Long white skinny worms in cats

[Nita]

I found a long round very skinny white worm, in some food that one of the outside cats threw up. I have three inside cats of my own that don't go outside, adn I have 5 kittens & 2 mothers outside, that I feed. So, I do not know which of the 5 kittens or 2 mothers has the worm. I can't afford to get them shots or fixed,so I am looking for something that maybe I can give all the outside cats to help with the worms. I know they eat mice & birds & baby chipmunks, as I have seen them on my porch. Any help you can give me would be greatly appreciated.Thank you very much. Sincerely, Nita J.Sycuro [Email address removed as per site policy. - AB Editor]

[New Forester]

Hi - Sounds like roundworms. These are white, smooth, cylindrical and evenly tapered at both ends. When they move, they make S-shapes like a snake, without changing length as, say, an earthworm does. Not sure about "very skinny" -- rather thinner than an earthworm in proportion (but not like, for example, a hair-worm which might be 10 cm or 3 in long and only 1 mm or 1/16 in thick). I think there are several kinds of roundworm in cats, but the ones I've seen are up to about 15 cm or 6 in. Presumably they get them from prey. I've found if they are throwing them up they often have quite a lot. Threadworms (as children get) are similar, but only perhaps 1 cm or 1/2 inch long. Easy treatment -- a pill, or two pills separated by a few days (can't remember exactly). Not too expensive. Worth doing every few months anyway, as they often get them even when you haven't noticed. Get a pill which will do both round- and tapeworms. (Poor chipmunks! We don't get those here in UK, only introduced American grey squirrel -- very tasty...).

[Wisebird]

Outside, semi wild cats are likely to always have worms unless of course you worm them regularly, which I can appreciate is very difficult. Mother cats pass the worms to their kittens and, theoretically, kittens should be wormed monthly until they are six months old. So it is likely that all your outside cats will have worms. The worms in kittens are likely to be roundworms (which look like noodles) which they are born with. Apparently, cats gets a natural immunity to roundworms as they get older. See this link: http://www.pets.ca/pettips/tips-63.htm

[Wisebird]

We posted at the same time New Forrester, but at least our answers tally!

[savraj_uk]

I think it's roundworm too becasue my cat got it a few months ago and in her faeces, there were small, round worms. I think they either vomit or excrete the segments out. You should get Drontal Worming Tablets.

[the_Speeders]

Over my lifetime Ive almost always owned cats or animals of some kind, Living in Oklahoma you tend to find home remedies for a few things and for worms I was always taught to crush up the tobacco from a cigarette and put in their wet foods. They eat it without knowing and the worms are excreted from the body. I use it regularly on all my animals and it seems to work quite well.