A beginner’s guide to fighting off cat parasites

Prof. Traversa, thank you so much for taking the time for this interview! First off, a question that many cat owners may have. Is there an ideal treatment schedule for every cat to fend off parasites?

Donato Traversa: [laughs] No, there surely isn’t one for all cats – but there is one for each cat. Cats have different lifestyles that affect which parasites may infect  and/or infest them. That means that each cat’s risk profile is unique.

So what does that mean for parasite prevention?

For owners, this means that it’s important to have ongoing discussions with their trusted veterinarian. If you have a cat and you’re unsure of how to protect them, let your veterinarian know, and explain the lifestyle and living conditions of your cat. Is your feline friend an indoor or an outdoor cat? Is there a dog in the home? How adventurous is your cat – how likely are they to hunt lizards, mice, and other prey, for example? All this information will enable your vet to assess your cat’s risk and develop an individual plan for parasitic protection.

But above all: take your cat for veterinary check-up regularly, by which I mean from one to four times a year. This will not only help you fight parasites; it will improve preventive healthcare overall as cats tend to hide signs of illness.

Do indoor cats even need protection from parasites?

That indoor cats can’t be infected or infested is a common myth I would like to bust. While their risk profile is different from that of an outdoor cat, indoor cats can still suffer from parasites, and it’s not an unlikely occurrence.

What is the difference in terms of risk?

First off, it’s important to understand that cats may harbor multiple parasites at once. External parasites like ticks, fleas, and mites can infest them as well as many kinds of internal parasites, i.e. intestinal helminthes, for instance intestinal worms. All of these can weaken your cat’s general health, and some can cause great harm.

Outdoor cats generally have a higher risk of becoming the involuntary host of intestinal and non-intestinal helminthes. They can get exposed to soil or water contaminated with eggs or larvae. Their prey, among which are lizards, rodents or birds, may be intermediate or paratenic hosts for many parasites. Paratenic hosts are animals in which the parasite cannot fully develop but remain infectious for the final target host. Intermediate hosts are different. Some parasites need different hosts at different development stages to fully develop before they reach their final target host. And external parasites like fleas, ticks and mites can hitch a ride on your cat as they explore the outdoors and meet other cats.

How can all these parasites that are found outdoors affect indoor cats?

We were just talking about preying, which is a natural behavior in all cats. Small animals like rodents can sometimes enter the home without us humans noticing – or before we do, our cat has already been parasitized. If there are dogs living with the cat, they can carry external and internal parasites into the home. 

Another unwitting carrier of parasites are us humans! Sometimes, we touch or step on contaminated surfaces. Feeding your cat a raw or undercooked meat-based diet can also expose them. And let’s not forget that some mosquitoes can also transmit parasites. They’re just as likely to infest your cat in the home as they are outdoors. That means that while no parasite protection plan is the same, every cat needs one.

If you had one final tip for cat owners to take home, what would it be?

Talk to your vet and trust in their assessment. And please do so early on. Kittens need their check-ups just as much as adult and senior cats.

About Prof. Donato Traversa

Prof. Donato Traversa graduated with a DVM in 1999 and a PhD in Veterinary Parasitology and Animal Parasitic Diseases in 2002. In 2004 he received a European Young Scientist Award from the European Federation of Parasitologists and in 2006 the Diploma from the European College of Veterinary Parasitology (DipEVPC, EBVS® European Veterinary Specialist in Parasitology), for which he has been for years a member of the Education Committee. Currently he is Full Professor of Veterinary Parasitology and Parasitic Diseases of Animals and DVM Programme Director at the Faculty of Veterinary Medicine, University of Teramo, Italy.