Expert Reveals the Truth About the Parasites That Prey on Your Cat

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON

FEATURED EXPERT
PROFESSOR DR REBECCA J TRAUB
Veterinary Parasitology Specialist
Founding Director of the Tropical Council for Companion Animal Parasites
(TroCCAP)
LET’S HAVE SOME FACTS ABOUT CAT-LOVING PARASITES

An epidemiological study of over 1,000 cats in eastern and southeast Asia revealed that:

  • 43% of pet cats harbour external parasites such as fleas, ticks, and mites.
  • 14% harbour deadly internal parasites such as hookworm, roundworm, and heartworm.

In Malaysia:

  • 89% of cats are infested with fleas.
  • 1 in 10 cats is infested with lice.
  • Nearly 1 in 5 cats has ear mites.
  • Fewer than 40% of cats are protected against internal parasites.
  • Fewer than 33% of cats are protected against external parasites.
PERHAPS MALAYSIAN CATS ARE LESS PROTECTED BECAUSE THEIR OWNERS HAVE MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT PARASITES IN CATS?

Professor Dr Rebecca J Traub shares 4 common misconceptions held by many cat owners.

NOT TRUE: PARASITES ARE A TRIVIAL MATTER; THEY WILL GO AWAY ON ITS OWN.

“Parasite infections can be deleterious for the health of cats,” says Professor Traub.

“Often, cats only present with symptoms much later into the infection, resulting in worse complications,” she adds. “This highlights the need to change perceptions and move towards a preventive approach to parasite infections to safeguard their health.”

NOT TRUE: CATS THAT ARE KEPT INDOORS ARE ALREADY PROTECTED AGAINST PARASITES

A cat can become infested with parasites in many ways despite staying indoors all the time!

Here are some common examples:

  • Fleas can easily find their way into the house and infest cats. Cats tend to groom themselves often, and this behaviour can hide signs of flea infestation on their skin and fur from their owner.
  • Also, fleas can carry tapeworms, and a cat can become infested with tapeworm when it swallows a flea.
  • Rats inside the house that can spread roundworms to cats.
  • Mosquitoes can bite a cat and pass on heartworms.
NOT TRUE: FLEA SHAMPOOS ARE GOOD ENOUGH TO PROTECT CATS FROM FLEAS.

Flea shampoos will kill fleas on the cat during a bath.

However, the flea shampoo will not kill the flea eggs on the cat’s fur or prevent these eggs from hatching.

It’s best to consult the veterinarian on the best flea protection options for your cat.

USE SHAMPOOS & OTHER PRODUCTS THAT ARE CLEARLY LABELLED FOR CATS ONLY

It’s best not to use human or dog shampoo for your cat or vice versa. This is to avoid issues such as skin dryness, fur loss, eye redness, and more.
NOT TRUE: CATS ONLY NEED TO SEE A VET WHEN THEY ARE INFESTED WITH PARASITES.

Preventive treatments are just as, if not more, important!

  • Consult a veterinarian on how to protect your cat from fleas and arrange for regular check-ups. The veterinarian can examine your cat and its feces on a regular basis for signs of parasite infestation.
  • Discuss with the veterinarian on the vaccinations that can protect your cat from dangerous internal parasites, such as a monthly heartworm vaccination.

Happy Chinese New Year Everyone & Here’s an Article About Rabbits

WORDS LIM TECK CHOON
PHOTO RAHIM SOFRI

UNDERSTANDING THE RABBIT
  • Rabbits are pack animals that have many predators, so they are conditioned to always be alert and wary. Therefore, when you adopt a pet rabbit, it may take a while for the rabbit to become familiar with its new home and to feel safe.
  • Wild rabbits live in warrens—underground homes interconnected by tunnels. Therefore, even tame rabbits have this urge to dig with their paws. Therefore, line your rabbit’s new home with something that it can dig on.
  • Rabbits answer the call of nature in the same spot as much as possible, so minimize the risk of predators tracking them down. Therefore, tame rabbits can be trained to do their business in the same place every day.
  • A rabbit’s tooth never stops growing throughout its life, and a wild rabbit keeps its teeth to manageable length by chewing down on rough parts of plants. Therefore, give your pet rabbit things that it can always chew on, so that its teeth won’t become overgrown.
  • A rabbit tells you that it is not happy with you by thumping its rear feet. It may also bite, although fortunately rabbits are usually not aggressive to humans.
YOUR RABBIT’S IDEAL HOME
  • Keep your rabbit in a well-ventilated cage—such cages are sold in pet shops. Avoid putting rabbits in closed “houses” or glass cases, as these often lack ventilation.
  • Rabbits may develop sore hocks, with its feet becoming raw and inflamed, when they spend too much time on wire flooring, so make sure that the wire flooring has a mesh size that is as small as possible (1 x 2.5 cm should be good).
  • Have a solid and smooth area for the rabbit to rest on, such a wood or Plexiglas surface, so that it can take a break from moving around on the wire flooring.
  • Grass hay makes good bedding for the rabbit, as it is comfy and also provides a nice snack for a hungry rabbit!
HEALTHY RABBIT MUNCHIES
  • A rabbit needs plenty of dietary fibre to keep its digestive system healthy. Unfortunately, most commercial-available pelleted diets sold in stores do not provide enough fibre for the needs of an older, non-breeding, and physically inactive house rabbit.
  • Usually, such rabbits will need to their pellets supplemented with grass hay, leafy green vegetables, and a small amount of treat foods (rolled oats, stale bread, fruits, etc). Therefore, discuss with a veterinarian (that’s an animal doctor) on how to best meet your rabbit family member’s nutritional needs.
  • Make sure that your rabbit always has clean and fresh water to drink. If you have an inverted sipper bottle for your rabbit, check often to make sure that the drinking or ‘straw’ part of the bottle is not blocked.
TRIPS TO THE VET
  • Ideally, have the vet examine your rabbit once a year to check for lice, parasites, and tooth problems as well as signs of diseases.
  • Pet rabbits can be neutered when they are 3 or 4 months old to keep them from being aggressive.
IF YOU NEED TO LIFT & CARRY THE RABBIT AROUND IN YOUR ARMS
  • Grasp your rabbit family member gently by the scruff of its neck to keep it docile.
  • Cup its hindquarters with your other hand to keep it from kicking you with its rear legs.
  • Then gently pick the rabbit up, keeping it in a vertical position.
  • Alternatively, once you have grasp the rabbit’s scruff gently, you can place its head under your other arm (be gentle, don’t squeeze!) and use that arm to support its hindquarters.

References:

  1. Jenkins J. R. (2001). Rabbit behavior. The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice, 4(3), 669–679. https://doi.org/10.1016/s1094-9194(17)30030-0
  2. Crowell-Davis S. (2021). Rabbit Behavior. The veterinary clinics of North America. Exotic animal practice, 24(1), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvex.2020.09.002