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It might sound unlikely for a completely indoor cat to end up with fleas or internal parasites, but it is actually not that uncommon. Parasites can come in through screens when you open the windows and be tracked in on your shoes or on indoor/outdoor pets that live with you (or even just in your building). Sometimes it can be obvious if your cat has a parasite, such as if you see fleas on your cat or if you find a tapeworm. However there’s often no way to know if parasites are present without testing a stool sample.
It’s recommended by the Companion Animal Parasite Council (CAPC) to check a stool sample at least once a year for all pets. Cats that go outdoors should be checked more frequently, as should all kittens. So what parasites are we looking for when we test a stool sample?
Tapeworms: These are transmitted by infected fleas and/or rodents. These are the least dangerous of the parasites we test for and more than anything are unsightly.
Roundworms: These parasites are commonly present in playgrounds and parks. Infection via ingestion can cause gastrointestinal upset and possibly intussusception (telescoping intestines, an uncommon condition that requires surgery to repair) or obstruction. More importantly, this parasite is zoonotic, which means pets can pass it on to humans. In humans, roundworms can cause blindness. This happen when larval stage of the roundworms can pass into the bloodstream and travel to different organs causing inflammation and damage. They can lodge in the retinas.
Hookworms: These are also found in the environment and when ingested can cause bloody diarrhea and anemia. Hookworms are also a zoonotic parasite and can cause cutaneous larval migrans, where the larval stages migrate and travel under the skin causing lesions. This is commonly called “Plumber’s Itch”.
Coccidia : This parasite can cause weight loss, vomiting, and depression when ingested. Many kittens test positive for coccidia , but we often do not treat this parasite if they do not have vomiting or diarrhea. Coccidia is not zoonotic.
Giardia: This parasite is a protozoan and can require special testing to detect in a stool sample. It is most commonly found in stagnant bodies of water and infection is caused by ingestion. Cats infected with Giardia can have chronic diarrhea, but are often subclinical or not showing symptoms. Though conclusive evidence has not been found, Giardia is thought to be zoonotic and can cause diarrhea in humans.
What if you have a cat that has tested negative and it has kittens? Surprisingly, those kittens may still have been exposed to parasites. Hookworms and roundworms can encyst in muscle tissue and lie dormant. In this form they may not cause any symptoms and a stool sample could be negative for parasites. However, when a cat is pregnant, gestational hormones activate the parasites to continue their life cycle. This means that virtually all kittens have been exposed to parasites. It’s very important to test and deworm kittens multiple times to catch all possible life cycles of any parasites.
Year round parasite prevention is always recommended, but there is not one product that prevents every possible parasite. Regular testing is the only way to ensure that your cat is parasite free. All you have to do is bring in a stool sample at the time of your cat’s Wellness Exam. If your cat’s test does come back positive, the treatment will vary depending on the type and frequency of the parasite. Thankfully the majority of the treatments are simple, like a topical treatment to the back of the neck or a small amount of oral liquid twice within two weeks, and very effective.
If you have any questions, do not hesitate to give us a call.
The Companion Animal Parasite Council has a wonderful web site if you would like more information.