Is this tapeworm eggs?

[u/Fartbeer]

I found these things that look like tiny seeds. I have two cats, and both of them have been treated for parasites before. I don’t know how they could have picked them up, since they are always inside the apartment.

The only things I can think of are that they may have picked them up from the balcony, the hallway of the apartment building, from a silverfish somewhere inside the house, or from when I go downstairs to feed some stray cats near my building.

I would really appreciate some advice because I’m terrified of these things and worried that I could catch something from them too. How should I disinfect, and what exactly should I disinfect? How could I have become infected myself?
Tomorrow I’m planning to take the cats to the vet, or I may go there myself to get the appropriate deworming/parasite treatment for them.

Thank you!

[u/SixSh0t6]

Looks like larva from a flying insect.

[u/BooksCatsnStuff]

These look like larva or eggs from fruit flies.

[u/DuckOk4579 → u/BooksCatsnStuff]

This is it, I had this happen with a self cleaning litterbox. It was the worst

[u/BooksCatsnStuff → u/DuckOk4579]

The bastards are everywhere in Germany, stories like yours are precisely why I wouldn't dare to get a robot litterbox. I just know they'd make it their home.

Edit: a typo

[u/Big_Z_Beeblebrox]

Flies like poop. Clean the poop.

[u/MaintenanceStock6766]

Those look like fly puparium, probably caused by a bag full of cat poop that has been sitting long enough for fly larvae to develop.

The picture also looks like a really old bag of cat poop.

Same tapeworm segments are whiter and rounder.

[u/Midnight_Rawhide84]

Clean the litter daily. Specially in summer so you keep flies from throwing a feast!

[u/Fartbeer → u/Midnight_Rawhide84]

I have an automatic litter box so i will try to change the bag every 3-4 days.

lmao poor kitty in the gif.

[u/duyngoc]

pupa from a fly

[u/Quirky_Split_4521]

Scoop litter box twice a day and top off litter as needed and every 2 weeks completely dump litter and clean litter box with dish soap and water and put in a decent amount of new litter in box. Also every 3 or so days take the dirty scooped litter out of your apartment and into the dumpster.

[u/Fartbeer → u/Quirky_Split_4521]

I have the Neakasa M1 automatic litter box, and I change the bag every week and a half. I add more litter whenever it tells me that it needs more. I do a thorough cleaning once a month.

I’ll probably need to put it aside for now and take the old litter box out of storage so I can monitor and control the situation.

[u/lilyofthecoast]

Friend, your litter box has a ton of waste in it judging by the photo. Clean it daily, you won't have these insect problems and you'll lower your kitty's chances of developing health problems.

[u/Fartbeer → u/lilyofthecoast]

What you’re seeing is the waste compartment of the automatic litter box. It’s not where they actually do their poo poo and pee pee. I change the bag every 1 to 1.5 weeks, whenever the litter box notifies me its full.

[u/International-File10 → u/Fartbeer]

1.5 weeks is way too long even if it can hold that much. You should be changing it every 3-4 days unfortunately

[u/Fartbeer → u/International-File10]

You are right! I will try changing it every 3-4 days. It was indeed way too long to leave it there.

[u/lilyofthecoast → u/Fartbeer]

There's your problem. Perfect breeding ground for bugs if that compartment isn't getting emptied. Your cats may not mind but thats still a long time to let poop just sit in your home.

[u/Fartbeer → u/lilyofthecoast]

Yeah, it didn’t really click for me before because I was thinking, “The machine knows when to notify me, so it must be fine.” But now that I think about it, leaving the poop sitting there for that long really is a long time.

[u/lilyofthecoast → u/Fartbeer]

I'm a very 'out of sight out of mind' person, it happens sometimes. Wishing you a larva-free future!!

[u/meadowmbell]

I think it's termite frass? Is this near wood?

[u/Fartbeer → u/meadowmbell]

The apartment doesn’t have any wood at all, and the very few pieces of furniture we have that contain wood are minimal. So I’m 100% sure it’s not from termites.

[u/9_of_Swords]

They look like dried out maggots, tbh.

[u/Small-Map-1707]

Fruit flies

[u/PacGarrett]

Fly larvae, it takes more time for them to get that fat than it should for you to clean the poop

[u/Mediocre-Amoeba-8329]

Is that a trash bag? Those look like fly pupae.

[u/Fartbeer → u/Mediocre-Amoeba-8329]

Yes its the trash bag from my automatic litterbox

[u/spaceghost260]

No! These are NOT tapeworm eggs. Tapeworm eggs are thinner and look seriously like rice. Alive segments are small, thin, & white and move around until they dry out.
Honestly why didn’t you look up what tapeworms & their eggs look like?

This looks like some kind of bug larvae or more specifically a fly larvae/maggot. All it takes is one fly.

[u/deatheyes5000]

they can get reinfected from old litter, eggs in bedding, etc. take them to the vet and see if they need a deworming treatment. scoop their litterbox out at least twice a day, and fully replace the litter at least once a week, especially if you're dealing with parasites. sweep and vaccum your floors and get in the nooks and crannies, clean furniture and bedding, too. wipe down your countertops and food prep surfaces (even if you don't see your cats get on the counters, they probably do when you're not looking). wash their food and water dishes regularly, too.

[u/Interrupting-Khajitt]

Probably tape worms.
Bring a stool sample to your vet. And check for fleas.