Do cat roundworms stick to the anus or only pass in their poop?

These look the most like roundworms since they have a tapered end but it is not typical to see roundworms on the fur around the anus. Tapeworms are possible as well but are usually flat and look like granules of rice. Roundworms are transmissible to people but infect organs instead of the gastrointestinal tract, and the eggs are transmitted through the stool. It would be unusual for a person without any medical conditions causing immunocompromize to be infected with a roundworm through casual contact with a cat but you should consult your physician just in case. Tapeworms are not transmissible directly from cats to people.

I suspect your cat may have tapeworms. The body segments of the worm contain the eggs and are passed in the feces. Fresh, moist segments are about 1/4 in long and capable of moving. Once dried, they resemble grains of rice or sesame seeds. Tapeworm segments can sometimes be found crawling in the fur around the anus of an infected cat. Treatment for tapeworms is a drug called praziquantal, which is available through your veterinarian. I suggest that you take your cat and a fresh fecal sample to your veterinarian for confirmation that your cat does indeed have tapeworms and not fly strike (maggots) which would be a much more serious condition.

It sounds like Eli might have tapeworms - these usually look like small rice granules and can be seen around the anus or on top of the stool. Tapeworms are usually spread through fleas and cannot go directly from one cat to another, so if your other cats are on flea preventative there may not be a concern. Roundworms are longer and look more like spaghetti inside the stool and can be transmitted through stool from cat to cat. I would recommend keeping Eli separated from the other cats with a separate litter box until you can see a veterinarian - you can bring a stool sample with you so they can determine what type of worms are present and prescribe medication to treat them. It's also fairly common for cats who were dewormed at the shelter to still have some intestinal parasites - it can take several doses of dewormer and not all deworming medications cover all parasites.

It sounds like your cat(s) have tapeworms. Most commonly, these are contracted when your cat's are grooming themselves and swallow adult fleas. Typically, where there are tapeworms, there are or have been fleas. Tapeworms require specific dewormers and the safest ones are available through your veterinarian.

Thank you for submitting your question regarding Shiva. Tapeworms are a type of parasite the appear like grains of rice stuck to the fur around the anus of a pet. They are typically spread to the cat from fleas or by eating rodents. It is rare, but they can occassionally be spread to people. It is best for Shiva to see a veterinarian. I hope this information helps!

Hello. Once the tapeworm has been killed by the wormer, the parasite is often digested ( it exerts a protective coating while alive ), & we usually do not see tapeworms passed in the stool. If it was a particularly heavy infestation, you may see some pass out, but this is not the norm. Any signs of tape segments should also disappear shortly. I like Profender, it is a good product, but I would follow label directions & reapply when recommended. Otherwise, once it wears off, your cat can pick up more tapeworms from hunting & from fleas ( make sure you are using a good flea preventative, too ). Thanks for using Petco Pet Education Center, formerly Petcoach.

The rectal protrusion may be from her straining to poop after the dewormer. Especially if you find worms in her stool, I recommend being super diligent about handwashing after petting her/cleaning her litterbox as most intestinal parasites in cats can be transmitted to people. If the anal protrusion does not return, then I would have her poop re-checked at the vet’s in 2-3 weeks for intestinal parasites. If it returns, then a prescription steroid/antibiotic ointment applied twice daily for a week or even preparation H cream may help. Good luck!