I recently rescued a stray cat from certain death in the horrible neighborhood where I teach. I am presently keeping him separated from my cats, and plan to have him neutered later this month, before I find a home for him.
He had fleas (I treated him with advantage) and he also has worms, which I plan to take care of this weekend.
My question is this:
Every day when I go into the room where he's staying to give him water, food and scoop out his litter box, I notice that the towel where he has been sleeping has these little things on it that look like sesame seeds. They do not appear to be alive or moving, but I'm wondering what they could be.
I didn't see many dead fleas fall off of him after the advantage treatment. Could these be the eggs? I know what flea dirt looks like and altough I did see a lot of that at first, this is something completely different. Any thoughts?
2007-01-09 14:12:43 · 10 answers · asked by Margarita 2 in Pets ➔ Cats
It could be tapeworm segments:
The segment is the size of a grain of rice and is able to move. Eventually the segment will dry and look more like a sesame seed. The sac breaks and tapeworm eggs are released.
2007-01-09 14:23:16 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
Several people already gave you this answer...the cat has tapeworm(s). Animals (and humans) get tapeworm by ingesting a flea carrying the eggs. The eggs then hatch and live inside the intestinal tract. The seaseme seed things you see are tapeworm segments. When they first come out of the cat's anus, they look like small white worms and can move. They eventually dry out and look like grains of rice. When I rescued my cat, he had this problem. The vet prescribed a one-time pill that she administered herself. She also told me that tapeworms can live in the animal with out much harm for quite a while. If there is any chance you have fleas in your house (even if you don't see them jumping around), you need to treat your house.
2007-01-09 22:51:49 · answer #2 · answered by KS 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I had the exact same thing happen. My son brought in a stray kitten that was flea infested. We gave it a flea bath and thought he was ok. A couple weeks later my son was changing the cat box and said he saw little white worms moving in the cats poop. Then they "died" and shriveled up and looked like rice. I went online and looked up worms and determined it was tapeworm. The little peices are segments of the worm that break off. The end up looking like rice or sesame seeds. They will most likely be on the cats butt or in his bed We found a lot of sesame seed like peices in the cat bed. The vet just gave the kitten a one time pill for deworming and I got one for my other cat just in case too.
2007-01-10 02:26:19 · answer #3 · answered by kitkat5 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Those sound like segments from a tape worm that the cat secretes through his anus. So he may need to be treated for both round worms and the tape worm (from ingesting a flea). Those are two separate medications and you should get them from a vet.
A vet told me once that a healthy cat could support a healthy tapeworm so though you have to deal with both maybe only the roundworm meds should be given first. I would definitely do the worming on a vet's advice though and not with over-the-counter meds.
2007-01-09 22:33:54 · answer #4 · answered by old cat lady 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
When you take him to a vet, take some of these with you. Flea eggs are much smaller than sesame seeds, almost invisible to the naked eye. I suspect you are seeing dried tapeworm segments. Fleas carry tapeworms, when you have one you usually have the other. The vet can give you something to take care of it if that's what it is. Ask them to give it to the cat, you can only get it as a pill.
PS: I would also get him tested for feline leukemia/FIV before you spend too much money, these are both fatal diseases.
2007-01-09 22:19:12 · answer #5 · answered by lizzy 6 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Are the "sesame seeds" black? If they are they might be dirt out of their ears or mites. Take him to the vet if you could. It's not flea eggs because flea eggs are way smaller.
2007-01-13 21:01:35 · answer #6 · answered by ♥Sammie♥ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
These are definitely tapeworm eggs. You may not have to worry about it if the cat has been treated WITH DRONCIT, as infected eggs will continue to be passed.
Advantage WILL NOT resolve an existing tapeworm infestation, but it can EASILY be resolved with a dose of Droncit.
2007-01-09 22:20:28 · answer #7 · answered by Avon Lady 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
it sounds like he has mites get him to a vet as soon as u can,i dont know how to say this nice so i;'ll just say it they will kill him if not treated imediattly
2007-01-13 21:33:58 · answer #8 · answered by stacy r 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
i would get him to the vet as soon as possible--and i really admire people who rescue strays i do it too good luck to you!!
2007-01-09 22:17:39 · answer #9 · answered by kelly r 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
they may be mites.
2007-01-09 22:17:30 · answer #10 · answered by pooh 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