Cat vomited up a ton of worms... gross pic warning .

[Aeoh]

Ugh, hello.

Our mother cat just vomited up a ton of worms...like a wiggly pile of spaghetti. My vet isn't open yet, so some questions to ease my mind before I call:

• Are these roundworms? That's what my research looks like it points to.
• How likely is it that the other adult cat that uses the same few litter boxes has them, too? Will they require stool/blood samples from her to confirm?
• This looks like A LOT. Is this normal infection level or is this bad?? She is skinny, but we just assumed she was a petite cat since she is small in height.
• She hasn't been really eating as much as they usually would the past 2 days...is this even more concerning? (Not to say she hasn't eaten, but I have noticed she is a little off her diet).
• Kittens just got their second dose of dewormer... should they be ok? They use seperate litter boxes FOR THE MOST PART, but sometimes mom comes in and uses theirs. She also still occasionally nurses, very rare but I've seen her doing it within the past 4 days.
• Should be and my boyfriend be concerned about contracting them? I deal with most of the litter pick up and wash my hands after, etc., but I am the one to empty and clean the litter boxes. Also, they have free roam of the house so she does lay on our bed and stuff.

I'll attach picture in the next post (warning: SUPER GROSS). Please, any help is great. I know worms are normal in kittens and cats but the amount in combo with her size and the other cats present makes me feel really gross and sketched out.

 

[Aeoh]

 

[tabbytom]

Are these roundworms? That's what my research looks like it points to.

Please send the photo to your vet and bring your cat to the vet for a check up.

 

[Aeoh]

Please send the photo to your vet and bring your cat to the vet for a check up.



View attachment 386541

Photo was sent and vet responded just saying to come pick up medication today.

They’re a busy clinic so I’m not sure they’ll have time to answer all my questions, or if they’ll just give me the medicine and send me home.

 

[tabbytom]

Photo was sent and vet responded just saying to come pick up medication today.

They’re a busy clinic so I’m not sure they’ll have time to answer all my questions, or if they’ll just give me the medicine and send me home.

Looks like you have to go take the medication for your cat and quickly treat her and observe her over the next few days.

And maybe update the vet after 2 or 3 days after administrating the medication.

Some members may have better insight on this. Wait for their response and in the meantime, go get the medication from your vet.

 

[Aeoh]

Looks like you have to go take the medication for your cat and quickly treat her and observe her over the next few days.

And maybe update the vet after a 2 or 3 days after administrating the medication.

Some members may have better insight on this. Wait for their response and in the meantime, go get the medication from your vet.

Thank you! I will definitely be picking up and treating her today.

I felt like I had to ask because it just seemed like A LOT of worms compared to what I have seen online. The poor girl.

 

[Aeoh]

So the vet prescribed two topicals:

Administer today: Revolution (selamectin) topical parasiticide 45 mg .75 mL (60 mg/mL)
Administer in three days: Centragard - 3.6 mg eprinomectin and 74.7 mg praziquantel transdermal solution (.9 mL)

Is topical treatment typical for such a severe looking infection?? I was thinking they’d be pills…:: my mind says pills would be faster but maybe not I feel so bad for her

 

[vince]

Pills are sometimes difficult to give to cats. It's probably easier on you and your kitty.

You're doing something good for her. Plus, worms are highly treatable. Look on the bright side.

 

[John Perram]

Make sure you clean the litter daily.

 

[Aeoh]

Pills are sometimes difficult to give to cats. It's probably easier on you and your kitty.

You're doing something good for her. Plus, worms are highly treatable. Look on the bright side.

Thank you!! Just wanted to make sure topical was the best route to go for her and the other cats in the house!

 

[Aeoh]

Make sure you clean the litter daily.

Yep!! Litter is always scooped at least twice daily, but we are completely emptying and bleaching the boxes today and then will keep up with it more often.

 

[fionasmom]

You would need to ask your vet about the effectiveness of pills over transdermal. Centragard and Revolution overlap in their treatment of intestinal parasites, and I think that the three day window is so that your cat is not given too much of any parasite med at once. Praziquantel is the generic name for what is in Profender ( Profender also has another component added in though) and it is one other med that is used in these cases. People on TCS do talk about using Profender from time to time.

I only use transdermal flea preparations such as Advantage and Revolution, so can't really comment on your vet's decision.

As was stated, keep things clean and monitor your cat and stay in touch with the vet. The clinic may be busy, but you did pay for their services and your questions are not unreasonable.

 

[BlackCatOp]

Are these roundworms? That's what my research looks like it points to.

