A pet owner's primary source of information concerning their pet's health and well being should be their veterinarian. The information provided here is not a substitute for veterinary care. In all matters pertaining to the care and treatment of a pet a veterinarian must always be consulted first.

References: General Discussion, Parasites in Cats, CAPA Cat Owners & Parasites, Parasites of the Cat

This is a multi-facetted topic. Most owners think of worms when they think about feline parasites but there is much more such as fleas, mites, lice, ticks, etc.  To acquaint yourself with parasites, the above reference 'General Discussion' is a good starting point.

A 'worm' that can affect your cat but which isn't a worm is ringworm. Ringworm is a fungal skin infection. It is highly infectious like many feline parasites and it is also zoonotic. Ringworm is a great example of how the web can contain dated information. Much of the existing treatment recommendations on the web have been shown to be ineffective or have been replaced by new therapies. A more current discussion on the new treatments of ringworm can be found in Dr. Mandy Burrows article.

Another parasitic organism is the single cell protozoan. Common in cats are Giardia and Toxoplasmosis. We call this out for special attention especially because of the 'emerging' protozan parasite we've had so much experience with, Tritrichomonas foetus. If you have just heard of this parasite please see our webpage to learn more.

The accuracy of the tests used to detect parasites are variable.  Make sure you discuss with your vet  the probability of a false negative result. For some parasites such as the common worms, treatment is often prescribed even if the test results are negative.

Indoor cats are less likely to be infected with parasites but if you live in a region where fleas are common, have one or more pets who are allowed outdoors and/or have an occasional prey animal (e.g. mouse invade your home), discuss whether you should test and/or treat with your vet.