Cat Tail Feline Tapeworm Symptoms

Prevent fleas and limit outdoor activity to prevent tapeworms in cats. Tapeworm infections usually result from a flea infestation. A cat eats a flea while grooming, and the flea transmits tapeworm eggs. The parasite also may be passed to your cat if it ingests a tapeworm-infected rodent. Though infected cats rarely die, tapeworms may cause malnutrition and extreme weight loss in cats. Humans are also vulnerable to tapeworm infections and the resulting diseases when a pet cat has the parasite. Once a symptom of tapeworm is identified, vet-prescribed medications will eliminate the problem.

  1. Feces

    • Look around the cat's anus, its tail, in the surrounding fur or in the feces for signs of a tapeworm infection. Tapeworms have long ribbonlike bodies and embed head first in the small intestine's mucus. The worm's tail end breaks off in pieces and passes in the cat's feces. Each of these broken segments carries tapeworm eggs. Tapeworm segments look like grains of rice if alive or sesame seeds if dead.

      Because tapeworms pass in feces inconsistently, fecal samples may not show evidence of an infection. Make sure to bring more than one fecal sample to your vet when you suspect tapeworms.

    Weight Loss

    • Watch for signs of weight loss in your cat. The heads of tapeworms have hooks and suckers that work through the intestinal mucus and attach to the intestinal wall. After the tapeworm's head has a secure hold within the intestinal mucus, the worm steals your cat's digesting food.

      Tapeworms eat the nutrients in the small intestine meant for your cat. Your cat will continue to eat a regular diet or have an increased appetite but may show continuing weight loss.

    Itching

    • Pay attention to your cat's behavior. Tapeworm segments, containing the egg packets, will continue to move for a short time after being eliminated from your cat's body. Your cat may seem itchy around the anus because of these moving tapeworm segments. Watch for your cat biting around the anus and surrounding fur. Dragging its hind end across the floor is another sign of tapeworms. These bits of the worm may get stuck in your cat's fur.

      Don't ignore these signs of tapeworms. Tapeworms are the most common parasite in adult cats and may grow more than a foot long. Tapeworms require medication, because the parasite will not die until the head is killed within the small intestine.