What type of worms can harm my cat?

The most common intestinal parasite found in cats in the UK fall into two main categories – roundworms and tapeworms. Roundworms are the biggest concern, as they are also able to infect people. Cats should be regularly wormed to remove these unwelcome parasites, and ensure no infection is passed on to other pets or people. Tapeworms often appear around the animals bottom as small white segments. Roundworms appear in faeces, sometimes still mobile.

My vet says pet shop wormers do not work - is this true?

By law, all pet medicines have to pass stringent testing to prove effectiveness, safety and quality before they make it to market. Indeed, to be allowed to be sold 'over the counter', products have to have a long and robust safety record. All Beaphar wormers have been proven effective and to 'do what it says on the pack'. Beaphar WORMclear contains the same high quality levels of active ingredient as many vet prescribed wormers. If you are unsure or concerned about the most suitable product for your pet, please feel free to contact our Customer Services Team who can guide you in the right direction.

Should I be worried about worms?

Yes. Not carrying out regular worming can lead to serious health problems for your pet and may lead to expensive vet bills. You could also be putting yourself, your pets and others at risk. Fortunately, modern worming is low cost and easy to carry out. Beaphar have a wide range of worming products for all ages.

How often should I worm my cat or kitten?

It is recommended to worm an adult cat every three months. Nursing mothers and young kittens should be wormed more often than adult cats (initially every 2 weeks), until 2-3 weeks after weaning, at which point they can be wormed at the interval of an adult cat.

My cat doesn't have worms!

70% of cat owners say their cat has never had worms*. Kittens become infected with roundworm larvae via their mother's milk. All cats will have worms when they are taken to their new home. Worm eggs are also common in gardens, and a common tapeworm is carried by some fleas and lice.

yourcat.co.uk - Beaphar Worming Survey 2016

Cat worms don't harm people like dogs worms do

Yes they do. Although the incidence of human infections with cat roundworms is significantly lower than dogs, this can still can happen.

Cats are difficult to worm

It’s true that some cats don’t like tablets. However, worming tablets have been getting smaller and are often flavoured, therefore it is no longer necessary to follow a long course of treatment to cover all the important types of worms. They can all be killed with a single tablet.

Did you know...

Tapeworms can grow up to 5 metres in length, which is longer than the average UK family car.

Pot belly

A young kitten or puppy that is thin with a ‘pot belly’ is often described as a typical ‘wormy’ puppy or kitten. In young kittens and puppies, roundworms may cause abdominal swelling and pain, weight loss, vomiting or diarrhoea, and on rare occasions, rupture of the bowel.

Coughing

Migrating larvae in the lungs may cause coughing, which can be an important symptom. These larvae may also travel through the liver, brain or other tissues.

Loss of Appetite

A heavy worm infestation might make your pet feel very bloated, leading to a loss of appetite, vomiting or diarrhea.

For more information

For more information, please visit the Beaphar Website or give us a call.