Ugh - tiny wiggly worms in the cat's bed. What are they?

[BedHog]

They are dark coloured, between about 2mm and 8mm long, quite thin, and are wiggling around the area where she sleeps.

What are they? And what do I have to do to get rid of them?

We've been struggling a bit with fleas this year, are these worms anything to do with that, or something different? I don't remember ever noticing them in previous years.

They are probably just that - worms! I would take her to the vets with a 'sample' of the worms so they can have a look and know for certain.

You should be worming your cat ever three to four months. I buy the pills from my vet and worm them at home (but not at the same time as front lining, do it a week apart).

I would also throw out her bed and get a new one. As well as have a careful look at her other favourite sleeping places.

Finger crossed you get it sorted soon x

sound like roundworms go to the vets and get milbemax its the best tablet for killing round worms and being small is easy to get into the cat either orally or if the cat is a bit fiesty crush between two teaspoons and add to his/her food, and yes get rid of her bedding as that will have worm eggs in it and will reinfect the cat

could be flea larvae

Ew yuk! I thought worms were those thicker white things that you see in fox poo. She did have a worming tablet at the beginning of summer but I'll give her another one, she's due for her booster injections anyway.

Hmm, bedding. I've only seen them on a box with a blanket in, so that can be chucked out easily, but she has an annoying habit of kipping on the clean washing when I'm out. Will all our clothes now be riddled with worms?

Do flea larvae look like worms? That would be the most plausible explanation if they do. I've been combing her and giving her flea tablets and a flea collar, and spraying the carpets, but it's been a bad year for fleas. It's the first year we've had them, and some of my friends have said the same thing.

And, I'm scared to ask this, but can the family catch them? Do we need to take any medicine, or are cat worms different to human worms?

Definately flea larvae. They are black, thin, small and wriggly.
They are not worms which are always bigger than that and not black.
heres a photo of flea larvae :

yuck

As long as you put a decent flea stuff on the back of her neck, such as Advocate (from vet only but kills worms as well as fleas)or Advantage, any fleas that hatch will be killed as soon as they jump on her. You will still see larvae as and when the eggs hatch but dont worry, the adult fleas will eventually be dealt with when they land on the cat to feed.

Thanks Blackcats. I probably shouldn't have opened that link while eating lunch!!! Yuk - that is what they look like so at least it's part of the existing flea problem and not a new level of moggy disgustingness!!

Are Advocate and Advantage better than frontline? That's what the vet usually gives me, although recently I've been using tablets that you put in the food. Clearly they're not working very well!

I use Effipro which is cheaper than Frontline for same ingredients.But some areas have apparently become immune to these so people use Advantage (no prescription so buy online) or Advocate.

If cost were no issue i would go for Advocate myself. If cost an issue/or you know fleas have not become immune in your area, buy Effipro.

here

I've just pulled a dozen fleas off one of my cats, he doesn't come in for a cuddle very often and I'm disappointed that the flea killer isn't working. I've used both frontline and stronghold and have been dabbing him with lavender oil. I've treated the whole house with 3 different products too but am only just keeping on top of the situation. Lots of wildlife around here to recontaminate the cats I guess.

Are you also vacuuming often? If so it could be that you need a new filter on the vacuum cleaner. You can vacuum up the eggs and then they can hatch inside the vacuum, and if the filter isn't good enough it just reinfects the house.

We have a dyson with the right 'animal' filter, we vacuum and throw it straight out.

I must be up to 30 fleas now. He hasn't been around much the last week, I treated him 2 weeks ago but he might have been off associating with hedgehogs, mice and brer fox...

We use advocate here, you can get it online for about £9 for a 4 pack. (We have 9 cats!)

Fleas and worms go hand in hand, so it's worth worming too to be safe!

(I also put a flea collar in the vacuum bag, kills the little wretches when they're sucked up!)

Sorry... advantage not advocate

Frontline commonly doesn't work any more. We had a very itchy cat for a while till I realised why, and switched to advocate.

Within days she was flea free - don't bother with a collar or the tablets from the shops, they're a waste of money generally.

And don't worry, once she is treated effectively, any hatchlings will hop onto her and be killed.

DDs are home so DC(cat)2 has gone again. Vacuumed and sprayed chemical goo again.

You won't need to keep spraying if the cat is treated...ours had a LOT of fleas for a while, was leaving littlewhite eggs everywhere she slept and within a few days there were literally none at all and she stopped scratching.

We never see any around the house, just keep up the regular treatments and you don't have to spray.

I'm taking her to the vet today so will ask them to give her Advantage or Advocate. I've cleared the bedding area and squished all the flea larvae, so hopefully a few more sessions of cat brushing and a couple of quick sprays the little buggers should be gone....

bigsnugglebunny - where do you get your advocate from online?

I think she meant advantage? Was that the poster who corrected it later?

I have tried to buy advocate online and yes it's cheaper but our vet charges the difference for a prescription anyway - and you have to get one every time - very sneaky I think.

So it works out about the same. It's around £40-45 for 6 months. but better than having fleas.

I think you can buy advantage online, without a script. I've used petmeds but I don't like them for pushing the fipronil stuff and frontline, which is basically useless, and they must know it is useless by now.

Also try an environment clean with Virbac Indorex Spray (prescription needed). It will help break the cycle of fleas breeding. You spray all round the edges and walls of the room. It was only with that AND flea treatment that we finally got rid of the fleas. It's about eleven pounds a can and that just about did our three bed semi.

Well I came home with a Seresta collar, which apparently is as good as Stronghold and Advantage, but lasts for 8 months (assuming she doesn't lose the bloody thing!). Has anyone tried this? They are new apparently. If this doesn't work I'll be getting some Advantage (£9 for 4 online sounds a lot better than £21 for 3 at the vets). I just want rid of the things, I brushed and drowned about 50 of them off her fur this morning.