• I unfortunately cannot get the pic to open. My technology is being weird but roundworms are one of the more common worms to be in cat vomit.
• How likely is it that the other adult cat that uses the same few litter boxes has them, too? Will they require stool/blood samples from her to confirm?
• Very. Roundworm eggs are very resistant to environmental degradation and can last for a long time. I would treat all cats in your house.
• This looks like A LOT. Is this normal infection level or is this bad?? She is skinny, but we just assumed she was a petite cat since she is small in height.
• Intestinal parasites can definitely have an impact on nutritional uptake. Hard to quantify infection amount without doing a fecal egg count.
• She hasn't been really eating as much as they usually would the past 2 days...is this even more concerning? (Not to say she hasn't eaten, but I have noticed she is a little off her diet).
• I would guess yes that she may have been feeling nauseous for the last couple of days.
• Kittens just got their second dose of dewormer... should they be ok? They use seperate litter boxes FOR THE MOST PART, but sometimes mom comes in and uses theirs. She also still occasionally nurses, very rare but I've seen her doing it within the past 4 days.
• Iwould deworm the kittens again roundworms can be spread thru nursing queens to kittens (transmammary) disgusting I know.
• Should be and my boyfriend be concerned about contracting them? I deal with most of the litter pick up and wash my hands after, etc., but I am the one to empty and clean the litter boxes. Also, they have free roam of the house so she does lay on our bed and stuff.
• it’s possible (What is Visceral Larva Migrans?)

So the vet prescribed two topicals:

Administer today: Revolution (selamectin) topical parasiticide 45 mg .75 mL (60 mg/mL)
Administer in three days: Centragard - 3.6 mg eprinomectin and 74.7 mg praziquantel transdermal solution (.9 mL)

Is topical treatment typical for such a severe looking infection?? I was thinking they’d be pills…:: my mind says pills would be faster but maybe not I feel so bad for her

Revolution is labeled to treat roundworms and so is Centragard. Oral dewormers in cats are a pain and very messy. I would definitely get your entire feline household treated and replace all litter with new.

Cats get roundworms from eating pray so if your kitties are indoors only you hopefully shouldn’t have an issue in the future. If your kitties go outside I would suggest deworming them every few months to prevent intestinal parasites.

 

[Aeoh]

Are these roundworms? That's what my research looks like it points to.

• I unfortunately cannot get the pic to open. My technology is being weird but roundworms are one of the more common worms to be in cat vomit.
• How likely is it that the other adult cat that uses the same few litter boxes has them, too? Will they require stool/blood samples from her to confirm?
• Very. Roundworm eggs are very resistant to environmental degradation and can last for a long time. I would treat all cats in your house.
• This looks like A LOT. Is this normal infection level or is this bad?? She is skinny, but we just assumed she was a petite cat since she is small in height.
• Intestinal parasites can definitely have an impact on nutritional uptake. Hard to quantify infection amount without doing a fecal egg count.
• She hasn't been really eating as much as they usually would the past 2 days...is this even more concerning? (Not to say she hasn't eaten, but I have noticed she is a little off her diet).
• I would guess yes that she may have been feeling nauseous for the last couple of days.
• Kittens just got their second dose of dewormer... should they be ok? They use seperate litter boxes FOR THE MOST PART, but sometimes mom comes in and uses theirs. She also still occasionally nurses, very rare but I've seen her doing it within the past 4 days.
• Iwould deworm the kittens again roundworms can be spread thru nursing queens to kittens (transmammary) disgusting I know.
• Should be and my boyfriend be concerned about contracting them? I deal with most of the litter pick up and wash my hands after, etc., but I am the one to empty and clean the litter boxes. Also, they have free roam of the house so she does lay on our bed and stuff.
• it’s possible (What is Visceral Larva Migrans?)

Revolution is labeled to treat roundworms and so is Centragard. Oral dewormers in cats are a pain and very messy. I would definitely get your entire feline household treated and replace all litter with new.

Cats get roundworms from eating pray so if your kitties are indoors only you hopefully shouldn’t have an issue in the future. If your kitties go outside I would suggest deworming them every few months to prevent intestinal parasites.

Thank you for all of this!

I will see if I can get the kittens a dose of dewormer on Tuesday when the vets open back up. The other adult cat did get a topical as well, and we bleached all litter boxes and replaced the litter.

The cats are all indoors only; my guess is that the first deworm treatment when we first took her in as a stray wasn’t successful, so she’s had them for a long time. The kittens definitely had them at some point (I noticed their round bellies, so we got them treated at that point).

Should I expect to start seeing dead worms in vomit/litter soon? What I read makes it seem like it works pretty quickly.

