No. Worms or eggs are often not visible to the naked eye. That’s why a laboratory test is more reliable.
Cats can become infected with worms in several ways. They may ingest worm eggs from the environment, such as soil or sand. Eating prey animals like mice or birds, which act as intermediate hosts, can also lead to infection. In addition, fleas can transmit tapeworms when the cat ingests them during grooming. Contact with other animals or their feces also poses a risk. Kittens can even be infected through their mother’s milk.
We routinely test your cat’s stool for coccidia and for eggs of roundworms, hookworms, whipworms, and tapeworms. For this we use the sedimentation-flotation technique.
With us, you can also order additional tests for Giardia and/or French heartworm. For Giardia, an additional test is used to detect the antigen of the Giardia parasite. For French heartworm, we use the Bearmann method.
If the stool test shows that your cat is infected with worms, we will provide you with a personalized treatment plan. This way, your cat’s health comes first, and unnecessary deworming can be avoided.
Yes. Some worms and parasites in cats are zoonotic, meaning they can also infect humans. Well-known examples are the roundworm (Toxocara cati) and the single-celled parasite Giardia. Children are especially at risk through contact with contaminated soil, sandboxes, or surfaces where a cat has defecated. Good hygiene, regular cleaning of the litter box, and periodic stool testing reduce the risk of transmission.