Can i get parasites from my cat

Infection is confirmed by the presence of parasite eggs during microscopic examination of the stool. Several medications treat roundworm infections effectively in cats, but owners can minimize the likelihood of infection by prohibiting hunting and reducing exposure to the feces of infected cats. Treating queens prior to breeding reduces the likelihood that the parasite will infect kittens. It is important to note that reinfection after successful treatment is relatively common.

Toxocara can infect people. When Toxocara larvae migrate through the tissues of people, they can cause damage to various organs and the eyes, called visceral larval migrans and ocular larval migrans, respectively.

Although these diseases are rare, they can be quite serious, especially in young children. They can be easily avoided by preventing ingestion of Toxocara eggs from contaminated soil or hands. Hookworms Ancylostoma and Uncinaria are slender, thread-like worms, less than a half-inch long, that live attached to the lining of the wall of the intestine, where they feed on the blood of the host.

Because of their small size, they usually are not visible in the feces of infected cats. Hookworms are long-lived, capable of living as long as a cat. Less common than roundworm infections, the prevalence of feline hookworm infections varies considerably by geographic location in North America. Adult cats usually become infected by larvae that penetrate their skin or that are ingested. Once the larvae enter the host, they migrate to the lungs and then to the intestines, where they develop into adult worms.

While mild cases of hookworm infection may cause diarrhea and weight loss, severe parasitism can cause anemia due to blood loss. If too much blood is lost, an affected cat may die without treatment. Fortunately, hookworms are easily diagnosed and treated. Good sanitation and daily cleaning of the litter box are keys to controlling hookworm infections. Hookworm larvae Ancylostoma can penetrate human skin when people come in close contact with contaminated soil. As they migrate under the skin, these larvae can cause a skin condition called cutaneous larval migrans, characterized by itchiness, irritation, and long, linear, track-like lesions.

Tapeworms cestodes have long flattened bodies that resemble a tape or ribbon. Their small head is connected to a series of segments filled with eggs. The adult tapeworm lives in the small intestine with its head embedded in the mucous membrane lining of this part of the GI tract, absorbing nutrients eaten by the host.

In all likelihood, your child would have put his or her dirty hands in their mouth. Hence it is important to ensure that your child washes their hands properly after playing around or with pets.

These are parasites which are a type of roundworm. Cat roundworms can infect humans from infectious larvae. The worm larvae penetrate human skins in the case of contact with cat litter through bare feet , feces-contaminated sand and feces-contaminated soil. After penetrating human skin, they move many inches under the skin and finally die after some time. However, they cause an uncomfortable skin inflammation, which can last many weeks or at times even months.

Ensure they wash hands and feet thoroughly after playing with cats. SHARE this article with others, please! Many animal species including the cat , are susceptible to infection with Giardia , which is passed in the feces and usually spread to other animals and humans via contaminated water sources, surfaces, or in uncooked food items.

The symptoms of Giardia infection include diarrhea, flatulence, abdominal cramps, nausea, and dehydration. A number of prescription drugs are available to treat this condition, and most people that are infected make an uneventful recovery. It is important to realize that the majority of cases of giardiasis in people do not occur as a result of infection by cats, but rather by ingesting water or food contaminated by farm animals or wildlife.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by the parasitic protozoan Toxoplasma gondii. People with weakened immune systems and infants whose mothers are infected during pregnancy can develop severe illness from this parasite. Most people infected with Toxoplasma , however, show no overt signs of disease.

Cats can acquire Toxoplasma by eating infected rodents, birds, or anything contaminated with feces from another infected animal. An infected cat can shed the parasite in its feces for up to two weeks. Once shed in the feces, the parasite must mature for one to five days before it becomes capable of causing infection.

However, it can persist in the environment for many months and continue to contaminate soil, water, gardens, sandboxes, or any place where an infected cat has defecated.

Although pregnant women or immunosuppressed individuals are often advised to remove cats from the household to reduce the risk of toxoplasmosis, direct contact with cats is very unlikely to spread infection with this organism. Cats can transmit Toxoplasma to people through their feces, but humans most commonly become infected by eating undercooked or raw meat, or by inadvertently consuming contaminated soil on unwashed or undercooked vegetables.

The symptoms of toxoplasmosis include flu-like muscle aches and fever, and headache. In rare cases, more advanced symptoms such as confusion, seizures, vomiting, or diarrhea may be observed. Basic hygiene can prevent the spread of Toxoplasma from cats to humans. Wear gloves when handling potentially contaminated material for example, when gardening or scooping the litterbox , and be sure to wash your hands afterwards.

Pregnant women or immunosuppressed individuals are safest when other household members clean the litter box. Viral Infections Rabies is a viral disease that is spread through the bite of an infected animal. Although most viruses infect only their natural host species, rabies is an important exception. Cats are highly susceptible to rabies, which attacks the central nervous system, causing a variety of signs.

Rabies is almost always fatal. Larger than fleas and mites, ticks are external parasites that latch onto a cat in order to feed off of its blood. Ticks can carry a variety of diseases but preventative medications can keep them off of a cat. There are several different kinds of ticks that cats can get depending on what part of the country the cat is in. Some common kinds of ticks include:. Other ticks and tick-borne diseases, including tick paralysis, also exist. Antibiotics are commonly prescribed to treat infections caused by ticks, but using preventative medications to keep ticks away is the best strategy to prevent illness.

Transmitted through mosquito bites, heartworms commonly infect dogs but cats are also at risk. Dirofilaria immitis , or heartworms as they are more called, are microscopic internal parasites that often go undetected in cats because they have a lower "worm burden.

The same treatment that is used for dogs is not safe for cats, but your vet might recommend doxycycline or another monthly preventative to shorten the lifespan of the worms. A larvae of the botfly, Cuterebra are also known as warbles in cats.

There are several different species of Cutrebra, but they all burrow into the skin and cause swelling. Once the larvae is large enough, the swelling usually breaks open leaving a hole in the skin.

The larvae is able to be seen in this hole before it emerges but sometimes the larvae must be surgically removed. The swelling and inflammation usually leads to an abscess which requires medications and cleaning to manage the infection.

The skin is the most common location for the larvae to end up, but it's important to note that rare larvae can migrate abnormally and cause problems with an animal's eyes, upper airways, spine, or even the brain. Gastrointestinal Parasites Of Cats Brochure.