Whipworms in Cats

Since the whipworm is burrowing itself into the mucosa portion of the intestine, the body’s immune system reacts and inflames the bowel, causing the feline to lose a large portion of nutrient-absorbing abilities. As the intestine is compromised, only a portion of food your cat is consuming will be absorbed by the body and the feline will begin to lose weight and become lethargic.

The whipworm is a 45-75mm long parasite with a thick posterior and thin filamentous end that resembles a whip, ergo the common name “whipworm.” Although these worms are referred to as whipworms by the majority, there is more than one species of whipworm and should be identified by the name Trichuris trichiura, the cat whipworm. 

The whipworm is a type of parasite, meaning the worm must have a host to survive in its adult form. The whipworm eggs are present in the environment and will stay unhatched until they are ingested. A cat who drinks water, licks soil off her paws, or consumes food material can infect herself with whipworm eggs. The eggs land into the small intestine where they hatch into larvae and make their way to the large intestine. Inside the large intestine, the whipworm larvae burrow their anterior end into the mucosa of the cat’s colon. From here, the parasitic worm will feed and mature into adult whipworms. 

A mild infestation of whipworms in cats will show no evident signs or symptoms, but as the worms multiply, the burden of these parasites begin to take their toll on a feline’s body, causing the following symptoms: 

• Diarrhea 
• Weight loss
• Inflammatory bowel syndrome 
• Dehydration 

In severe cases, whipworm infestation can cause a hemorrhagic effect inside the colon, causing the appearance of fresh blood to appear in the feces. A severe whipworm infection in cats can be recognized by the following symptoms:

• Bright, red blood in the stool
• Anemia 

Whipworm in cats is caused by the ingestion of water, food or flesh (mice, birds, etc.) contaminated with adult whipworms, whipworm larva, or eggs. 

To understand how a cat may become infected with whipworms, an individual must understand the lifecycle and nature of these parasitic worms. Whipworms latch on to the mucosa layer of the cecum or colon of the cat, feeding and laying eggs. These thick-shelled, weather resistant eggs, are passed through the feces, enter the soil and become active to infest within one to two weeks. If your cat drinks water from an outside source or even licks her paws after being outside, she could pick up one of the 2,000 whipworm eggs a female can lay in a day. A feline can also infect herself with whipworms upon consumption of prey animals such as rodents, birds, and other appealing prey. 

If you notice your cat has been losing weight while still maintaining the same eating habits or is experiencing loose, bloody stools, it’s time to schedule an appointment with your veterinarian as these may indicate a whipworm infection. 

The veterinarian will likely request a stool sample from your cat, from the morning of your appointment, to diagnose the parasite. The thick-shelled, football-shaped eggs that are normally passed into the environment by the whipworms will be present in an infested cat and can be identified under a microscope. In order to view the eggs, the veterinarian will first need to separate the eggs from the fecal matter through the use of a centrifuge and diluted water. After the sample is removed from the centrifuge, a microscope slide is placed on top of the vial and the eggs rise to the top, sticking to the slide. The slide is then removed and can be placed under the microscope to complete the fecal flotation test.

Whipworm infestation in cats is generally treated on an outpatient basis as the medication for whipworms is generally easy to administer. Your veterinarian may prescribe any of the following antiparasitic agents to terminate your cat’s whipworms: Mebendazole, febantel/praziquantel/pyrantel pamoate, or fenbendazole. Dehydrated cats or anemic felines may also receive intravenous care to reverse the effects of whipworm infestation. Anti-inflammatory drugs are also commonly prescribed to alleviate the irritated interior of the large and small intestine.

As with any medically prescribed treatment, it is important for your cat to complete the full cycle of treatment. Improvement can be seen in as little as seven days, in non-severe cases and a total recovery can be expected. 

The anti-parasitic medication will terminate the worms and your cat will pass them through defecation, therefore it is crucial to maintain a clean environment. Clean your cat’s litter pan daily, and wash bedding material. Make sure to wear gloves during the cleaning process, as human infestation is a possibility. It is also advised to isolate the feline to keep it from infecting other pets during treatment.