Normal for a cat to vomit a tapeworm vs the worm coming out in thestool?

balikitty wrote:

So is it normal, or unusual, for the worm to be vomited out?

If you are seeing an actual worm when the cat regurgitates food,
the cat can ingest the worm while grooming.

Where would the worm come from that he would injest while grooming?

Let me recap the history he

We caught a stray cat on our front porch in a raccoon trap in
mid-January.

Cat was released in an unused spare room and kept there for a day or
two. Cat was very frantic in our presence, tried to climb the walls,
windows, etc. Have never seen that before in a captured adult cat
before. Managed to divert the cat into a cat carrier, took cat to the
vet.

Health record notes say this: 10.4 lbs, Neuter. Healthy. Very
Feral. Fleas and flea dirt seen. Revolution applied. Vaccines:
FVRCP, FeLv, rabies (Imrab 3).

I stressed to the vet that I wanted a worm pill administered by them
while the cat is still "controllable" or some-what sedated, especially
since this cat is unfamilliar to me. A drontal tablet appears on the
bill, and in the health record it also says that a drontal was
administered, along with the revolution and an FeLV / FIV test (test =
negative).

The negative test for FIV is some-what unexpected, as most of the
stray cats that we catch end up testing positive for FIV. But then
again, we go to 2 different vets, and most (or all) of the positive
tests seem to come from tests performed by the other vet.

While cat was at the vet, we cleaned the room, laundered the canvas
floor covering and all blankets, bedding, etc. Cat was released into
the room, was immediately less frantic and very quickly was calm when
we came into the room to feed him. Could pet his head, behind his
ears, etc, but he usually initially gave a hiss and stiffened up.

After about 7 weeks, we noticed a reddish streak on the canvas floor
covering, and a new streak almost every day for 2 weeks afterwards.
Stool always appeared normal (no diarhea), always ate all the food,
drank water, etc. Reddish streaking stopped, but he becomes more
resistant to being approached and petted. We cleaned the room at this
point, laundered the canvas floor covering and all blankets, sheets
and bedding.

Two weeks later, I see large vomit pile (did not examine it closely,
but nothing "wormy-looking" was obvious). Also see dried tape worm
segments in bedding. He absolutely refuses to be petted. Backs into
a corner when petting is attempted, hisses, etc. The next morning I
place small milbemax pill in with a small amount of soft food. He
eats all food, no sign that he spat out the pill. I go to work.

Come home from work, find new vomit pile. See what on first glance
looks like a rubber band. Closer inspection shows that it's a worm.
Flat (not round) about 1/4" wide. Ridged or segmented (not smooth).
Divert cat into cat carrier, take him out of room, clean room, launder
everything again.

It's been 3 or 4 days now, cat is again approachable, can be petted.

Not sure what to do at this point, except maybe try to apply
revolution and give him another milbemax in 3 weeks.

Again I stress that this worm was flat, not round. Looked like one of
those large (wide) rubber bands (not like a piece of spaghetti).

Cat really never gave any outward appearance of being ill. Was always
alert (when we were in the room scooping his litter or feeding him).

i dont think what he is seeing is a worm at all. I am a licensed
vet tech for 18 years. Trust me on this. thanks.

I've seen a lot of different vomits from our various cats over the
years. Trust me - this was a worm, not a noodle that somehow found
it's way into his room and eaten by him and then was upchucked and
somehow came out completely intact.

Did kitty have a fecal sample done?

No - no fecal samples have yet been done.