 

[ericsmom1000]

Ugh, hello.

Our mother cat just vomited up a ton of worms...like a wiggly pile of spaghetti. My vet isn't open yet, so some questions to ease my mind before I call:

• Are these roundworms? That's what my research looks like it points to.
• How likely is it that the other adult cat that uses the same few litter boxes has them, too? Will they require stool/blood samples from her to confirm?
• This looks like A LOT. Is this normal infection level or is this bad?? She is skinny, but we just assumed she was a petite cat since she is small in height.
• She hasn't been really eating as much as they usually would the past 2 days...is this even more concerning? (Not to say she hasn't eaten, but I have noticed she is a little off her diet).
• Kittens just got their second dose of dewormer... should they be ok? They use seperate litter boxes FOR THE MOST PART, but sometimes mom comes in and uses theirs. She also still occasionally nurses, very rare but I've seen her doing it within the past 4 days.
• Should be and my boyfriend be concerned about contracting them? I deal with most of the litter pick up and wash my hands after, etc., but I am the one to empty and clean the litter boxes. Also, they have free roam of the house so she does lay on our bed and stuff.

I'll attach picture in the next post (warning: SUPER GROSS). Please, any help is great. I know worms are normal in kittens and cats but the amount in combo with her size and the other cats present makes me feel really gross and sketched out.

I've had pets for over 50 years. Nothing grosses me out anymore. Worms are not normal for any animals. Email the vet with your questions if s/he doesn't have the time to answer them for you. But listen to the person with D.V.M. or V.M.D. after his or her name. Advice by a non-vet can be harmful.

 

[Aeoh]

I've had pets for over 50 years. Nothing grosses me out anymore. Worms are not normal for any animals. Email the vet with your questions if s/he doesn't have the time to answer them for you. But listen to the person with D.V.M. or V.M.D. after his or her name. Advice by a non-vet can be harmful.

I will likely be following up with the vet after the weekend and holiday (no one available at the moment).

I might be being hyper-sensitive, but momma cat seems very tired today. Not sure if that can be from the topical dewormer or I’m just being a worried parent.

She is eating well today and I haven’t seen any worms in vomit/stool yet. I feel like I’m at a standstill now.

 

[Aeoh]

You would need to ask your vet about the effectiveness of pills over transdermal. Centragard and Revolution overlap in their treatment of intestinal parasites, and I think that the three day window is so that your cat is not given too much of any parasite med at once. Praziquantel is the generic name for what is in Profender ( Profender also has another component added in though) and it is one other med that is used in these cases. People on TCS do talk about using Profender from time to time.

I only use transdermal flea preparations such as Advantage and Revolution, so can't really comment on your vet's decision.

As was stated, keep things clean and monitor your cat and stay in touch with the vet. The clinic may be busy, but you did pay for their services and your questions are not unreasonable.

Thank you for the info!

I will likely be following up with the vet on Tuesday when the offices open, or seek a second opinion from another vet. I’m not sure if I’m overreacting or the cat that vomited the worms is especially tired today, so I’m a little nervous. She ate like normal and doesn’t seem to be in pain, but she seems very sleepy.

 

[Aeoh]

Hi again,

Bean got her two doses and the other adult cat got one dose. I have NOT seen any evidence of dead worms in vomit or litter (they got their first doses on Friday).

Bean looks a little rough today and just seems tired. She’s due to get spayed tomorrow.

I’m just worried. Should I be seeing evidence of dead worms yet? Is it ok for her to get the spay surgery tomorrow even if she seems a little tired?

 

[fionasmom]

The most prevalent parasite for us has been tapeworms and after getting the shot at the vet's I have never seen a huge amount come out in the poop....this may not may not help you.

If you are concerned about Bean, can you just reschedule the surgery for a few days, maybe a week? Vet will probably tell you it will be okay to proceed, and you should bring this concern up to him, but use your own judgment since she is your cat.

 

[Aeoh]

The most prevalent parasite for us has been tapeworms and after getting the shot at the vet's I have never seen a huge amount come out in the poop....this may not may not help you.

If you are concerned about Bean, can you just reschedule the surgery for a few days, maybe a week? Vet will probably tell you it will be okay to proceed, and you should bring this concern up to him, but use your own judgment since she is your cat.

I ended up taking in Bean today as planned.

She seemed better last night and this morning so I’m pretty sure I was just overreacting. I’m going to ask the vet about further treatment for the other cats + Bean when I pick her up this afternoon.

Lucy was concerned why her mom was packaged up in a box this morning 🥲