A Question About Worms/Worming

I have read this forum for a few months now and it has been a great help to me!
But I am wondering about 'worms' and worming cats. Is it just so common that all cats need to be wormed? What would cause worms? I have never (until a couple of years ago) been a cat person, and I see things in this forum that make me wonder....such as why all cats need to be wormed, and moms 'eating' their babies....I guess I am learning more everday!
Thanks for helping me to understand!

Originally Posted by mowsluver

I have read this forum for a few months now and it has been a great help to me!
But I am wondering about 'worms' and worming cats. Is it just so common that all cats need to be wormed? What would cause worms? I have never (until a couple of years ago) been a cat person, and I see things in this forum that make me wonder....such as why all cats need to be wormed, and moms 'eating' their babies....I guess I am learning more everday!
Thanks for helping me to understand!

Click to expand...

When your cat or kitten has worms, it is the result of coming into contact with a parasite (usually a flea) that has entered your cat's body. Most kittens are born with worms and will need to be dewormed (take a medication that kills the worms) several times during the months that make up kittenhood. It is therefore necessary that EVERY new kitten be checked by a vet to see if it has worms and for a general health exam.

Roundworms are the most common source of worms in kittens and tapeworms are the most common source of worms in adult cats. Roundworms get into the kittens through mother's milk and into mother usually by way of contaminated soil. A kitten with roundworms will have a pot bellied appearance. Roundworms themselves look like spaghetti noodles and can be present in stool or vomit. They are easily treatable with oral medication.

Tapeworms in adult cats are usually the result of the cat ingesting a flea (with the tapeworm inside it) during a normal self grooming session. Outdoor cats can also get tapeworms by eating prey such as raw meat and raw fish. Tapeworms are about 1 cm or 1/4 inch long. You may see them moving around the fur around your cat's anus. Tapeworms that have left the cat's anus and have dried up, look like grains of rice and can be spotted in places where your cat sleeps. Due to the fact that the worms usually came from fleas if your cat has tapeworms it also probably has fleas. Therefore it needs BOTH deworming and flea medication to stop the cycle. Make sure your vet checks for both scenarios.

http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-63.htm

I'd like to add a question about this here, does anyone know about how many treatments are needed for a kitten with worms? My little guy Jelly Belly Bean threw up worms (round) a few times. The vet gave me a pill to give him. I gave him the pill a week ago, he has not thrown up since nor has he had diarrhea of any kind. How long for the worms to come out? Did they come out and I missed them? His belly was never bloated so I am hoping his case was a light one.

I use a liquid called Stongid, it usually takes weekly wormings for 3-4 weeks. Strongid only kills roundworms, I think. Drontal is a pill that kills roundworms and tapeworms in one dose.