WHY DO I NEED TO CHECK A STOOL SAMPLE ON MY INDOOR CAT?
It’s one of the most common questions my staff and I are asked at annual exams for indoor cats. In fact, it’s such a common question, the NYS Veterinary Medical Society recently addressed the issue in its monthly newsletter to veterinarians.
Intestinal parasites are very common in young cats – up to 85% of kittens may be infected. Roundworm, hookworm, whipworm, tapeworm, and giardia are the most widespread in the U.S. The roundworm (Toxocara cati) is most prevalent, so we’ll focus on this one today.
Roundworm can be transmitted to cats by several routes including: passage through the mother’s milk or placenta to kittens (called “vertical” transmission), ingestion of eggs from an infected host (including mice, rats and some species of flies and roaches), and contact with eggs in the environment (including flower beds, playground sandboxes and commercial potting soil).
Once the eggs have entered the cat, T. cati larvae can choose three different paths: migration through the trachea (windpipe) to the small intestine (where they can cause vomiting, diarrhea, and weight loss), migration through the blood vessels to muscle tissue (where they can remain in a dormant state for years and cause health problems later in life), migration through other organs where they can cause a whole host of problems (e.g. the lungs, where they can trigger asthma).
So, now that we know how this parasite can get into our cats, let’s revisit the question of why you need to check a stool sample on your indoor cat every year:
• If your indoor cat chases or kills mice, rats, or flies, he’s potentially exposed to roundworms
• If you have indoor plants with potting soil, she’s potentially exposed
• If you took your child to the playground today and walked through the sandbox, or if you were puttering in the garden, you may have brought home some eggs on your shoes
• If your cat has roundworm eggs embedded in muscle tissue from a previous infection (or even from kittenhood!), they may hatch later in life or under periods of stress (like other illness, pregnancy, a new baby in the house, or a change in environment) and cause a variety of problems.
In addition to causing health issues in our cats, roundworms can also be potentially transmissible to humans. Children, and immunocompromised people (especially cancer patients and AIDS patients) are most at risk, and households with these folks should absolutely have their cats checked at least annually for intestinal parasites.
Roundworms are most commonly detected by a microscopic examination of the cat’s feces (called a “fecal”) by our laboratory. But remember: if the parasites are hiding in muscle tissue or another organ, they may not be shedding into the stool at the time it is checked, which is another reason to check a stool sample at least annually.
Various highly effective medications now exist for the treatment and prevention of roundworms, which your veterinarian can prescribe. Keeping the environment clean will also help in prevention.
Now, the next time you see “fecal exam” on your indoor kitty’s annual or semi-annual reminder card, you’ll smile and proudly walk into your veterinarian's office carrying a nice fresh sample for screening!
