Can Humans Get Tapeworms From Cats? Our Vet Answers

• Dipylidium caninum

The most common tapeworm to infect cats in the US is called Dipylidium caninum, which is carried by infected fleas.

Cats catch the worm when they groom themselves to remove fleas, and end up swallowing the fleas as part of the grooming process. The worms then grow in the gut and release eggs in the feces. These eggs are eaten by flea larvae and stay there as the larvae mature into adult fleas, ready to be eaten by another cat or dog.

If your cat is infected with Dipylidium caninum, you may see small white segments of the worm in their stool or around their bottoms, which look a little like pieces of rice. These are loaded with eggs to infect other animals. Your cat may also be itchy around their bottoms.

• Echinococcus species

The two most common Echinococcus species in the US are Echinococcus granulosus and Echinococcus multilocularis. They more commonly infect dogs or wildlife such as foxes or coyotes, but they can infect cats, too.

Cats may catch these worms by eating the meat from infected animals. This might be rodents (for E. multilocularis), or cattle and sheep (for E. granulosus). The worms grow in the gut and then shed their eggs into your cat’s stool. Unlike Dipylidium caninum, these eggs are microscopic, so you will not see them in your cat’s stools.

Often, these infections have no symptoms in cats, but they can still spread worm eggs. In rare cases, cats may become unwell from an Echinococcus infection. This needs diagnosis and treatment by a veterinarian, so if you are concerned then you should take your cat to a vet.

• Taenia taeniaeformis

There are many different species of Taenia tapeworm, but the main one that infects cats is Taenia taeniaeformis. Your cat can catch them through hunting, or through eating raw or undercooked meat. Like Dipylidium caninum, they grow in the gut and shed small white segments in the stools.

• Dipylidium caninum

You cannot catch Dipylidium caninum directly from your cat. However, if your cat is carrying infected fleas, then you can develop worms if you accidentally swallow one of the fleas. Thankfully, this is rare—it seems to happen more commonly with children, perhaps because they are much more prone to putting things in their mouths!

Humans will show the same symptoms as cats, with white segments passed in the stool or found around the bottom. They may also get itchiness around the bottom. These infections are usually not serious and are easily treated, but if you suspect you may have a tapeworm, you should speak to your family doctor.

• Echinococcus species

Humans can become infected with both E. Granulosus and E. Multilocularis from the stools of infected cats, and both can cause serious illness. These worms do not live in the gut in humans but instead go to the liver, lungs, or other organs. They will form cysts (fluid-filled swellings) that slowly grow over time. These infections can be life-threatening and are often difficult to treat.

Scientists believe that cats may be able to pass Echinococcus infections to humans, but studies have not yet conclusively shown a link. However, these kinds of cases seem to be very rare. People at the highest risk are likely to be young children, seniors, or those who have suppressed immune systems (for example, from chemotherapy).

• Taenia taeniaeformis

There are rare reports of Taenia taeniaeformis infecting humans, but it is not considered to be a significant problem.