Prevalence ofand Other Gastrointestinal Parasites in Domestic Cats from Households in Thika Region, Kenya.

Abstract

Gastrointestinal (GIT) parasites of domestic cats (Felis catus) not only cause morbidity but are also potential zoonotic agents. The current study aimed at establishing the prevalence of GIT parasites in cats kept by households in Thika region, Kenya. Fecal samples were collected randomly from 103 cats and analyzed for presence of parasites using standard parasitological methods. In descending order, the prevalence of the detected protozoa parasites wasspp. 43.7% (95% CI: 40.4-47%),spp. 40.8% (95% CI: 37.5-44.1%),7.8% (95% CI: 4.5-11.1%), andspp. 2.9% (95% CI: 1.6-6.2%). The prevalence of the observed helminths was43.7% (95% CI: 40.4-47%),23.3% (95% CI: 20-26.6%),spp. 9.7% (95% CI: 6.4-13%),8.7% (95% CI: 5.4-12.0%), andspp. 1.9% (95% CI: 1-4.2%). The percentage of cats excreting at least one species of parasite was 73.2% (95% CI = 69.9-76.5%). The study shows that the cats have high spectrum (9) of parasites which are known to affect the cat's health and some are of zoonotic significance.