Tapeworms and roundworms are two of the most common intestinal parasites of cats. Tapeworms are long flat worms composed of many individual segments whereas round worms are much shorter and have rounded bodies.
Does my cat have tapeworms or roundworms?
The signs of roundworms are primarily vomiting, diarrhoea, weight loss, a dull coat, and lack of energy. In severe cases a swollen/distended tummy (pot belly) – which is particularly noticeable in kittens. Many cats will not show any symptoms of tapeworms.
How can you tell the difference between a tapeworm and a roundworm?
Roundworms belong to the phylum Nematoda and tapeworms belong to the class Cestoda under the phylum Platyhelminthes. The main difference between roundworms and tapeworm is that roundworm has a cylindrical body tapered to a fine point at each end whereas tapeworm has a dorso-ventrally flattened, tape-like body.
Will tapeworm medicine work for roundworms?
Best topical tapeworm dewormer Centragard quickly and safely treats tapeworms and two other intestinal parasites (hookworms and roundworms) in cats and kittens 7 weeks of age and older.
How do you tell if a cat has a tapeworm?
The easiest way to tell if your cat has tapeworms is to look at its feces, around its anus and in bedding. Usually tapeworms come out of your cat's anus while it is sleeping or relaxed. If you see small white worms or what look like grains of rice or sesame seeds, your cat likely has tapeworms.
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