wrote in message
ups.com...
I'm caring for a friend's cat for a couple of weeks. I've noticed the
telltale "rice grains" around the cat's backside before, but didn't
know what it was. Clearly my friend didn't know either or else I
wouldn't have to post tis message. Anyway, last night, after using the
litterbox there was a long (around 6 inches) string hanging from the
cat's anus -- turns out it had begun passing a tapeworm and the length
of it was just dangling there, exposed. After an emergency midnight
run to the vet, he's been given de-worming medication.

A couple of questions for the experts here...
1) Has anybody else encountered this? My wife and I were seriously
freaked out when we saw this thing. We honestly didn't know if it was
a piece of string, a worm, or part of the poor beast's intestine coming
out.

2) How long does the anti-tapeworm medication typically take to destroy
tapeworms living in the digestive system? Is it quick enough that
there is little chance of this happening again?

3) Is there any chance my cat could be infected? They've only been
together a couple of days, my cat *never* goes outside, and my friend's
cat has no sign of fleas or any other parasite carrier.

Thanks in advance for your help!


Here is a page you might want to read:
http://www.sniksnak.com/cathealth/tapeworms.html
One paragraph notes that a tapeworm will sometimes release its attachment in
the intestines and migrate to the stomach. What that happens, the cat may
throw up a tapeworm that is several inches in length. I remember seeing
something like this from our family dog when I was a child. It was so gross
that I still have a vivid memory of it. I realize that you were talking
about the "other end" of your cat, and that also will occasionally occur.
Many times, you will find it almost impossible to detect a tapeworm
infestation because the most common sign is small segments that may resemble
grains of rice or sesame seeds. These can be difficult to see if the cat's
fur is light in color. I always take fecal samples to the vet for my cats'
routine exams even though there have been no signs of worms from shortly
after I adopted Holly 10+ years ago. Incidentally, sometimes even a
microscopic examination of the feces will fail to detect the presence of
tapeworm. Fortunately, this is not a medical emergency.

Here is another site that describes different stages and different types of
tapeworm:
http://www.communityah.com/feline/Ta...-Infection.htm

If I had a cat with tapeworm, I would treat *both* cats because they live in
the same environment. Tapeworms are not "contagious." They occur when a
cat swallows a flea, which serves as the intermediate host, but I think it
is likely that the same thing could occur with other cats in the same
household.

MaryL

Photos of Duffy and Holly: 'o'
Duffy: http://tinyurl.com/cslwf
Holly: http://tinyurl.com/9t68o
Duffy and Holly together: http://tinyurl.com/8b47e