Two Easy Ways to Start Earning Rewards!
Become a member today!
Members-only pricing and offers, personalized care notifications, Vital Care points back on every purchase and more!
Already a member? Sign in
Become a credit card member today!
Earn 2X Pals Rewards points at Petco
when you use Petco Pay!
APPLY NOW
Learn More About Petco Pay Benefits

Can cat worms or eggs transfer to a human eye? What's the risk?

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Pet's info: Cat | Mixed Breed | Male | unneutered | 1 year and 5 months old

My cat that has tapeworm was sleeping /laying in our dresser drawer, and one of our family members closed the drawer without knowing that prince was in there. Then I threw a pair of shorts at my wife to wake up but I hit her open eyeball now im scared that my wife now has visceral larva migrans, is that how she gets That? What happens if a cat worm or egg get in a human eye?

1 Answer

Most Helpful Answer

Answered By Dr. Elizabeth

Veterinarian

Published on October 30th, 2017

I'm sorry to hear all happened! I bet you both and Prince were traumatized!!!
The good news is that tapeworms are only spread by eating a flea that has eaten a baby tapeworm. So your wife cannot get tapeworms unless she eats a flea.
Visceral or ocular larval migrans come from a intestinal worm called a Roundworm. These infestations can occur if the roundworm egg is eaten (aka not washing hands after handling Prince or cleaning the litter box, potentially letting Prince lick your mouth).
The eggs would not be likely to develope in the eye BUT you should thoroughly flush out her eye and I would call her doctor to make sure they do not have any additional recommendations. Bacteria could be present and cause other problems.
If the worm larva migrate to the eye, it will cause blindness.
Additionally, I would recommend to have a fecal test run on Prince and appropriate deworming medication administered. Also, get Prince on flea prevention as this is where he got the tapeworms.
Best of Luck with Prince!

1Pet Parents found this answer helpful

Smart Picks for Smart Questions

Related Questions

Health & Wellness

My friend's cat has roundworms. Can I get them or give them to my cat?

Roundworms have a fecal oral transmission, meaning that you have to consume the eggs from the feces. What you describe makes it impossible for your cat to have problems. It would be unlikely for you as well, but not completely impossible. I would encourage you to find out what type of Round worm the cat has and then consult with your physician about a plan. In my experience this is only concerning if you happen to be highly immunocomprimised. Best of luck and I hope this helps answer your question. Thank you for using Pet Coach.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

Cat had roundworms. Is it safe to pet him and clean his living areas?

1. The only concern for human beings is the transmission of certain tapeworms. These are transmitted by fleas and incidental ingestion of the flea can cause infection. I would not be worried about roundworm, but fleas need to be treated as well as gastrointestinal worms. Normal hygiene precautions must be followed though (wash your hands). 2. You can pet him without problems. 3. Eggs can be present of course and usually bleach is enough to disinfect the area appropriately.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

My cat has worms. Can I get them? Are humans at risk of infection?

Yes, this is certainly possible - certain types of worms, such as roundworms and hookworms, can be passed from cats to humans through contact with infected feces (poop). I would recommend taking a fecal sample to your veterinarian to confirm what type of worms are present, so that you can treat Buddy with an appropriate medication to get rid of them. In the meantime, make sure to wash your hands after cleaning his litter box, and ask your physician if you have any health concerns about yourself.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Can my kids or I get worms from a cat with worms on the couch?

There are certain worms that can be transmitted from cats to people, but it's not easy. However, there is a particular concern with kids getting Toxocariasis. If the worms were diagnosed by a veterinarian, then she should be able to find out the species of worms that were discovered Below is a link to some good information about the risk of transmission of this particular worm. https://www.cdc.gov/parasites/toxocariasis/gen_info/faqs.html I hope that helps and all is well with everyone.

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Health & Wellness

What worms can I get from petting and kissing a stray cat on vacation?

These look the most like roundworms since they have a tapered end but it is not typical to see roundworms on the fur around the anus. Tapeworms are possible as well but are usually flat and look like granules of rice. Roundworms are transmissible to people but infect organs instead of the gastrointestinal tract, and the eggs are transmitted through the stool. It would be unusual for a person without any medical conditions causing immunocompromize to be infected with a roundworm through casual contact with a cat but you should consult your physician just in case. Tapeworms are not transmissible directly from cats to people.

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

Is my dewormed kitten with tapeworms safe around family and pets?

Hi and thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach! Sorry to hear that Rashmika had tapeworms but it sounds like you are addressing that. This is a good question. Tapeworms require an intermediate host so a pet cannot transmit them directly to other pets or people. Other pets would have to eat the intermediate host (most often a flea carrying tapeworm eggs) to get a tapeworm infection. So your other pets and your family are extremely safe to be around her right now. Good luck with Rashmika

Updated on September 23rd, 2025

Have A Vet Question?

Book an appointment with the pros – our expert vets are here to help.

Share