Symptoms and Prevention of Coccidiosis in Cats

1 Symptoms of Feline Coccidiosis

Coccidia bring lethargy, lost appetite, vomiting, and diarrhea, and can threaten the cat’s life, so deworm on schedule and prevent. Kittens show it clearly: 3–6 days after infection they develop watery diarrhea or soft stools with mucus and blood, mild fever, dullness, rough coat, and poor digestion. Untreated, the cat wastes away and may die.

The parasite lives in the small-intestinal lining, so the main damage is there — it causes hemorrhagic enteritis, worst in the lower ileum, with thickened mucosa and shedding of the epithelium.

2 How Cats Get Coccidia

Even indoor cats can be infected — eggs enter through water or food, especially if the cat eats raw meat. Coccidian eggs also survive long in soil; you can track contaminated soil home on your shoes and expose the cat. Avoid letting the cat touch soil directly outdoors, and don’t let it eat soil or other cats’ feces.

3 Preventing and Treating Coccidiosis

At suspect signs, take the cat for a fecal microscopy exam; if positive, treat promptly with a sulfonamide. Severe diarrhea needs fluid therapy to support the body, and heavy blood stool needs a hemostatic shot. Re-test after 1–2 weeks to confirm no eggs remain.

With several cats, feed them separately to limit spread of parasites, bacteria, and viruses; wash, sun, and disinfect their belongings regularly, and clear an infected cat’s feces at once to prevent reinfection. Regular deworming is the cornerstone of prevention.