You may often see roundworms in the cat’s faeces, or tapeworm segments on the fur around your cat’s anus. Some cats stay symptom free but plenty of others suffer from a range of ailments includingĮarly signs in kittens to look out for include: Thankfully, most worm infestations aren’t serious and are easily dealt with, reducing the chances of reinfection in the future. Most cats are affected at some stage in their lives, but prompt, regular treatment can stop the wriggly little creatures from coming back.įinding worms might be an unpleasant experience for you, and worse for your cat if left untreated, causing them unnecessary pain and discomfort. Other tapeworms found in our UK cats include Echinococcus granulosus, which does not cause illness in cats but can cause serious disease in humans.No cat owner likes to think about their beloved feline getting worms, but it’s surprisingly common.

They are often described as looking like moving grains of rice. These segments are full of tapeworm eggs, and are passed out in the faeces of your cat. Tapeworms reproduce when some of their segments break off. Here, they sit and absorb nutrients from the gut. They are divided into lots of small segments, which can be up to 1cm each in length in cats, depending on the tapeworm species.Īdult tapeworms live in the small intestine, and attach to the lining with specialised mouthparts. Tapeworms match their name, and look like long ribbons or pieces of tape. Although Dipylidium caninum is relatively short, usually maxing out at around 50cm, some tapeworm species can become incredible large – the longest species of tapeworm affects whales and can be over 100ft from end to end! The most common species of tapeworm that our cats carry are Dipylidium caninum and Taenia.

Flat worms in cats