The creepy truth about maggots

The creepy truth about maggots


Sometimes being a pet parent is not for the faint of heart. So take a deep breath and let’s talk about maggots and your cat.

The maggots we’re referring to hatch from botfly eggs laid on grass. Once out in the open, these maggots can drop onto passing animals — like your cat — and enter a body opening. After wandering through internal tissues, they settle under the animal’s skin and form a lump, or warble.

Affected cats might have respiratory signs, neurological symptoms or eye lesions. Or they might just have a case of the warbles.

Risk of your cat’s exposure to maggots increases during visits to grassy areas — especially those frequented by rabbits and rodents, the botfly’s favorite hosts. Use of flea, tick or heartworm preventatives may help protect your cat from these creepy crawlers, but always consult your veterinarian if you suspect or see a maggot infestation.

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