Does An Indoor Maine Coon Need Worming?

Does An Indoor Maine Coon Need Worming?

They’re a great many benefits to keeping your Maine Coon as an indoor cat.

Studies show that indoor cats do live longer.

As an owner of an indoor Maine Coon I do worry about a few things, namely mental stimulation and exercise.

We all know about fleas, ticks, and parasites.

But what of worms?

Can an indoor Maine Coon get worms at all and need deworming?

Do indoor Maine Coons need to be wormed?

Indoor Maine Coons still need to be wormed like outdoor cats. Although the risk is lower if they reside indoors, worms can spread to your Maine Coon via food, fleas, other pets, and you as a carrier. Worms do not go away on their own and will need preventative measures.

It’s quite popular to believe that if you possess an indoor cat, Maine Coon or otherwise, there is no risk of getting worms.

It’s considered an outdoor cat problem.

It’s not true though, your Maine Coon while lying on the couch is at risk of getting worms.

Alita is my own indoor Maine Coon and once she was out of the kitten stage, I deworm her every three months – 4 times a year.

Let’s walk through what to do about it.

What Are The Risks Of An Indoor Maine Coon Getting Worms

It’s quite possible to keep the risk of needing to have your Maine Coon wormed to a minimum.

A clean house, regular vacuuming, bathing, along with a disciplined grooming schedule can keep the risks very low.

As such, your Maine Coon may not need regular worming at all.

Low risk does not mean your Maine Coon cannot pick up worms from a flea, just that the risk is minimized.

Fleas are pesky little critters and can always get into the house.

Worming treatments for cats are available on the commercial market so they are cheap and effective.

Depending upon preferences you should only be worming your cat 2 to 4 times a year, so it’s worth doing every now and again.

4 Ways Your Indoor Maine Coon Can Get Worms

Doing a bit of research, there seems to be around 4 ways that your Maine Coon could pick up worms without going outdoors.

Fleas – Even though a flea or tick is a parasite they can also carry other parasites.

Fleas are a primary carrier of worm larvae.

Fleas can get into the house from other visitors, being in the garden, and even on people’s clothes.

Fleas can JUMP 7 inches high and 13 inches forward.

They can jump upstairs – how about that!

Regular grooming keeps these pesky little blighters at bay.

Worm eggs – The eggs of worms exist in the natural environment, propagated by the ecosystem of nature.

Worm eggs are thought to stick to the underside of shoes and on clothes.

The general movement in and out of the house, by yourself and other pets, can bring the eggs inside and find their way to the deep fur coat of your Maine Coon.

Regular laundry and vacuuming can keep this to a minimum.

Dogs and other pets – Many owners of Maine Coons can have other pets. Another cat, dogs, or maybe a friend who visits has an outdoor animal.

Even if they’re not infested with these parasites, pets can transmit them to your cats. Even in cases where the animal doesn’t come into contact with your cats.

Indoor cats share the same environment as outdoor cats and are therefore susceptible to parasites.

It is practical to assume that when one of your pets has worms, the other animals are susceptible too.

Wormed animals are still susceptible to reinfection, meaning you should be wary of situations that might lead your pet to contract worms.

If they have caught worms once, they can catch them again if the source isn’t located.

Diet and Food – This isn’t particularly common, but indoor Maine Coons are often well looked after and are given raw foods, as well as premium meats.

You are unlikely to get worms from a quality butcher or good brand of cat food, but long opened food pouches and raw food can easily give your Maine Coon worms.

Raw food is good for cats, but make sure the product is clean from a hygienic environment.

Why You Need Need To Deworm Your Indoor Maine Coon

Indoor Maine Coons have a smaller risk of getting worms than outdoor cats.

It’s not negligible and you can certainly mitigate the chances of risk, with regular grooming.

How often you deworm an indoor Maine Coon will provoke many answers.

Some vets say you should do it as often as an outdoor Maine Coon, but others only really deworm their cats when they see evidence of worms.

I deworm as a preventative measure.

Deworming your indoor cat is more of a preventative measure than anything else.

There’s no real way to accurately predict a worm infestation so deworming is more done to clear out the cat’s system just in case.

As you can’t tell when your indoor Maine Coon is exposed then preventative measures are the only real way to deal with it.

How often you decide to deworm your cat is a matter of personal choice.

A deworming is normally tablets taken a few weeks apart and should be done a few times a year if there is minimal risk, but more as the risk escalates.

Keep your indoor cat free of worms with regular deworming.

How Often Should I Worm My Indoor Maine Coon

Several factors affect the need and availability of worming, such as where you live and what medicine has been used.

If your Maine Coon is susceptible to worms then deworming should be done more often.

It’s not unknown for owners to deworm their indoor Maine Cons as often as every 12 weeks.

I do.

Deworming tablets are easy to administer, aren’t expensive, and don’t affect your cat so doing it this often isn’t problematic.

Regularly worming your indoor Maine Coon will help to ensure that your pet stays parasite free.

Personally, I do it four times a year, and that seems fine.

Alita is an indoor Maine Coon and I haven’t noticed any worms from her at all.

Conclusion

Indoor Maine Coons with little or no outdoor exposure should still have worm control measures.

Personally, I do it every 3 months with my indoor Maine Coon, and I may even do extra scheduling of a tablet if she’s eaten a lot of raw food recently.

Fleas and worms are two parasites that can infest cats, including those who spend their days lounging on a couch.

Keeping your cat indoors will not eliminate the risk of worms – they can still get them.

Worms like tapeworms are long flat organisms that can live inside the intestines on the diet you give your cat.

Infected fleas are still the most common way your Maine Coon is going to get worms, but a raw diet often can also increase the risk.

As fleas are carriers, it doesn’t even need to bite, your Maine Coon can ingest the infected flea while grooming – that’s why regular grooming is essential.

Roundworms are common as well, often showing up in vomit or feces.

It’s not widely known but a female mother can pass worms onto a kitten through the milk.

Luckily, keeping your Maine Coon free from worms is pretty simple – a routine deworming schedule will keep your cat in the best of health.

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