My kitten is losing weight and has white worms. What's wrong?

You can try to give her an over the counter dewormer. Make sure it is for cats and okay for 8 weeks and older. Depending on the type of worms she has and the type of dewormer you give will depend on whether or not they will go away. Unfortunately, there are some types of worms that will need prescription dewormer to get rid of them. Most common types of worms are tapeworms and roundworms, but there are several other types. I would deworm now and repeat in 3 weeks or whatever the label says. If she is continuing to expel worms in her feces or she isn't gaining weight, I would strongly recommend to have your vet take a look at her to ensure she doesn't need a stronger dewormer and/or other medications. I hope this helps!

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).

Outdoor kittens will commonly have intestinal parasites. You can try an over the counter pet dewormer, but there are a few intestinal parasites that need to be diagnosed by a veterinarian so a prescription medication can be used (like coccidia and giardia). Also, make sure you are feeding enough and that other cats aren't eating the kitten's food. It is possible that there is other illness causing vomiting or diarrhea that you don't see since he is outdoors, including inflammatory bowel disease, bacterial or viral gastroenteritis (like panleukopenia), congenital disease, among others. I recommend that Felix see a vet for examination to determine if additional testing is needed.

If your kitten has not been wormed yet, I suggest you worm him with a kitten wormer and again in 2 weeks. If he has intestinal parasites he would have a problem holding weight and it could also cause diarrhea. You should also take a fresh stool sample to your veterinarian for a fecal exam. If this does not help, if your kitten's diarrhea does not clear up, or if he does not gain weight, or if your kitten gets lethargic or appears ill, he should be seen by a veterinarian for an exam. Make sure you feed him a good quality kitten food.

Thank you for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! The worms in the photo appear to be tapeworms or, less commonly, pinworms. these can cause impactions and diarrhea, especially in kittens. Unfortunately, I am unable to prescribe medication for Coco without having examined her. However, your veterinarian can quickly determine the exact type of parasites present with a fecal sample and prescribe the appropriate treatment. Because many parasites are transmitted by fleas, it is important for Coco to be on a monthly flea preventative. You should also be careful when cleaning out her litter box to make sure you wash your hands well with soap and water, as some of these parasites can infect humans. I hope all is well!

All kittens have worms. You should get a kitten wormer and worm your kitten every two weeks until it is 3 months old (ie now, and again in 2 weeks). Then every three months. He will likely start gaining weight then. He should also be vaccinated now against feline rhinotracheitis (cat flu), Panleukopenia now.

Poor Garfield! Tapeworms do not usually cause any significant weight loss or other symptoms in cats, so I would be very concerned that Garfield has a more serious problem. I would recommend taking him to the vet for an exam when you are able to. He/she can do some diagnostic testing (blood work and x-rays) if needed to help determine what's wrong, and will get him started on appropriate treatment depending on what is found.