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My cat has sesame seed worms and vomited. Can I get infected?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 9 years and 10 months old

I have 2 indoor cats: 10 years old and 5 years old. For a month they have had worms that look like sesame seeds when they are dead and white, tiny, and slimy as they move across a solid surface. Yesterday one vomited about a quarter cup and it was mostly worms. I've read a little and the prognosis doesn't sound good long term. 1) What do you advise? 2) Can these infect me? I've noticed some anal tickling and am wondering if I might also be infected. 3) Can they sleep on my bed? Thank you!

2 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

Veterinarian

Published on November 3rd, 2016

Your kitties probably have fleas and when they groom themselves they ingest the fleas which transfer tapeworm. The white sesame or rice like worms are tapeworm proglottids and can be killed by a wormer containing praziquantel. When they vomit worms they have a severe infestation and it is necessary to worm your kitties preferably under supervision of your veterinarian as the death of so many worms all at once can cause side effects which make your kitties ill. Your kitties' worms cannot infect you. Yes they can sleep on your bed, however it is very important for the health of your cats that you take a fecal sample to your veterinarian for a fecal exam and that you tell your vet that one of your cats actually vomited worms so he can give you the proper wormer for them.
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Related Answers from Veterinarians

  • Answered By Andrea M. Brodie, DVM

    Veterinarian

    I forgot to tell you that you will need to do flea control as well: 1) Get some flea medication such as a Flea spray or a spot on from a pet shop or your veterinarian and apply monthly 2) get flea powder, put some in your vacuum cleaner bag and vacuum your house and furniture and also non-carpeted areas frequently to remove flea larvae which live off house dust., Dispose of the bag in the trash outside. Hot-wash all the pet's bedding,
    If you do this diligently for a few months you will get rid of the fleas.

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    0Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Health & Wellness
My pet has sesame seed-like worms. Are they alive or harmful to me?
These are not harmful to humans, they need an intermediate host to be able to infect another animal, these are tapeworms that need to be treated, you will need to go to the vet in order to get deworming treatment as over the counter dewormer do not treat tapeworms.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My cat is throwing up spaghetti worms. Are they a risk to my kittens?
If those are worms, those are likely intestinal parasites. If they aren't really worms, they could be foreign objects that your cat previously ingested. If you were to collect them, you could take them to your family vetetinarian for an acccurate identification and after a physical examination, the veterinarian may prescribe a deworming medication. Many intestinal parasites are passed through the feces so spread of them amongst groups of pets is commo . It would be good to have your kittens checked out by a veterinarian and it may be recommended to have them dewormed as well.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Vet Q & A
My cat leaves sesame seed-like things. Are they worms or fleas?
They look like tapeworm segments so she should be dewormed for tapeworms. She should also be treated for fleas as animals get tapeworms from ingesting fleas. Your vet should be able to prescribe a dewormer to treat.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat vomited moving worms. Are they dangerous? What should I do?
This looks segmented from the photo so this is a tapeworm. Cats get tapeworms from eating rodents, or fleas when grooming. They can’t be given to humans or other animals since they need to go through an intermediate host. You can purchase tapeworm medication at PetCo. I recommend using a monthly flea preventative so Smokey won’t get these again. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Smokey.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
Can I catch worms from my cat if she has tapeworms and I kiss her?
No you cannot get tapeworm by kissing her. You should have her seen by your vet for an exam as being covered in poop is not normal. At the vet they can also give you a tablet against tapeworm. (the small white grain of rice looking worm is actually a part of the tapeworm full of eggs, but they cannot infect you). Seems like you have a wonderful cat!
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat has tan seeds on her bed. Could it be tapeworms if she's healthy?
It could be tapeworms. When a cat has tapeworms, you see the segments of them, which look like grains of rice. You typically don't see full worms in the poop. You need to have Mudpie seen by a vet in the morning to have this diagnosed and treated.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025
Health & Wellness
My cat is vomiting. Could it be worms, and are my family at risk?
Those pictures are fuzzy but I agree it looks like those could be worms. Cats will vomit up round worms (most commonly) which can spread to humans. I recommend to play it safe and have Mouse examined and treated by the veterinarian. He should be checked for other types of worms as well that you cannot see. He will need treatment for the worms and I also recommend to discuss getting him on a monthly preventative to help decrease the potential for future infestations. Here are a few helpful links: https://www.petcoach.co/article/cat-roundworms-ascarids-toxascaris-leonina-toxocara-cati/ https://www.petcoach.co/article/can-people-get-worms-from-their-pets/ I hope this helps and please feel free to post any additional questions.
Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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