Some cat worms are common such as tapeworm and roundworm, but others such as hookworm and heartworm are less common. But none of them are a problem in naturally healthy cats or in healthy wild felines. The problem only arises when the cat has a compromised immune system. And you can ensure this doesn’t happen to your cat by using a strategy of natural cat health care.
The presence of any worms or parasites are natural in small numbers. They are part of the flora and fauna found in all healthy living beings. The problem arises when the numbers explode out of natural balance. This shows that they are not the cause of a health problem, merely opportunistic scavengers when the conditions are right.
A healthy cat will never have a high count of any parasite as the body is well able to keep them to their natural numbers. But when a cat is immune compromised, or not in the peak of condition, then the parasite populations explode out of natural balance. This means that most domestic cats are not as healthy as their people would like to think they are.
The symptoms of a health disorder will depend on each cat and on the condition, but as a general rule, they will be lethargic, have a dull coat, the appetite will either be too high or too low and there may be organ malfunction. Often the abdomen will have the appearance of a pot belly.
Let’s look at each of the above worms in more detail.
Roundworm is not generally a problem in adult cats. It is more likely to appear in kittens. It is a worm which lives off the food your cat consumes. The appearance of the worm is like spaghetti – long and thin. You notice it when your cat vomits them up.
Tapeworm is the most common intestinal worm and feeds off the ingested food. It shows up as what appears to be grains of rice in the stool. They will move and elongate. When the stool is fresh, they are white, but turn yellow on death, which comes soon after the stool is expelled. You may also notice them around the anus or on the surrounding fur.
Hookworm is not very common in cats. Although they live in the intestines, they consume blood rather than the ingested food. Serious infestation can result in blood disorders such as anaemia.
Heartworm is not a common parasite in cats. They come as a result of mosquito bites and affect the heart. Symptoms are heart related such as rapid or difficult breathing and coughing.
Veterinary medication can effectively kill off these parasites. The trouble is that all the parasites are killed. The medications are also liver toxic. And they don’t deal with the underlying cause of the health disorder that allowed the worms to proliferate.
The healthier option is to raise your cat’s immune system to an optimum level, so she can deal with the parasites naturally and normally without any harm to her health in the process.
There are two areas you can implement to achieve this – ensure she has a quality, natural diet. And treat all illnesses with a natural therapy such as homeopathy. This alone will ensure she recovers from the infestation and prevents further infestations. Cat worms can be a thing of the past for you and your cat!
