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My cat has tapeworms. How do cats get them? Are my other cats at risk?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | neutered | 1 year and 10 months old | 13 lbs

I’m sure this is a worm. Is it tape worm ? I have 3 cats. It I only saw it on turbo. But they use the same litter box so I’m sure all 3 have it. My one cat I got about a year ago the youngest one. I rescued her from outside. She was pretty Farrell and I only got her one dose of de wormer cause she was hard to catch to give her second dose. Would they have gotten it from her possibly . I have 2 dogs as well... they couldn’t have gotten anything from them could they?

4 Answers

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Jennifer Summerfield, DVM CPDT-KA

Veterinarian, Certified Dog Trainer

Published on September 17th, 2018

Hi there. Yes, this appears to be a tapeworm segment. Cats generally get them from fleas, or from catching and eating rodents - they can't catch it directly from each other.

Many over-the-counter dewormers are not effective against tapeworms, so you'll need to check the label on the one you're using. If it doesn't contain praziquantel, it won't work. The best option would be to get a prescription dewormer from your veterinarian to make sure the meds will be effective.

I would also recommend making sure that all of your cats are on a good quality flea control medication like Revolution or Bravecto, to help prevent reinfection once they've been dewormed. If they hunt outside regularly, they should be routinely dewormed every 2-3 months to prevent tapes from returning.

3Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Related Answers from Veterinarians

Answered By Angel Alvarado, LVT
Licensed Veterinary Technician
Published on October 31st, 2017
Tapeworms will require a different dewormer than you would use for more common parasites such as roundworms. Praziquantel is recommended for tapeworm infection. You can confirm a dose with your veterinarian based on Ollie's weight. You will also need to treat him for fleas. Cats and kitten can get tapeworm by eating fleas during grooming. Prevent or treat fleas in the environment by vacuuming everywhere he has been. Discard the bag or empty the canister outdoors immediately afterwards. Wash all bedding in hot water. Use a cat/kitten safe area treatment to prevent reinfestation. A topical flea preventative should also be used for at least 3 consecutive months, preferably year round.
1Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Oneal Bogan, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on August 11th, 2018
Hi there,

It is likely that the infection was very strong and Booker needs another dose of dewormer, of the dewormer you gave doesn't kill tapeworms. The ingredient called praziquantel is the only one that will kill tapeworms so check if what you gave contained that. If not, I'd treat with that and the issue should resolve.

Worms are not fun! I hope that helps and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful
Answered By Sara Farmer, DVM
Veterinarian
Published on December 14th, 2019
For the most part tapeworms are not contagious to people, and even those that can infect people have to go through an intermediate host first and the proglottids (sesame seed looking things) themselves cannot start an infection. I typically recommend two doses of dewormer two weeks apart, but you need to make sure you are using a dewormer that contains praziquantel or another medication that covers tapeworms.
2Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Can my other pets or kids get tapeworms from my cat's infected poop?

Tapeworms need to go into a secondary host to spread. That means that cats get them from eating rodents and fleas, and you, your family and the other cats and dogs can't get them from being exposed to the segments. Please get Mr. Kitty treated for tapeworms and use a flea prevention product on all the animals to prevent them getting tapeworms from eating fleas. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you get answers to your veterinary questions.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Why does my cat keep getting worms even after deworming treatment?

What you're seeing is most likely tapeworms. Tapeworms are intestinal parasites of the cat and dog. They belong to a different family than hookworms and roundworms, which are the other common intestinal parasites of dogs and cats. Fleas are the intermediate host for tapeworms. In other words, the tapeworm is unable to complete its life cycle without the presence of fleas in the environment. Regardless of whether the owner may have seen fleas, the cat must have ingested a flea in order to have tapeworms. Consequently, tapeworms are more common in environments that are heavily infested with fleas. Most commonly, owners recognize that the cat has tapeworms and bring this to the attention of the veterinarian. When segments of the tapeworm break off and pass into the cat's stool, they can be seen crawling on the surface of the feces. These proglottid segments look like grains of cooked white rice or cucumber seeds. Less commonly, segments are seen moving around the cat's anus. A variety of products are available to treat tapeworms in cats but they are not all equally effective. For the best advice on the type of de-worming preparation most suitable for your cat, you should seek the help of your veterinarian. The most effective worming products are only available by prescription from a licensed veterinarian. Flea control, both environmental and on the cat is necessary to help prevent this from recurring.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

New shelter cat has white worms on poop. Will my other cats get them?

It sounds like Eli might have tapeworms - these usually look like small rice granules and can be seen around the anus or on top of the stool. Tapeworms are usually spread through fleas and cannot go directly from one cat to another, so if your other cats are on flea preventative there may not be a concern. Roundworms are longer and look more like spaghetti inside the stool and can be transmitted through stool from cat to cat. I would recommend keeping Eli separated from the other cats with a separate litter box until you can see a veterinarian - you can bring a stool sample with you so they can determine what type of worms are present and prescribe medication to treat them. It's also fairly common for cats who were dewormed at the shelter to still have some intestinal parasites - it can take several doses of dewormer and not all deworming medications cover all parasites.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Cat tapeworms: Are missed eggs in the house a risk for re-infection?

Hi there. Tapeworms have an indirect life cycle, so the only way to become infected is by swallowing an infected flea or eating a dead animal that was infected (rodents, etc.) So don't worry overly much about any segments or eggs in the environment you may have missed. Keep Rhiley on a good quality monthly flea preventative like Advantage Multi or Revolution. If she hunts and eats things, then I would recommend deworming her routinely every 3-6 months to prevent any problems.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Found small, squishy, yellowish things on my cat. Are they tapeworms?

Yes, this looks like tapeworm segments. They get tapeworms from eating rodents or fleas when they groom themselves. People can't get tapeworms from cats. Make sure you treat her for fleas and your veterinarian can prescribe medication for the tapeworms. These are disgusting but not as serious for her as some other intestinal parasites. Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach to help you care for Delilah.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has a white worm from its bottom. Is it a tapeworm?

This looks a lot like a tapeworm proglottid. The tapeworms that infect dogs and cats do not cause infections in people, so you do not need to be concerned about cleaning the house. Most tapeworms are spread through fleas so you should check for fleas and start a flea preventative to prevent reinfection. While I think confirming the diagnosis with a veterinarian is best, and you could ask your local animal shelter about low cost options in your area, tapeworm dewormers are available over the counter. The medication used is called praziquantel. If Zoey has any medical conditions I would check with your veterinarian before giving any OTC medication.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Are those rice-like segments near my cat's rear actually tapeworms?

These are tape worm proglottids, ie the tape worm's egg containers. Tape worm is spread by fleas. These tape worms are not contagious to people. You will need to get a cat wormer that contains Praziquantel. This will kill the tape worm. You should also do some flea prevention to prevent further infection with tapeworm.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

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