Yes, you can often see worms or segments of worms in a cat's vomit or feces, especially tapeworm segments (looking like rice grains) or spaghetti-like roundworms, but sometimes they are too small to see, so a vet visit with a stool sample is key for proper diagnosis and treatment. You might also notice them around the cat's bottom or in their fur.
If a cat or kitten vomits up a worm, there is a good chance this is a roundworm (especially in a kitten). Roundworms are long, white and described as looking like spaghetti. Tapeworms can also be vomited up but these are flat and obviously segmented.
Cats can contract worms through their environment, other animals, or even their mother's milk, and symptoms vary depending on the type of worm, often including vomiting, diarrhea, weight loss, and a distended abdomen.
The first sign of an infection may involve seeing a live worm in your vomit or poop. A. lumbricoides looks like common earthworms. The worms are about 6 to 13 inches long and are about as thick as a pencil.
Usually once a cat starts vomiting worms, it's in an advanced state of infestation and will die soon. Vet immediately.
Even though roundworms are occasionally passed or vomited up, most of the time these worms are unseen in the cat's intestinal tract; do not expect to see any sign of them in the litter box or in fecal material.
In heavy infestations, they may migrate into the stomach and get expelled during vomiting. The worms themselves are often white or light tan, several inches long, and resemble spaghetti. If this sounds like what you're seeing, roundworms are the likely culprit.
Diagnosing worms in cats
While some worms can be seen by the naked eye, others must be diagnosed with fecal testing. Your veterinarian will ask you to bring in a stool sample, which will be placed in a solution that allows the parasite eggs to separate from the feces and float to the top.
Most often, the infection is caused by eating food or drinking water that is tainted with roundworm eggs. Ascariasis can cause symptoms such as stomach pain, vomiting, fever and cough. Serious health issues called complications can happen if many worms grow inside the body.
Roundworm eggs are passed in the poop of infected cats and other wildlife and can lay dormant in soil, sand pits and litter boxes. These eggs can then spread to other cats if ingested while sniffing around in infected soil, plants or stool.
There are several vet-approved treatments available. These medications are specifically formulated to eliminate different types of worms that can infect cats. The most common types of dewormers used for cats include pyrantel pamoate, praziquantel, and selamectin.
Tapeworm health risks to pets and people
Infection is usually diagnosed when egg-containing tapeworm segments are seen under the pet's tail, in their feces, or on their bedding. These segments look like flattened grains of rice or cucumber seeds, and could be mistaken for maggots or fly larvae.
In most cases, worms begin dying within hours, and visible improvement is seen in 2–3 days. However, it can take up to three weeks or longer for a cat to be completely free of worms, depending on the type of parasite and severity of the infestation.
Bright red blood in vomit indicates active bleeding and requires quick veterinary attention. Dark, coffee-ground-like material suggests digested blood, which is equally concerning. Yellow-green bile in repeated vomiting episodes may signal bile duct or liver issues.
Worms can cause cats to have upset stomachs, and even vomit. There might even be some white worm segments in their vomit.
Yes, you can deworm your cat at home. However, we recommend using the medications that we prescribe.
Roundworm infection causes a disease called Toxocariasis. Symptoms may include abdominal pain, fever, cough, wheezing or even seizures. “The worm matures in the gut and then likes to travel to the lung,” says Shirley. “From the lung, the worm can occasionally travel to the eyes, leading to vision loss.
Roundworms. These include Ascaris and Strongyloides. Ascaris are often transmitted through contaminated soil, while Strongyloides can penetrate the skin. They may appear as long, spaghetti-like worms in stool and can vary in length.
Roundworms: Often resemble spaghetti in appearance. They are the most common worms found in cats. Tapeworms: Look like small, flat segments in your cat's feces or around the tail. Hookworms: These are smaller and not usually visible to the naked eye but can cause serious health issues.
A sudden increase or decrease in your cat's usual appetite could be sign that your cat has worms. This is especially the case if this increase in appetite is coupled with weight loss. This is the most obvious sign, but it can still be hard to spot.
You'll probably have a pretty good idea of what worms might look like, some worms look like spaghetti and can be seen in your cat's poop while others look like grains of rice and may even be seen to move around in your cat's fur near its bottom. Dried-up worm segments can look like little cream/yellow specks too.
Adult cats may have no signs of roundworms or they may have mild signs, such as coughing, soft stool, and vomiting. However, large numbers of roundworms may cause life-threatening problems in kittens and debilitated or older cats.
You may notice adult roundworms in your cat's feces or vomit. They will appear white or light brown in color and may be several inches long.
Roundworms are not particularly pathogenic or harmful to adult cats, but large numbers may cause life-threatening problems in kittens and debilitated older cats. In kittens, common clinical signs include a pot-bellied appearance, abdominal discomfort, depressed appetite, vomiting and diarrhea, or poor growth.