The Cat Practice STRONGLY urges all of our clients to place their feline family
members on heartworm prevention every month of the year. In fact, the American
Heartworm Society also advises that all cats be placed on monthly heartworm
prevention (See link below). Heartworms, in the cat, are transmitted by mosquitoes
(exactly as they are in the dog) and there is no shortage of mosquitoes in Southeast
Louisiana. In fact, the incidence of feline heartworm disease is close to 30%...that
means 1 out of 3 cats, including indoor cats, has been infected with this parasite.

In the cat, heartworms can cause, but is not limited to, cardiac disease, respiratory
tract disease, and chronic vomiting. New research points to the fact that feline
heartworms are probably responsible for the bulk of the cases that we refer to as
“asthmatic” cats…cats that have a persistent cough. One of the more tragic clinical
manifestations of feline heartworm disease is the so-called “sudden death”
syndrome where a cat suddenly dies without any signs of illness whatsoever.