Helminth parasites and arthropods of feral cats.
The prevalence (%) of helminth parasites in 327 mainly adult feral cats from 3 habitat groupings in Victoria and New South Wales was determined. The cestodes Taenia taeniaeformis (33%) and Spirometra erinacei (33%) were common; Dipylidium caninum was rate (2%). The nematodes Toxocara cati (28%), Cyathospirura dasyuridis and Cylicospirura felineus combined (27%) and Aelurostrongylus abstrusus (14%) were common but their prevalence differed markedly between habitats. Ollulanus tricuspis (5%), Gnathostoma spinigerum (less than 1%) and an Acanthocephala, Onicola sp (19%), also occurred. Arthropod parasites were collected from 204 of these cats, Ctenocephalides felis (16%) and Echidnophaga spp. (28%) were common. Spilopsyllus cuniculi (3%) and Ctenocephalides canis and Nosopsyllus fasciatus (less than 1% each) were rare. Other rare ectoparasites were the louse, Felicola subrostrata (4%), the mites, Otodectes cynotis, Cheyletiella sp and a trombiculid (less than 1% each); and the tick lxodes tasmani (less than 1%). There was no correlation between degree of parasitism and general condition of the cats.
D000818:Animals; D000835:Animals, Wild / Q000469:parasitology; D001315:Australia; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology*; D002415:Cats; D002590:Cestode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary*; D006373:Helminthiasis / Q000453:epidemiology; D006374:Helminthiasis, Animal; D009349:Nematode Infections / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000662:veterinary; D005423:Siphonaptera