This article is here to help you through the process of checking for worms, which starts with looking for signs of worms. The symptoms described below may also be caused by other things and should not be ignored. If any of the symptoms are noticed, make an appointment with your veterinarian. 

The presence of worms may be indicated by:

• Symptoms
• Actual evidence
• Veterinary examinations and tests

SYMPTOMS

ACTUAL EVIDENCE

• One can check for eggs and worms in faeces and vomit: wear disposable gloves; use a stick
• You won’t see roundworm eggs, but you may see a roundworm that resembles spaghetti
• You usually won’t see hookworm eggs or the actual worm as even adult worms are super small
• Tapeworms (flat, off-white worms up to 60 cm in length) have eggs that look like sesame or cucumber seeds; they may sit on the surface of stool or on the cats anus/surrounding fur
• You may also want to examine your cat’s resting areas for eggs

TESTING

If you don’t want to look for evidence, which is completely understandable, you can schedule a veterinary check-up. You may, however, be asked to bring a stool sample anyway.

Wear disposable gloves when collecting a sample in a container and store it somewhere dark and cool. Keep it as far away from food and people as possible and wash your hands after collecting and storing the sample.

A veterinarian will typically use a microscope to see what you’re dealing with. It’s also important to communicate any signs or symptoms of worms you’ve noticed. If your cat has worms, the veterinarian will prescribe medication.

It’s usually very easy to treat worms. Once your veterinarian has identified the specific culprit, you can administer the right worming medication to get rid of that type of worm. Moving forward, you can consider broad spectrum medication that can function as both a preventative solution and cure for various internal parasites.