My cat has roundworms, vomiting, bloated belly. Is he dying?

It sounds like Boots may have intestinal parasites. There are many different kinds, but we usually lump them into 3 groups: round/hook/whip worms look like spaghetti, tapeworms look like flat noodles or small grains of rice, and coccidia or giardia are other types that are not visibly seen. You can try an OTC dewormer that treats the specific type of worm you are seeing and make sure it is repeated in a few weeks as directed on the label, but I recommend that Boots go to a vet. She is way overdue for kitten vaccines and a rabies shot (which is required in all cats and dogs by law - even if they will never ever step foot outside). There are many nasty cat viruses that can cause illness and even death. Your vet can also test a fecal sample to determine the most appropriate treatment timeline for her individual parasite(s).

I suggest you get Milo to your vet for an exam, fecal testing and deworming. If a cat is vomiting up worms then there is probably a bad infestation. If he has roundworms he could have other types of worms too. The infestation can be so bad that he could get an intestinal obstruction which is certainly life threatening. It is best to get him checked out ASAP. Hope this helps. Best wishes.

I would be more inclined to think that your kitty is obstipated (inability to defecate). As the pet gets backed up there is no where for the ingested food to go, so the cat vomits it back up. Also the stomach will be firm and distended with feces that collect in the colon. Cats that cannot poop for several days will also get full anal glands, this causes irritation of the bum and scooting. Your poor kitty needs to be take to the vet to likely have an enema placed to relieve the impacted feces right away. I would recommend taking kitty in to your local vet by tomorrow at the latest. I would caution against using over the counter enema's because most contain phosphate, and this component is toxic in cats. I would agree that intestinal parasites are still a possibility here, but obstipation would be my first concern. Your vet can easily distinguish which one is the cause of your cats current state by just feeling her belly and doing a rectal exam. I hope your kitty gets better soon!

Thank you for contacting Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach with your question about Rusty. Congrats on your new cat! Yes certainly his bloated belly could be due to worms, and even though you don't see any in his poop, he could have them. Oftentimes the only signs of worms in pets is eggs in the poop, which are microscopic. It won't hurt him to deworm him even if he doesn't have them. I would get a deworming treatment to give him now, then another in two weeks to kill all the worms. He should then be dewormed every three months. If this doesn't help with his bloated belly, then he should be checked out by a vet. I would find one closest to you to see him. I hope this helps!

Hello. Is this a recent development? Is he having any difficulties breathing? If so, he needs to see a veterinarian immediately. Otherwise, the most common reason for bloating in a young cat is intestinal parasites, especially roundworms. You can purchase a general kitten wormer & deworm Astro yourself, or have him evaluated by your veterinarian at your earliest convenience to make sure he is receiving the proper treatment. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

I'm sorry that your cat had such an awful passing. Unfortunately, without an exam it would be hard to say. If there was a large parasite load, dying parasites can block/obstruct the intestines, and some parasites such as heartworm can block arteries leading to death, but it would be hard to say if this or another issue was the cause of Bendingo's passing. If you do get another cat, making sure they are regularly dewormed and up to date on vaccines can help them stay healthy. Working with your vet and having regular exams done can also help check for any health issues that need treatment as well.

From your description it sounds like your cat may have roundworms. These are typically present in vomit with high parasite loads. The good thing is that they are easy to treat. Your veterinarian may have a preferred deworming medication that they can prescribe for your cat. You may also wish to submit a stool sample from your cat for analysis. It is not likely that these parasites would cause loud breathing. That is something you may want to mention to your vet when you call. It could be a sign of upper respiratory inflammation.