Year-round parasite control is an important part of your pet’s wellness plan. Parasites, such as fleas, ticks, heartworm, and intestinal worms, can greatly reduce an animal’s quality of life, and some are transmissible to people as well.
Many cat owners mistakenly believe that parasite prevention isn’t necessary for their pets because they never goes outside, but this couldn’t be farther from the truth. Your team at Berkeley Veterinary Center wants your cat, and your family, to remain safe and healthy, which is why we strongly encourage our clients to consider year-round, indoor cat parasite prevention.
Why Indoor Cat Parasite Prevention Is so Important
You may think you’re keeping your sweet, indoor-only kitty in a hermetically sealed environment, but in reality parasites are everywhere, and many live quite comfortably right alongside us. Consider the following reasons why indoor cat parasite prevention is so important:
- Most kittens become infected with roundworms and other internal parasites at some point during the first few weeks of life. Even with deworming medication, some parasites can lie dormant and emerge later on to re-infect your cat.
- Your precious cat is actually a tiny, and vicious, hunter. The likelihood is high that he or she enjoys stalking, killing, and eating the occasional moth, beetle, or even small rodent that mistakenly wanders through your home. This can leave your pet open to tapeworms and other parasites transmitted by outdoor critters.
- The warm, humid climates inside our homes (especially during the winter) are the perfect breeding ground for fleas that hitch a ride on other pets and even humans. Fleas are not only annoying, but also carry diseases, such as cat scratch fever, which can affect both people and pets.
- No matter how good your screens are, mosquitoes can and will find their way into your home. Heartworm larvae is carried by mosquitoes, and is found in all 50 states. There is no cure for heartworm in cats, so protecting indoor cats is of the utmost importance.
- Ticks, which carry Rocky Mountain spotted fever and Lyme disease, can enter the home by way of unsuspecting humans and indoor/outdoor pets.
It’s also important to keep in mind that accidents do happen, and occasionally indoor cats escape or are accidentally let out. Providing your pet with a high quality, year-round parasite preventive will give you peace of mind, in the event your cat makes it outside for any period of time.
If you haven’t started your cat on a parasite prevention program, we can help. The staff at Berkeley Veterinary Center can help you figure out which preventives are right for your indoor cat. Give us a call!
Tags: Cat Care, Cat Parasites, Indoor Cat Parasite Prevention, Preventing Indoor Parasites