Parasites of stray cats (Felis domesticus L., 1758) on St. Kitts, West Indies

Abstract

During 2005-2006, 100 stray cats on St. Kitts were examined using standard parasitological methods. Eggs identified were those of hookworms (88%), Trichuris spp. (71%), Eucoleus aerophillus (16%), Mammomonogamus spp. (45%), Physaloptera spp. (18%), Toxocara spp. (4%), Platynosomum spp. (81%) and taeniids (30%). Coccidian oocysts were found in 12% of the cats and Ctenocephalides felis found on 26%. When the direct fecal smear, benchtop flotation, modified double centrifugation, fecal sedimentation and adhesive tape/scotch tape methods were compared, the modified double centrifugation and benchtop flotation techniques detected most of the positive samples for the widest variety of parasites; 50% (Toxocara spp.) to 100% (hookworms) and 100% (Toxocara spp.) to 96% (hookworms), respectively.