Can you catch worms from your cat?

Question

Hi everybody,
I have a kitten. And she is really sick. She has fleas and tapeworms. I am looking after her. I found her at the street last week and brang her home. She has no meat on her bones, covered with fleas and she's got tapeworms.. I am treating her with some medicine which vet gave me. But worms are still there :(( and now i am afraid if i get them too.. Can you tell me whats the possibilitiy to get a worm form a cat? And also i'll be happy if you answer my other question too... Thank you and wish me luck :'(
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Answer 1

You didn't say how old the kitten is or if the vet gave you flea and worm meds.
I will take it as a no on both accounts.
The kitten is old enough for advantage for the fleas, we treat the kittens with it from about 4 weeks old, if they are infested. And certainly at 6 weeks, when they get their first vacc.

For the little kittens we give them felex paste for worms, if they are under 1 kg (approx 2 lb) Otherwise they get a worm tablet.

If you are concerned about getting worms from your cat, go to the pharmacy and get some worm tabs for yourself.

Until you rid the kitten of the parasites she wont put on weight or grow.

Good luck with her and thanks for taking in a stray.
If you are still really concerned take her back to the vet

Answer 2

The fleas can be dealt with by flea comb and forceps; kitty is too young to tolerate the sort of flea treatments used for adult cats. The tapeworms you will have to put up with for a bit; they are transmitted by fleas that the cat eats. When the cat is old enough, take it to the vet to be de-wormed; tapeworms are not something that you can deal with using home-applied remedies. Check with the vet to see when this should be done. Before bringing the cat to the vet for this, take care to remove all fleas if possible; by this time, the cat may be old enough to tolerate flea powder, or Frontline or Advantage. This will insure that the cat will not be re-infected after the vet applies the treatment. While the cat is at the vet (overnight stay), fumigate the house to kill fleas in the carpeting and furniture; bug bombs are available at hardware and pet stores. In the meantime, wash your hands after handling the cat; contact won't carry tapeworms, but roundworms could be carried by hand contact.

Answer 3

Oh YES you can---and especially if you have any small children, keep them away from this kitty. Yes, she is sick--and, Honey--if you love this kitten and intend to keep her, get her to your vet IMMEDIATELY--fleas and all, they will deal with that problem also. Cats get worms from flea bites, strange as it sounds, this was told to me directly by my vet. Tape worms are one of the worst, as they are flat and break off in pieces. A thorough worming for tape worms usually has to be done 2 to 3 times to make sure ALL of them are gone. Getting rid of the flea infestation is fairly easy--a good flea bath, and the use of Frontline Plus, Advantage or one of those that you put on the back of the cats neck between the shoulder blades---NOTE: Only get this from your vet--do NOT buy some off-the-wall brand from Wal-Mart, etc because it's cheaper, it could kill your cat. Also, if you've had this cat in the house, you are going to have to treat the entire house with a couple of those bug bombs--look for the ones that say they kill fleas. Make sure you cover any/all edibles, cover any fish tanks, etc., remove all your and/or all other bedding and wash in HOT water using a slight amount of bleach. Ask your vet how much he would charge you to keep your kitty right there for 2 days, as you are going to have to vacate your home for 2 days. Do NOT go by what the directions on the can say---you can go back in and everything is dead in 4 hours---it is NOT. I just went thru this last summer (the fleas/not worms--caught it soon enough)--total infestation, and I have a strictly INDOOR cat, he NEVER goes out nor is exposed to any other animal---have no idea how this happened, all I know is it did.

Now, when you get back home, and before you pick up your kitten at the vet, throw open some windows--the smell is still going to be in there, and give the place a thorough vacuuming. When done, immediately throw the vacuum bag in an outside trash container. Oh--just to back-track a little---also pick up a box of Borax (the laundry booster stuff). When you're done vacuuming, lightly sprinkle the Borax all over every square inch of the carpet---it wouldn't hurt anything to lightly sprinkly on your matressess either. This should be left on the carpeting for 5 to 7 days. If, by chance there are any flea eggs that lived thru the "weapons of mass destruction" the Borax will dehydrate and kill them and they'll never hatch. The Borax will NOT harm your kitten or kids either.

By this time, your kitty should be totally wormed and flea-free coming home from the vet, and your flea infestation should be gone. Now, you all can get a great start with your kitty feeling much better. Best of luck to you with this project---from one who KNOWS.

Answer 4

i am just wishing you luck, cats are great and i have 5. i really dont know if you can get worms from a cat or not but if you got medicine from the vet just call him up and ask him, i think everything should be fine as long as you wash your hands after changing the litter and petting your kitten, one other thing it takes awhile to get completly rid of worms in their bodies i know this is gross but next time look and see if the worms move or not, the medicine might be working and the worms comming out are probably dead.

Answer 5

Good Luck to you! Just wash your hands and don't let her lick you and get a good worming done on her at the Vets! Don't mess around with over the counter meds, she is infested and needs experienced care. Put her litter in a plastic bag and dispose of, don't pour it on the ground. Don't have her around other pets, she needs to be isolated until worm and parasite free. Don't let her on your pillow or under the sheets! And don't breathe while changing out the litter box, toxoplasmosis is a nasty that cat's carry too and it's transmissible also.. Good luck again!

Answer 6

Yes you can get worms from a cat. Get some worming stuff for her from the vet and something from the pharmacy for you. Good on you for taking her in. My cat was a stray too and I've had him for 9 years now. He's my soulmate.

Answer 7

I'm 95% sure you can catch tapeworms from animals. Not sure about the probability though.. just keep feeding her more often and take her back to the vet soon, ok?

Answer 8

i dont know about tape worms, but you can get round worms for sure. i'm going to say yes though. best not be sharing the bed with the cat for snuggles, unless you want a parasitic worm eating your insides.

Answer 9

OMG YES YOU CAN! When i was in third grade my cat got ringworms and then i got ringworms from the cat. they were awful. I still have scars on my leg from them, and it's been ten years! Thats why they tell u to put ur cat to sleep when it gets ringworms: 1)to end it's suffereing and 2) so no one else has to suffer.

Granted tapeworms are different, and might not be contageous, but u definitely want to get a Vet's opinion and dont take risks in the mean time.

Answer 10

You cannot catch tapeworms from your cat.