Question
QUESTION: I know earthworms are beneficial for lawns but we don't have a lawn! We have a small city garden with two raised flowerbeds, with the rest of the courtyard paved over.

Lately these gross-looking, fat wormy things have been creepy-crawling into my cats' food bowls, and the little sissies are actually starting to avoid the bowls to the point where I have to start them off by spoonfeeding. Can't blame them, the critters really are icky-looking, and my little city kitties apparently never found out that they are distantly related to fierce hunters.

Since I have no lawn that needs aerating or any other benefits earthworms provide, and in our case they're just an unpleasant, slimy nuisance - is there anything I can do to keep them away? I don't even know where they're coming from, just that they appear on the pavement and then slither into the food bowls.

Many thanks!

ANSWER: I want to be sure I understand that the problem is earthworms and not some other organism.

Second, do I understand correctly that you have chosen to feed your pets outdoors?

Regardless of the worm situation, which is a separate matter, I would strongly advise against feeding pets outdoors. You don't want your pet dishes being shared by skunks, raccoons and other mesopredators in the area.

Please confirm that the original problem is earth worms and then we can proceed from there.

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Hi, You are right, I don't know if they are earthworms, because I don't know much about the subject. They're wormy-looking for sure, a little over an inch long, and relatively fat (maybe 1/4 inch at their widest).  

As far as the little kitties I am so proprietary about, LOL, they are actually not really mine. They are little semi-feral cats that I've been caretaking, for lack of a better word. They've been TNR'd and gotten basic vaccines, and they consider our and our neighbor's yard their territory (with our blessings, of course. So feeding them indoors isn't relevant, actually.

You are right about the problem of attracting other pests. In our case, in middle of the city, we are worried about rats. The best we can do - since indoor feeding isn't an option -  is that we keep an eye on the kitties and take the remains of the food indoors when they're done eating.

Do you know how I can figure out what kind of worm the squirmy things are? Thanks!

Answer
Yes, send us quality photos with objects in the photo for scale, like a penny. We love HIGH RES. Be sure the pictures are in focus.
[email protected]  Otherwise, if you can do so safely, bring a sample of the insect to your local extension agent or garden supply. They might be able to help.