Help I picked my cat up and a worm fell on my hand! Does she have worms?
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Question by TennesseeGirl: Help I picked my cat up and a worm fell on my hand! Does she have worms?
I went to scoop my cat up and this is really gross! I touched her back legs and bottom to scoop her up. Something was wet on my hand and I looked down and it was a small white worm like an inch worm. What kind of worm could this be and does my cat have worms? How do I keep from getting them? Can humans get them? Help. I am totally grossed out and its 9:30pm too late to go to the vet tonight. My cat sleeps in my bed!
She has a bloated stomach. CAN HUMANS GET THEM?!!!!????? AHHHHHHHH
She killed a mouse a week ago. So I think that is the source.
Can you help? Leave your own answer in the comments!
15 Responses to Help I picked my cat up and a worm fell on my hand! Does she have worms?
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Yes your can has worms. you can buy deworming meds at pet store.
Lee w
December 29, 2011 at 12:18 pm
i feel bad………..make a bed somewhere else with dirty or clean(if ur in love with your cat) towels and in the washroom and wash ur hands thats nasty, i starte shivering when i read that………….thats what i would do.
sherry s
December 29, 2011 at 12:57 pm
Okay well my cat ahad worms once to. If you are close to a pet store ask them for the worm pills for cats and they can give it to you right over the counter. She/he def. does have worms, I would suggest that you dont let her sleep on your bed unles you want white worms on your sheets in the morning. The pills that you can get over the counter should clear up the worms in a week. Make sure u watch what see eats they usually get them from eating mice.
hollaz_1
December 29, 2011 at 1:09 pm
EEEW!!! both of you need to go see a Doctor ASAP!!!
Babyface
December 29, 2011 at 2:06 pm
Put her in a carrying cage tongiht, yes she has worms…. sometimes you can buy the meds for it in a pet store, but just to be safe, take her to the vet tomorrow as soon as you get up. I took in a stray kitten b4 and its belly was big and round, a little hard, and it had a very bad worm problem, my mom went out with out him and came home with meds for him. Do not know where she went…. but your desciption sounds right for worms, thats for sure!
Missy C
December 29, 2011 at 2:59 pm
wash your hands frequently. Sounds like she might have worms. did she just finish pooping. Most of the time that is when they are gotten rid of, not just randomly. most puppies and kittens get the,. could be a round worm or a hook worm. take a fecal sample to the vvet int he am they can tell you what youneed to use to deworm her with Keep her litter box cclean to help keep her from reinfecting her self or others in the house, animals or humans. And wash your hands very well.
tera_duke
December 29, 2011 at 3:52 pm
Yes, it sounds like your cat has worms. Go to the store tomorrow and buy some de-worming pills. Wash your hands good so you don’t get them.
donna jean
December 29, 2011 at 4:24 pm
if is a little worm the size of a rice grain is tape worm that they get from ingesting flees or could be round worms. take to the vet and ask for your cat to be dewormed. no youn cant get worms from your cat. if the cat sleeps in your bed and you see some like dry rice for sure that is tape worm. but all cats and dogs do have worms sometimes.
dog55
December 29, 2011 at 4:53 pm
Look up cat worms in the internet. Choose an articel that has pictures of different cat parasites. If the worm that you accidentally touched matches one of the shown pictures, then your cat has worms. Right now, from your description i am guessing that the worm you saw is the common ascaris round worm that most cats will have at some point. Its gross that you touched it but don;t freak out – you’ll not “catch” it if you washed your hands thoroughly (you’ll have to swallow worm eggs and that is unlikely). Right now, just thouroughly bathe your kitty (warm water, shampoo, good rinse). If you ave a good cat carrier keep him there for the night. Then you can either get a good dewormer tomorrow or take kitty to the vet to be dewormed.
phoebhart
December 29, 2011 at 5:31 pm
Hi,
If it looked like an inch worm and was moving, it was a tapeworm segment. If it looked like a piece of spaghetti or an alfalfa sprout, it was a roundworm. If your cat is otherwise healthy, neither is an emergency and you can take the cat to your vet tomorrow. If you still have the worm, stick it in a plastic bag and take it along. You should also take a fresh stool sample from the llitter box so they can look at it under a microscope.
Neither type of worm is a health hazard to you if you practice good hygiene. You can let the cat sleep with you tonight and if you wash the sheets that will get rid of any worm segments or eggs that might be around. Be sure to wash your hands after handling the cat.
Cats get tapeworms from eating a flea infected with tapeworm larvae. You may also see things that look like grains of uncooked rice; those are dried out tapeworm segments, Even though some segments have some out, the head of the worm and rest of the body are still in the cat’s intestines. Your vet can prescribe a medication to kill the worm; you may see it (dead) in the litter box, and your cat may have diarrhea for a day or so.
ADD: I’ve just read some of the other answers. Don’t use a pet store dewormer, go to your vet. Pet store dewormers are generally not that effective and if you buy the wrong kind, it won’t help your cat. Your vet can tell you for sure what kind of worm this is and prescribe an appropriate medication that will work.
PennyPoodle
December 29, 2011 at 6:07 pm
Sounds like tapeworm. I had that happen to me years ago and it is quite disgusting. But, you won’t get the tapeworm from touching it.
It is best to take her to the vet, or call and tell them what you saw. You may be able to pick up medication to get rid of the tapeworms without taking her in, but most vets will want to see your cat before giving her medication. Just make the appmt and go. The medication will take care of her problem and leave you comfortable to sleep with her once again.
Best to ya.
Animaholic
December 29, 2011 at 6:43 pm
You can only get worms from your cat if you somehow ingest a piece of the worm or ingest fleas. If it is tapeworm (flat , white , segmented) it will be hard to find medicine at any stores, you will most likely need to get it from a vet. Most other types of worms can be cured with store bought worm medicine, but you will need to know your cats weight and give them the correct dosage. If I were you I would not let the cat sleep with me (although the chance of you getting worms is small), I just wouldn’t want worms in my bed. Also if you use scoopable litter, clean your box 2 times daily until she is cured. Call the vet tomorrow.
alessa_sunderland
December 29, 2011 at 6:53 pm
Okay. that`s gross!!!!!!! ur cat has worms! Okay tomoroww go to the vet and ask him all the questions. Get a box or something and let ur cat sleep there because i think the worms r contagious. Humans can get worms too. White worms are deadly so go to the vet immediately and ask him all your questions okay? i feel sad 4 u!!
sweetyoonseo
December 29, 2011 at 6:55 pm
Yes, your cat has worms. Take her to the vet ASAP for treatment.
TYPES OF WORMS AND OTHER PARASITES:
1. Glardia: Causes enteritis and diarrhea
2. Heartworms: Caused by mosquito bite
3. Hookworms
4. Roundworms : Transmittable to humans
5. Tapeworms: Caused by fleas: Transmittable to humans
6. Whipworms
Keep your cat out of your bed until the worms are completely gone. I recommend placing her in a crate or putting her in the bathroom until you can see a vet. They have inexpensive treatments for current worms, and preventitives against future worms. Remember, worms CAN BE FATAL TO PETS if not properly treated.
Tammy C
December 29, 2011 at 7:04 pm
I tink ur cat has worms. Juz buy some deworming medicine 4 it 2 eat n let it go 2 da toilet to ‘shitt’ all da worms out. After ‘shitting’, it should be allrite. If it is still not allrite, den bring it 2 see a vet.
sekina
December 29, 2011 at 7:19 pm