Hoping these aren't WORMS!

But I think they MUST be. I took pictures but will spare you all.

It looks like a HUGE number of white rice-like creatures. Smaller than rice, but all the same, they look like moving rice.

They were literally crawling up the side of the lidded trash container I keep near the foster kittens' litter pan.

I first thought "maggots," but what would that be from, right?

My question is, do I take them all in for treatment (all six) or watch them and take a sample in to the vet?

Calling first thing tomorrow, the Vet, about a number of things...

Yup, sounds like tapeworm!

Tapeworms die pretty fast, and then look smaller and obviously don't move. Tapeworm isn't terribly harmful for a cat. Generally getting rid of the fleas fixes the problems pretty fast (it's a revolving cycle - cat eats flea, flea dies in stomach, tapeworm egg hatches out, tapeworm gets excreted from cat, kill the fleas, and the tapeworms don't get into the cat). Otherwise you can get them wormed. I got warned by the vet that the stuff you buy over the counter isn't very good, so get the vet to give their stuff which works super fast.

If the little white things keep wriggling for a long time, it may be something like maggots, but tapeworm sounds more likely - especially in foster cats/kittens.

Oh no, these are moving. They must have been moving to crawl up the litter pail onto the rim. Here is a photo, sorry. If they ARE maggots, which is what first crossed my mind, what the hell are they coming from? The crappy litter I'm using??? There is something about this litter that has been bugging me. It turns an ugly black color, doesn't clump (of course it's cheap litter--it cost two bucks for a whomping 25 pounds).

The creatures were covering the underside of the lid too.
I keep it up on a bench and still the kittens managed to tip it over so that's probably why they got so far up to the lid...

Clue number two is I did several random samples after tossing the trash, from the litter pan tonight, and I didn't see anything in the poos.


By the way, this is only day three for this trash pail since I've changed the bag.

Oh, ew ew ew ew ew ew

I think the important thing is to clean out the litter pan everyday, into a bag, and then take the bag out to the outside dumpster or pail. Problem solved. I don't think that those are tapeworms. Tapeworms don't multiply after they leave the kittie's in their poop. I'm assuming that picture is the bin you empty their box into, right?

And may I ask, what is this litter you're using, and might they be in fact coming from the litter?

Those look like fly larva. I'm not sure how to get rid of them, but they do come to your garbage even if you seal your litter up. The smell of pet feces is irresistable to them.

Okay, I have NO flies in my home. Zero, nada, not a one. So, my gut is telling me it's the Special Kitty Cat Litter "For the Special Kitty in Your Life." It, uh, controls odors naturally, but really, it's the stinkiest at controlling odor ever. This is the first week I've walked into my house and smelled something.

I really don't want to have to wash litter pans more than the once a week I do now, but I will increase it to twice a week, and finding another method for the trash.

The reason I suspect they come from the litter is that only three days isn't time enough for those things to turn into maggots, right?

Problem is I clean the litter box about seven or eight times a day. With six kittens it's necessary. Every time I go into the room I clean it. That's why the litter pail with lid was so good. But that trash can is history, the whole thing, into a big contractors bag and out of my house.

I didn't have this problem until using this litter. I'll switch back tomorrow to the stuff I use for my own three cats!

Sorry again for the pics. I am dumping twenty pounds of Special Kitty to the sidewalk for pickup tomorrow!

They didn't cme from the kitties!! That's maggots from flies! I think it only takes about 2 or 3 days for maggots to hatch out. It only takes one lttle fly to produce a bunch of maggots,especially in hot weather!

I guess I overreacted by saying I don't have a fly, not a single one.

Of course a fly could've gotten in here, it's monsoon season in July here! Well, August now...

So yes, two or three days sounds about right, that's how long it's been since I changed the bag in the bin and started using new kind of litter, both things have changed.

I'm glad it's not worms due to FLEAS though, but it does creep me out to have had maggots in my home....I'm sure I will have some dreams tonight. I am already on a cleaning jag, with Clorox. I am even changing the litter box tonight too...and I am exhausted!!!

Thank you so much for viewing the ugly photos and giving me advice!!!

First question..... 6 kitties, 1 litter box???



I have 2 cats, 2 litter boxes and what I do is Scoop their boxes twice a day into large galon size plastic zip lock baggies....then toss in trash... no smell, no mess, no maggots.


Good luck

Well if I wasn't creeped out already I certainly am now.

Will be giving the kittens ALL baths, after removing the cement from their feet (another issue ).

Thank you all again; and again, sorry for the pictures.

Magots maybe? I have 8 kitties 5 litter boxex I clean them probably 4 or 5 times a day

My guess is maggots In hot weather it takes no time to get them.

Yep. "Fly larvae," as someone so nicely put it, above.

I have a new, completely cloroxed house, with floor and all surfaces, and recepticles clean. Will be adding more litterboxes today, changing the litter to a better brand.

I'm just putting the dirty stuff into a plastic grocery bag, which I keep a big bunch of just outside the kittens' room. Dirt goes into the bag, and the bag is tied up and placed in a lidded bin which I keep outdoors until trash day, which is every other day or so.

Yikes.

When I was fostering a mother cat and her 5 kittens, I also had just the one litter box, and it was fine. It was non clumping stuff, and I just cleaned the solids out regularly, and change the entire thing every second or third day.

They only did little wees and poos (sorry for being non-technical...), so it wasnt a big deal.

I now have 2 litter trays for the 2 girls, but I think for a bunch of kittens that 1 tray is fine (certainly for the short term).

The dollar store has little boxes for a buck apiece, which works okay for the kittens. I used to have two in the kittery but when I moved my two kittens into my home I moved one of the boxes with them. So I need to replace it.

So now two kittens were just adopted so I only have the four kittens left in there. By the end of the day I may only have two in there.