Anybody with a cat knows that they love spending time outside. However, they may be exposed to a danger that few understand: hookworm. This infectious parasite is a particular problem for cats with kittens. Any cat exposed to one needs to see a veterinarian right away. However, creating small boots for the cat can help protect it from this danger.
Letting Cats Out Exposes Them To Hookworm
Hookworms get into a cat's system in a rather roundabout way. It starts when a cat runs around outdoors and gets hookworm larvae stuck on their feet. These eggs sit in the dirt for weeks after they are laid by adults. Once here, they can burrow into the cat's skin and move to their intestine. However cats can also get infected by licking larvae off their paws.
Once here, the hookworms mature and mate. While here, they steal nutrients from the cat's digestive system and lays its eggs. After a few weeks, these eggs pass. This disgusting infection will make the cat very uncomfortable and cause discomfort. It can also be a problem if kittens get infected by them.
They Can Also Be Dangerous
In full grown cats, hookworms are very rarely more than a temporary problem that a good veterinarian can manage. The discomfort they cause is easily handled by a deworming medicine or other anti-parasite medications. However, hookworms can be very dangerous if they end up infecting kittens.
Sadly, these kittens can end up suffering from serious health problems when infected with hookworms. Often, they end up dying as a result of this infection. It typically comes when the mother inadvertently passes it on to their kittens through her milk or when the kittens lick her infected paws. The best way to avoid this problem is to keep hookworms out of cats for good.
Boots Can Help These Cats
Teaching a cat to stay indoors can be a tricky task for most owners. Even cats that spend most of their lives indoors have a drive to get outside and explore the wild. As a result, it isn't a bad idea to get small boots for cats. These pieces of footwear will slip on the cat's foot and protect it from hookworms sinking into their feet.
While boots like these are available for purchase, it is possible to knit them with various free online pet boot patterns. Creating small straps to hold them to the cat foot is essential or they may otherwise shake them off. After the cat comes indoors, it is important to wipe off the bottom of the boot to ensure that no hookworm larvae are attached here.
While boots can help protect mother cats from infecting their newborns with hookworm, this infection may still occur. If it does, it is important to take these feline friends to a cat veterinarian at a place like Cats Only Veterinary Hospital as soon as possible.