Intestinal parasites including roundworms, tapeworms, and giardia cause welfare impairment in cats and require regular preventive treatment and monitoring.
Cats with significant intestinal parasite burdens experience welfare impairment from malabsorption, diarrhoea, and abdominal discomfort. Heavy roundworm burdens in kittens cause stunted growth and pot-bellied appearance. Tapeworm segments cause perianal irritation. Giardia in multi-cat households causes chronic diarrhoea that impairs welfare and may persist through reinfection cycles. Welfare-focused parasite management uses regular veterinary assessment to tailor anthelmintic protocols to individual risk rather than treating all cats identically. Flea control is essential for tapeworm prevention as fleas are the intermediate host.