Ectoparasites of free-roaming domestic cats in the central United States.
Free-roaming domestic cat (Felis catus) populations serve as a valuable resource for studying ectoparasite prevalence. While they share a similar environment as owned cats, free-roaming cats do not receive routine veterinary care or ectoparasiticide application, giving insight into parasite risks for owned animals. We examined up to 673 infested cats presented to a trap-neuter-return (TNR) clinic in the central United States. Ectoparasite prevalences on cats were as follows: fleas (71.6%), ticks (18.7%), Felicola subrostratus (1.0%), Cheyletiella blakei (0.9%), and Otodectes cynotis (19.3%). Fleas, ticks, and O. cynotis were found in all months sampled. A total of 1117 fleas were recovered from 322 infested cats. The predominate flea recovered from cats was Ctenocephalides felis (97.2%) followed by Pulex spp. (2.8%), Cediopsylla simplex (0.6%), and Nosopsyllus fasciatus (0.6%). A total of 373 ticks were recovered from 126 infested cats. The predominate tick species was Amblyomma americanum (65.9%) followed by Ixodes scapularis (32.5%), Dermacentor variabilis (10.3%), and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (0.8%). Immature tick stages accounted for 54.7% of all ticks found, highlighting an under-appreciated source of tick burden on domestic cats. The results of this study emphasize the importance of year-round use of ectoparasiticides with both insecticidal and acaricidal activity on domestic cats.
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Jennifer E
JE
Thomas
Department of Clinical Science, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 1 Boren Veterinary Medical Teaching Hospital Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Lesa
L
Staubus
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall Stillwater, OK 74078, USA.
Jaime L
JL
Goolsby
Department of Veterinary Pathobiology, Center for Veterinary Health Sciences, Oklahoma State University, 250 McElroy Hall Stillwater, OK 74078, USA. Electronic address: mason.reichard@okstate.edu.
Mason V
MV
Reichard
D000818:Animals; D002371:Cat Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology*; D002415:Cats; D004478:Ectoparasitic Infestations / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D005260:Female; D007814:Larva; D008297:Male; D008925:Mites / Q000502:physiology*; D009758:Nymph; D009825:Oklahoma / Q000453:epidemiology; D008003:Phthiraptera / Q000502:physiology*; D005423:Siphonaptera / Q000502:physiology*; D013987:Ticks / Q000502:physiology*
Cat; Ear mite; Ectoparasite; Feline; Felis catus; Feral cat; Flea; Louse; Mite; Stray cat; Tick