Do Indoor Cats Need Flea, Tick and Worm Prevention?

Many people think a cat that stays indoors and never meets stray cats doesn't need deworming or flea prevention. In reality, parasites have many ways into your home, and indoor cats can still be infected. The risk is lower than for cats that roam outdoors, but it isn't zero.

How parasites get into your home

• On people: worm eggs and fleas can hitch a ride on shoes, clothes and bags when you come home.
• On other pets: a dog that goes for walks can bring fleas and ticks home and pass them to your cat.
• Insects and small animals: cats that hunt and eat cockroaches, flies, lizards or mice can pick up certain worms.
• Raw food: raw meat, fish or organ meat that hasn't been properly handled can contain parasite larvae.
• From the mother cat: kittens can get roundworms through their mother's milk.
• From new cats: a newly adopted cat, or a cat returning from boarding or grooming, can bring fleas with it.
• Mosquitoes: in some areas, mosquitoes transmit heartworm to cats as well, and indoor cats still get bitten. Ask your veterinarian about the risk where you live.

Common parasites in cats

Fleas

Fleas cause itching, hair loss and allergic skin inflammation from flea saliva. Heavily infested kittens can become anemic. Fleas also spread tapeworms when a cat grooms and swallows them. Just a few surviving fleas can lay eggs all over carpets, sofas and floor cracks and lead to an infestation in your home.

Intestinal worms

• Roundworms: common in kittens, causing a pot belly, poor growth, diarrhea and sometimes vomiting with worms.
• Tapeworms: you may see small white segments like grains of rice around the anus or in the stool.
• Hookworms: can cause anemia and diarrhea.

Some cat worms can spread to people, especially young children who play on the floor and put their hands in their mouths. That's one more reason for regular prevention.

Ticks

Ticks are less common on indoor cats than on dogs, but they can still come into the home on dogs or people.

Safe prevention for indoor cats

Your veterinarian decides the schedule

There is no single schedule for every cat. Your veterinarian will consider age, weight, health, whether your cat hunts or eats raw food, whether there are dogs or young children at home, and the local parasite situation. Kittens usually need deworming more often than adult cats. Ask for specific advice at your cat's routine checkup.

Use products correctly

• Only use products clearly labeled for cats and for your cat's weight range, as directed by your veterinarian, and read the product label carefully.
• Never use dog flea or tick products on cats. Some ingredients that are safe for dogs are highly toxic to cats and can cause tremors, seizures or even death.
• In homes with both dogs and cats, ask your veterinarian about the right product for each animal, and don't let your cat lick the spot where a spot-on was applied to your dog.
• Don't use human dewormers or buy medicines based on word of mouth.
• Treat all pets in the home for fleas at the same time; if only one is treated, fleas will persist.

Everyday habits that lower the risk

• Leave shoes at the door and wash your hands when you get home and before playing with your cat.
• Vacuum regularly and wash your cat's bed and blankets periodically.
• Scoop the litter box daily so worm eggs don't have time to develop.
• Don't feed raw meat, fish or organ meat without asking your veterinarian.
• Control cockroaches and mice at home, and fit mosquito screens if needed.
• Quarantine and examine new cats before they meet your current cat.
• Comb your cat with a fine-toothed flea comb to spot fleas or flea dirt, tiny black specks that turn reddish-brown on damp paper.

When to see a vet

Take your cat to the vet if it has:

• Itching, scratching, overgrooming, hair loss or a rash, especially on the lower back near the tail.
• White tapeworm segments around the anus, or worms in the stool or vomit.
• Diarrhea, vomiting, a pot belly, poor growth in kittens, or weight loss.
• Pale gums or tiredness, which may indicate anemia.
• Tremors, seizures or heavy drooling after a flea or tick product is applied. This is an emergency: go immediately and bring the product packaging.