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November 3rd, 2009 by KittyKitty

Abdominal pains, vomiting, dehydration and watery stool are all signs that a cat is suffering from feline coccidiosis. Kittens and debilitated cats are prime candidates for its more severe manifestations.

Actually, coccidia is very common among both felines and canines. It is thought that around a third of cats and dogs are in fact infected with the disease. They don’t, however, all show signs of having contracted it.

Coccidiosis is caused by one-celled organisms called protozoa. These organisms take residence in the intestinal tract of the cat and may cause symptoms that resemble other parasites such as worms.

However, though the symptoms of worms and coccidia are similar, the conditions must be cured using different treatments. This makes it very important that you take your cat to a veterinarian as soon as you notice symptoms of intestinal distress, diarrhea, and vomiting.

So, how does your cat get it? Through coming into contact with infected fecal matter. Oocytes, which are immature protozoa, reside in cat stool and mature in the open environment. Once they mature, they may infect the cat once again. Another way of cats developing coccidiosis is from licking or eating protozoan infected mice.

There are various things that, as a pet owner, you can do reduce the risk of your cat or dog getting coccidia. You should:

1. Keep basic sanitation for catteries and kennels. Where they sleep, eat and play should be clean, tidy and well maintained. Of particular importance is the disposing of stool within a day or two of it appearing.

2. Use disinfectants. Before doing this, you may want to move your pets to a different location for the time being. You don’t want your pets to inhale the potentially harmful fumes from disinfectants. You may then spray the area with a disinfectant that contains a considerable amount of ammonia or a little bleach mixed with a good amount of water.

3. Not forget to tend to crevices, and hard to reach areas. You should pay close attention to them as many forms of parasites ? oocytes notwithstanding, could make their home there.

4. Repaint. Coccidian oocytes living on the walls of your house will instantly be killed should you repaint the areas where they are.

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