Those cats most likely to show symptoms of coccidiosis are young kittens, those with weak immune systems, or cats kept in crowded, unhygienic conditions. Coccidia invade the gut and irritate the lining of the bowel.


This causes stomach cramps, loss of appetite, and poor growth in young kittens.
Cats commonly develop diarrhea with mucus, a jelly-like substance, in it and flecks of blood from the inflamed bowel wall. These cats are not usually suddenly ill, in a life-threatening way, but will act like they do not feel well. Without treatment, their general body conditions will decline.
 A diagnosis of coccidiosis can be reached by looking at fecal samples under the microscope. Coccidian eggs, or oocysts, have a typical appearance; they look like oval-shaped eggs and contain either one or two sporoblasts (these divide to produce adult coccidians) which look like round balls.
 Coccidia have both a direct and an indirect life cycle. The direct life cycle means the parasite survives by passing from cat to cat via fecal contamination. The indirect life cycle means the parasite infects an intermediate host such as vermin where it remains dormant. When the mouse is eaten by a cat, the oocysts in the mouse bowel are activated and infect the cat.
Know what the symptoms of this condition are.
Understand how coccidiosis is diagnosed.
Familiarize yourself with the coccidian life cycle.
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