My Cat Just Pooed And It Had 2 Long Yellow Worm-like Things In It?

My cat just pooed and it had 2 long yellow worm-like things in it. This is a rescue cat. I got him fixed a year ago at the local county shelter. I guess I didn't get all the shots I was supposed to get him. He's an indoor cat and has never been outside one time in his life. I don't have money to take him to the vet right now. Is there anything I can do over the counter?

Oh, one more thing, they look like spaghetti.

Long yellowish spaghetti like worms? Sounds like roundworms. They most commonly get them from eating infected mice or certain bugs. If he was never dewormed it's possible he has had them since you got him. You'll need to get him dewormer. Unfortunately over the counter dewormer can do more harm then good, some aren't strong enough and you end up just killing some but leaving the stronger ones to breed, meaning you will need and even stronger more expensive dewormer from the vet then you would if you just got the dewormer from the vet in the first place. Also some over the counter dewormers have even been known to make cats very ill or even die. I would call the vet and see if they are willing to give you dewormer without seeing him. Some vets will if they have seen your cat before, or might be willing to do a cheaper visit just to weigh him and get the proper meds.

Are you sure they are live worms and not something string-like such as yarn or a string from a cat toy that was ingested?

Someone posted pictures of common worms in cats here: Are These Worms? (warning: Picture Included)

If they're spaghetti-like, they might be roundworms. A vet would be able to positively identify the worms and provide proper treatment. Either take a picture of the worms or save the worms in a container (poke holes in the lid so the worms can breathe.

Look for a low cost vet clinic in your area. Or try the Banfield vet hospital located in many PetSmart stores. The first visit for new clients is free but any treatment the cat needs will cost extra at whatever they normally charge

You could try a broad spectrum OTC dewormer from a pet store but it may not be very effective. Make sure that it covers roundworms. Follow the instructions as stated on the package. If you're unsure of how much to dose, frequency, etc you can ask here on TCS before giving any of the dewormer or even before buying a product (post the link from an online store if possible). Someone OD'd their cat on an OTC dewormer medicine, giving all the pills instead of one because they were unsure and / or didn't read / understand the dosing instructions

From those pictures, they look like roundworms to me. He does have fleas now. I gave him some flea treatment a few days ago and saw dead fleas in his fur. Maybe he got them from the fleas I moved into a new home recently. The previous owner had cats--5 or 6 actually. He must have gotten fleas from this new house somehow.

Well cats don't get roundworms from fleas, the "bugs" I am referring to that can carry roundworm are the bigger ones like cockroaches, but cats can get tapeworm from fleas. So if he has fleas it's very likely he also has tapeworms now too, in addition to the roundworms.

It's possible if you have fleas in your yard, or go somewhere that has fleas, that you can carry fleas inside on your clothing and/or shoes.

I completely disagree that OTC dewormers can do more harm than good as long as you know the active ingredient for the worm you are trying to kill. To tide you over until you can go to the vet, you can easily get a pyrantal dewormer for round worms. Look at your local pet store, feed shop, or online.

Ideally as soon as you can afford it, get a fecal sample checked by the vet in case more dewormer is needed or there are other parasites present. Many vets will let you drop off a sample to test inexpensively without having to bring the cat for a full appointment in assuming you are up to date on yearly vet visits.... Or look for a new vet near you with a free first exam coupon and take a fecal sample along. No matter the results, have a second fecal sample dropped off a month later to insure you have 2 negative tests in a row.

jen said:

I completely disagree that OTC dewormers can do more harm than good as long as you know the active ingredient for the worm you are trying to kill.

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I did not say that OTC dewormers cause more harm than good. I said that the package instructions need to be followed exactly for proper dosing as there was another member who OD'd the cat by giving all the pills in a matter of days instead of a one time only single pill because that person did not understand / did not read the package instructions for dosing. That cat seems ok so far and the member has been told to take the cat to the vet if there are any signs of illness. Giving more than the stated dosing amount or frequency can't be any good to a cat.

LTS3 said:

I did not say that OTC dewormers cause more harm than good....

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Nope, you didn't, Amethyst did.