Many pet owners associate heartworm with dogs, but it’s also a potentially devastating disease for cats, too. Cat owners must be aware of the signs and symptoms, as cat heartworm that has progressed to the adult stage becomes very difficult to treat and is often fatal. Prevention is the ultimate goal due to the severe nature of an infestation and to ensure the longevity of your cat.

Heartworm disease is a serious illness that causes heart failure and lung damage in animals. It also damages other organs and, eventually, leads to death. While most common in dogs, this disease can also affect cats, so protecting your feline friend is crucial.

April is Heartworm Awareness Month and, as veterinarians, we are happy to have an opportunity to spread awareness about this devastating yet completely preventable disease. And while heartworm disease is often associated with dogs, cats can be affected with heartworms, too. The thing is, cats are considered atypical hosts for heartworms because most worms in cats do not survive to the adult stage.

It’s a silent killer that has no cure, but it’s easily preventable. We may think of heartworm disease as more of a dog problem and, while more dogs than cats contract heartworms, mosquitoes find cats just as tempting of a meal as they do dogs. One shelter found during a year-long study that 26% of cats had been infected with heartworm larvae at some point in their lives, with 10% of heartworms making it to adulthood.