Kangaroo Island Cat Control Committee

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Program
and
Abstracts

46th Annual Scientific Meeting
of the
Australian Society for
Parasitology Inc
Fremantle, Western Australia
September 26-30, 2004

The helminth and protozoan parasites from feral cats on Kangaroo Island,
South Australia

Michael O'Callaghan¹, Jack Reddin² and Debbie Lehmann³

¹South Australian Research and Development Institute, GPO Box 397, Adelaide SA 5001
²Department of Primary Industries, P0 Box 469, Murray Bridge, SA 5253
³Kangaroo Island Veterinary Clinic, Kohinoor Road, Kingscote, SA 5223

Parasitic diseases have been recently implicated in carcase condemnation of sheep originating from Kangaroo Island. Control of these parasites requires an appreciation of the role of the various carnivores that act as definitive hosts. The cat is the only feral carnivore on Kangaroo Island and is well established. A study was conducted to identify the helminth and protozoan parasites of feral cats on Kangaroo Island with emphasis on Taenia ovis, Sarcocystis spp. and Toxoplasma gondii. The most common helminths were T. taeniaeformis and Toxocara cati. Cyathospirura dasyuridis and Cylicospirura felineus were recovered from nodules in the stomach. The trematode, Brachylaima cribbi, was recovered from one cat. Cryptosporidium spp., Giardia spp., Sarcocystis spp., lsospora felis and I. rivolta were present in faecal samples. The dimensions of Sarcocystis spp. sporocysts were consistent with S. gigantea ( 13.2 µm x 9.4 µm, n=22). Serum antibodies to Toxoplasma were detected in 90-93% of cats. The majority of helminth species detected have been previously reported from feral cats elsewhere in southern Australia. Furthermore, the prevalence of individual species is remarkably similar.