Coccidiosis In Kittens

Most adults carry coccidia but their immune system keeps it in check some adults may however shed cysts in the feces.

Coccidiosis in kittens. We do recommend ponazuril as the preferred treatment of coccidia in kittens in a shelter. The primary symptom of a coccidial infection is watery mucous like diarrhea. Coccidiosis is an intestinal tract infection caused by a one celled organism a protozoa called coccidia. Because coccidia live in the intestinal tract and can cause diarrhea they are often confused with intestinal worms but coccidia are not worms.

When a cat swallows the oocyst which is the immature infectious form of coccidia the cat develops coccidiosis. Change in ownership other disease present. Diagnosing coccidia in cats. Risk factors for coccidiosis include age young kittens at least 2 weeks of age but typically less than 6 months 1 stress always a challenge in a shelter and coinfection with other parasites.

Pet shops catteries and animal. Video of the day. Being in an environment with other infected animals is the most common cause of this infection. Isospora felis and isospora rivolta are the most common species of coccidia in cats.

The species of coccidia that most frequently affect cats are isospora rivolta and isospora felis. A fecal examination is. In order for a cat to become infected with coccidia it needs to consume the parasite. Coccidiosis in cats symptoms and types.

Coccidia are small protozoans one celled organisms that multiply in the intestinal tracts of cats and dogs most commonly in kittens and puppies less than six months of age in adult animals whose immune systemis suppressed or in animals who are stressed in other ways e g. Feces from an infected cat contains coccidian oocysts. If the mother cat passes stools that contain coccidiosis cysts the kittens will most likely come in contact with these cysts and ingest them. Once the kitten consumes the cyst the protozoa multiply in the pet s intestines.

Keep your cat s litter tray clean. In cats most coccidia are of the genus group called isospora. This is most commonly done when a cat ingests an infected mouse or another cat s feces. Kittens generally become infected with coccidiosis by ingesting minute amounts of their mother s feces which can sometimes occur.

Try to avoid crowding your cats together. Give each of your cat s plenty of space. Causes of coccidia in cats direct contact with infected feces hunting and eating rodents that contain protozoa in its resting stages ingesting contaminated soil. Symptoms are most commonly seen in kittens under 6 months of age.