Dog & cat health · Vet-reviewed guide

What Do Worms in Cats Look Like? How to Identify Them

Most owners find out their cat has worms by spotting something in the litter box or on the bedding. Here's what the common ones actually look like.

Quick answer: You can often make a good guess at the worm from what you see: tapeworm segments look like grains of white rice or sesame seeds near your cat's rear or in bedding, roundworms look like spaghetti, and hookworms are usually too small to see.

These clues help, but they are a starting point and not always the answer, not a diagnosis, because worms can look similar and a cat can have more than one type. The reliable confirmation is a fecal test, where a vet finds and identifies worm eggs under the microscope, which matters because the treatment differs by worm type. This guide describes what each common worm looks like and where you tend to see it, so you know what you are dealing with and can get the right treatment rather than guessing at an over-the-counter product.

Tapeworm: rice-like segments

The most recognizable. Tapeworms shed small, flat, white segments that look like grains of rice or sesame seeds, and you usually see them stuck to the fur around the anus, in the bedding, or in fresh stool, sometimes still wriggling.² Cats get tapeworm from swallowing an infected flea, so seeing these often means a flea problem too. See our tapeworm guide.

Roundworm: spaghetti-like

Roundworms are long, round, and pale, resembling spaghetti or noodles, and may be passed in stool or vomit.² They are the most common worm in cats, especially kittens.

Hookworm: usually invisible

Hookworms are tiny and rarely seen with the naked eye. They attach to the gut wall and can cause anemia and dark, tarry stool, so they are usually found on a fecal test rather than spotted.²

Why appearance isn't the whole answer

Identifying the worm by sight is genuinely useful, but it is not a diagnosis.² Different worms can look alike, segments dry out and change appearance, and cats often carry more than one type. Because the dewormer must match the parasite, a fecal test confirms what is really there so the right medicine is used the first time.

What to do next

If you see worms, collect a small stool sample if you can and take it, or a photo of what you saw, to your vet.² The vet confirms the type and prescribes the matching dewormer. For the fuller picture, see our worms in cats guide. Any prescribed dewormer must come from a vet. See how our vet prescription service works.