like worms, less than a half-inch long.”1 They attach to the intestinal wall and use blood for food. “Tapeworms (cestodes) have long flattened bodies that resemble a tape or ribbon. Their small head is connected to a series of segments filled with eggs.”1 The adults get nutrients by attaching to the mucous membrane lining of the small intestine.

The lesser-known types of worm parasites are whipworms and stomach worms. Whipworms, while not common in the United States, may cause diarrhea in kittens that have infestations of the large intestine. Stomach worms (Ollanulus tricuspis and Physaloptera), as the name implies, are found in a kitten’s stomach. “Ollanulus infections occur sporadically in the U.S. and are more common in free-roaming cats and those housed in multiple-cat facilities.”1

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