With cats being the second most popular type of pet kept in North America and Europe where the majority of our readers live, it’s easy to understand why we see so many questions about taking care of cats from the community each month.
We see a range of very different questions but we have noticed people asking about having problems with worms in their cats water bowl recently and wanted to publish a dedicated article going over the issue.
We have noticed a large number of cat owners reaching out and asking questions about having worms in their cats water bowl but the majority of the answers we see people offering on social media are totally incorrect.
Our hope is that we will be able to provide some answers the issue as well as how to stop it and make you aware of any potential issues if your cat has injected any of the worms.
Now, before we go any further we just want to say that there really are a huge range of worm like creatures that can end up in your cat’s water bowl and it is impossible to cover what to do for all of them.
If you do notice any odd behavior in your cat after noticing worms in your cat’s water bowl then you should definitely book a short video call with a veterinarian to answer a few questions about your cat to get professional advice on how to move forward.
Why Are There Worms In My Cats Water Bowl?
It is surprisingly common for worms to end up in your cat’s water bowl with there being a huge range or worms and larvae that can end up in your cat’s water bowl.
This is why we recommend that you chance the water in your cat’s water bowl at least once per day to prevent the worms or larvae building up or having a chance to grow in the water supply.
The worms or larvae can end up in your cats water bowl by the parent worm or a fly making its way to the water to lay its eggs or by being introduced by your cat.
If you have an outdoor cat then there is a high chance of your cat having various types of parasites in its fur at any given time and when it drinks its water they can fall into the water bowl and lay their eggs.
This is very common and does not mean that you are a bad cat owner as the vast majority of people who own cats will eventually end up with problems with worms and larvae in their cats water bowl if they don’t change their cats water for a week or so.
The more outdoor cats that you have the higher the chances of these worms and larvae making their way into your cats water bowl too as there is a higher chance of each cat dropping worms into its water.
What Are These Worms In My Cats Water Bowl?
The majority of the “worms” that people find in their cat’s water bowl are actually fly or moth larvae of some type with the drain fly larvae usually being one of the more common “worms” that you will find in your cat’s water bowl.
Various other types of fly, moth, and mosquitoes larvae are also very common with there actually being a small number of worm species that can end up in your cat’s water bowl too.
Due to there being so many different types of larvae and worm that can potentially make it into your cat’s water bowl it is very difficult to offer an exact diagnosis on what you have in your cat’s water bowl.
The majority of the time, the worms and larvae are non-toxic and non-parasitic once injected so your cat should be fine but a quick Google search for common larvae and worms in your local area should be able to offer you photograph to try and match up with what you found.
Once you have matched the worm up with a name, google it and check if it is parasitic or toxic if ingested. If it is, monitor your cat for any strange behavior or book a video call with a vet to get advice from them on how you should proceed.
Parasitic larvae and worms are generally easy to treat with the correct medication and most toxic larvae and worms will usually be vomited up by your cat within an hour or so.
How Do I Stop Worms Growing In My Cats Water Bowl?
The easiest way to stop worms and larvae growing in your cat’s water bowl is to simply chance the water in your cat’s bowl at least once per day with twice per day being a good idea in some areas in a rural setting.
Changing your cat’s water usually takes less than a minute and is usually enough to prevent worms or larvae from growing in it and helping to keep your cat supplied with fresh drinking water too.
Unfortunately, drain fly larvae are the most common larvae that you will find in your cat’s water bowl and they can be a pain to get rid of due to their eggs being very stick and hard to move even with detergent cleaners.
If you have noticed larvae in your cat’s water bowl a number of times within the same week then it may be due to a drain fly having laid its eggs on your cat’s water bowl.
If you suspect that this is the case then simply purchasing a new water bowl for your cat is usually the best route to take as they are cheap and it is surprisingly difficult to remove drain fly eggs once they have been laid.
Drain fly are very common in some areas of North America and Europe so it may be worth trying to get some type of No products found. in your home too or they will simply keep laying their eggs on your cat’s water bowl with more larvae hatching into your cats water every few days.
Conclusion
That brings our article going over dealing with worms in your cats water bowl to an end. We hope that we have been able to help you better understand the various issues that can result in worms and larvae ending up in your cats water bowl as well as how you are able to stop them. For the most part, the worms and larvae that you see in your cats water bowl are generally harmless and should not cause problems with your cat but it is usually better to try and keep them out of your cats water supply if possible.
