Common Kitten Diseases and Parasites

Diseases and Parasites Commonly Found in Kittens 

Transmissible Infections

Transmissible infections are diseases spread to other animals through direct contact, airborne droplets, or bodily fluids.

Zoonotic Infections

Zoonotic infections are diseases transmitted from animals to humans, often through direct contact or consumption of animal products.

Intestinal Parasites

• Roundworms: Commonly seen in puppies, roundworms can cause diarrhea, vomiting, weight loss, and a distended abdomen. Transmission occurs through ingestion of eggs from the environment or via the mother's milk.

  • Roundworms are transmissible to other dogs and cats. 

  • Roundworms are zoonotic and can cause visceral and ocular larval migrans in humans.

• Hookworms: These parasites can cause anemia, bloody stool, and weight loss. They are transmitted through ingestion or skin penetration by larvae found in contaminated soil.

  • Hookworms are transmissible to other dogs and cats. 

  • Hookworms are zoonotic and can cause cutaneous larval migrans in humans.

• Tapeworms: Tapeworm infections may result in weight loss and the presence of rice-like segments in the feces. Cats acquire tapeworms by ingesting fleas that carry the tapeworm larvae. They can also acquire tapeworms by ingesting rabbits and squirrels infected with tapeworms.

  • Tapeworm segments are not directly transmissible or zoonotic.

• Coccidia: This protozoan parasite can cause severe diarrhea, dehydration, and weight loss, particularly in young or immunocompromised cats. Infection occurs via ingestion of sporulated oocysts from contaminated environments.

  • Coccidia is transmissible to other cats. This infection only affects cats.

  • Coccidia are not generally considered zoonotic.

• Giardia: A protozoan parasite that leads to diarrhea, weight loss, and poor coat condition. Transmission is via ingestion of cysts from contaminated water or feces.

  • Giardia is transmissible to other dogs and cats.

  • Giardia is zoonotic and can cause gastrointestinal issues in humans.

Prevention of these intestinal parasites involves regular deworming (via monthly heartworm prevention), maintaining a clean environment, scooping litter boxes daily, and practicing good hygiene, such as prompt disposal of feces and preventing cats from scavenging or hunting.

Vector-Borne Diseases

Vector-borne diseases are infections transmitted by vectors like mosquitoes or ticks, which carry pathogens from one host to another. Infected animals cannot directly infect another animal.

Heartworm Disease

Heartworm disease is caused by the Dirofilaria immitis parasite and is transmitted through mosquito bites. Heartworm preventions kill the larvae before they develop into adult worms. The adult worms affect the heart and lungs, leading to symptoms like coughing, fatigue, heart failure, and sudden death. 

Heartworm disease in cats is not treatable and typically results in the death of infected cats.

Heartworm disease is preventable with the use of monthly preventative medications like Revolution.

Flea and Tick-Borne Diseases

Tick-borne diseases, such as anaplasmosis, cytauxzoonosis, and ehrlichiosis are vector borne diseases transmitted by tick bites. Fleas can transmit disease to cats as well, including bartonellosis, hemotrophic Mycoplasma infections, and plague, as well as cause other health problems like flea allergy dermatitis and the transmission of tapeworms. Depending on the disease, cats can exhibit symptoms including fever, lethargy, loss of appetite, weight loss, swollen lymph nodes, anemia, respiratory issues, jaundice, bleeding disorders, pale gums, joint pain, and abscesses. 

Prevention of flea and tick borne diseases involves using consistent monthly flea and tick preventatives.