These ultra-zoomed photos of the parasites that live in pets look like something out of a horror movie

Our pets are some of our most cherished companions. But they can also be home to some pretty disgusting parasites. While it’s important to take care of these internal pests when they come into play, recent close-up photographs have given us a much more nightmare-inducing look at these terrifying creatures.

David Maitland, a nature and science photographer, has taken microscopic photographs that give viewers a closer-than-ever look at roundworms, tapeworms, and several other creepy pests that can live within cats. The photographs have been magnified up to 180 times, and they are nothing short of pure nightmare fuel—as if I needed any more nightmare fuel after last week’s glitchy AI-generated videos .

The grim close-up photos of the various parasites give us a close look at the pests that can reside within our feline friends if they aren’t dewormed regularly. Not only do they all look terrifying and disgusting, but the various effects they can have on your cat are just as disgusting—so you should always take care of that whenever you feel it might be an issue.

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Tapeworms are perhaps some of the most consistent pests that can be found in cats, and they can grow up to 16 feet inside of animals—especially within dogs. That’s roughly the height of a giraffe! They hook into the animal’s bowels, and then their body develops into a long ribbon-like body, eating away at the nutrients that the animal ingests and causing a variety of illnesses along the way.

If these images—and the horrifying effects they can have on animals—weren’t enough, then it’s also good to note that they can also infect humans. As such, it’s always good to deal with these pests whenever they first show up before exposing yourself to them too much.

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You can see the photos for yourself on David Maitland’s website. Just beware—they are truly horrifying.

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