Nine Cat Lies
1) Indoor cats are not exposed to the outdoors
No matter how clean you house may be, parasites can travel in. Be it a worm egg on your shoes or a flea on your pants, these parasites need to find host animals in order to survive. As a result, they will stop at no cost to find your feline friend.
2) Heartworm disease is for dogs only
Heartworm disease is transmitted by mosquitoes. Not only can a mosquito bite your kitty and transmit heartworm disease, but heartworm disease in cats is not treatable. This makes prevention all the more vital for you kitty.
3) Litter is the only thing that is in a litterbox
It may be obvious that there is more in a litterbox than just the litter. After all, it is your cat's toilet. Even if you scoop your litterbox daily, there is some residual feces and urine within that box. Most internal parasites (worms) are shed in the poop and the eggs are very sticky. This means that they stick to the litterbox and then to your cat's feet. All it takes is for your cat to lick that area (See grooming myth below) and that parasite is ingested, beginning its life cycle all over again.
4) The deck, balcony, porch, etc. does not count as the outdoors
Anytime a cat steps outside the home, he/she is no longer indoors. A simple trip to the deck can expose them to fleas due to squirrels and other animals that may visit your deck. This is true of stray cats, possums and other animals that roam about.
5) Only the dog uses the "doggy door"
Mosquitoes, fleas, ticks and rodents are all seeking a way to find food, whether that food is you, your cat or your pantry. Many of these insects are either parasites themselves, or carries of different diseases.
6) My owner's shoes are a great place to curl up to sleep
Mud, dirt and other debris can contain parasite eggs. In addition, parasite eggs are very sticky and it is easier to step in a small area of poop than you may think.
7) My cat carrier is just like my home, yet with a handle
Thought your cat may hate the carrier, we think of it as a nice, clean place. The fact that the carrier gets set on the ground on the way to the car, gets set down at the veterinary clinic or the groomers; making it an easy place for parasites to find your cat.
8) A little bit of dirt is good for cats
Even commercial potting soil can be contaminated with parasite eggs. Zoetis cites an article (February 18th, 2006 in the Veterinary Record) which states that 15% of potting soils contain the cat roundworm.
9) Because I groom myself, I am clean
Grooming is your cat's way of taking a bath. The difference is that they ingest a small amount of material from their hair coat when they groom. This is why cats get hairballs. Guess what? They also ingest small amounts of mud, dirt and poop; which can all contain parasite eggs.
This article is published and written by Dr. Fink. It is adapted from the promotional handout from Zoetis, Inc. entitled The 9 Lies of Cats.


