Looking at your cat’s poop certainly doesn’t sound like the most appealing thing to do.
However, this can be a good way to learn important information on your pet’s health. Your cat’s pooping frequency, as well as its stool color, formation, and firmness, can indicate the state of its gastrointestinal system.
Not every change is a warning sign, but, there is a possibility noticing a deviation early can help you assist your feline friend. One of the changes you could notice are maggots in cat poop.
Why are there maggots in cat poop? Let’s learn the main reasons for this occurrence, whether it’s an emergency, and what are the best ways to help your kitty.
What Causes Maggots In Cat Poop?
The simplest definition of a maggot is that it's the larva of a fly. This means that maggots come from places where adult flies lay eggs.
According to the Merck Veterinary Manual, different types of flies such as bot flies, house flies, or bottle flies lay eggs in cats that have an infected skin wound.
When eggs are laid in a cat's fur, they give rise to maggots that quickly migrate towards any infected wounds in the cat's body. Once the larva infiltrates a wound, it rapidly spreads through the surrounding tissue.
A cat affected with maggots will usually have red sores with visible maggots inside it. However, they might also be seen in its feces. If your cat has an infected wound in which flies have laid larvae, they can be seen in other parts of the body, as well as in its feces.
Also, it’s possible that flies have laid eggs on the cat’s poop and they hatched into maggots.
There is also an additional scenario that isn’t so common, but it’s possible and you should also be aware of it.
A cat could ingest larvae from eggs on its coats while grooming itself. The larvae could pass through a cat’s digestive system, resulting in maggots turning up in its feces.
See Also: Can Cats Eat Moths, Or Could This Be Dangerous?
What To Do If You See Maggots In Your Cat Poop?
First of all, you should figure out whether maggots are only in your cat’s poop or also on some part of its body.
If you don’t seem to notice them anywhere else, you should stop your cat from getting near its litter box. You need to prevent the maggots from its poop to get in your cat’s coat and potentially other places in your house.
The next thing to do here is clean your cat’s litter box with a gentle soap that will not cause irritation to your cat. Make sure your cat doesn’t approach its litter box and surrounding area until it’s completely cleaned and sanitized.
A crucial thing to do here is to toss cat litter with maggots in a separate trash bag. Tie the bag securely to prevent the maggots from escaping. Of course, use gloves while doing this.
Furthermore, you should also clean the floor and area around your cat's litter box thoroughly. This way, you’ll remove any larvae that can potentially attract more flies.
This is the protocol in case your cat isn’t affected by maggots, but you only noticed them in its poop.
In case maggots are seen on open wounds on your cat’s body, this is a bigger problem you shouldn’t deal with by yourself.
What To Do If There Are Maggots On Your Cat’s Body?
Observing maggots on your cat’s coat and skin requires taking it to a vet clinic immediately.
You shouldn’t try to remove them by yourself. The veterinarian will need to examine your cat and determine the exact type of flies producing the maggots.
They will need to sedate your cat to remove the larvae successfully. Also, a cat’s fur is usually trimmed around the wound to clean it effectively and prevent the chance of infection.
Furthermore, the veterinarian will need to observe your cat for a couple of days after maggots are removed, since they may still continue to appear in open wounds.
PetPlace explains that sometimes veterinarians can use other methods for maggot removal. Some of the most common ones include administering anti-parasitic drugs through injection, topical application, or oral pills
Some cats also get prescribed antibiotics and pain medication. You’ll need to continue checking on your cat’s coat to see whether there are any infections or inflammations.
How To Prevent Maggots?
Maggots can get to be really annoying and can cause severe problems in your cat.
There are some steps you can take to prevent the possibility of flies getting into your cat’s poop, or even worse, on its coat.
They are the following:
• In case your cat has some difficulties, like an obesity problem, that’s preventing it from cleaning its fur effectively, help it with grooming
• Make sure there aren’t any feces or urine collecting on your cat’s skin
• Remove all the garbage or decaying animals to prevent flies from gathering around it
• Remove standing water and change the water in your cat’s bowl regularly
• Clean your cat’s litter box regularly
• Check out your cat’s skin and coat: If you notice any infection or potential skin disease, reach out to a vet immediately
Final Words
Why are there maggots in cat poop?
Most likely, flies have laid eggs on your cat’s feces and they hatched into maggots. It’s also possible that your cat has had an infected wound on its body, and flies have laid larvae in it.
There is also a third possibility – that your cat has ingested larvae from eggs while grooming itself and they appeared as maggots in its stool.
As soon as you notice this, you should figure out whether maggots are only seen in poop, or also on your cat’s coat and skin.
In case your cat isn’t affected, it will be necessary to clean its litter box and surrounding area thoroughly.
If maggots are seen on your cat’s coat, or if this occurrence continues for a while, you need to take it to a veterinarian.
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