2024-01-30
What Is Coccidia in Cats?
Coccidia are single-celled (protozoan) parasites that nearly all cats are exposed to in their lifetime. The parasite travels into the intestinal lining cells of the cat, where it matures over about 2 weeks into oocysts, rupturing the cells and causing intestinal damage. These oocysts then pass through the intestines into the stool to finish their life cycle, become infective (sporulate), and spread into the environment. It takes no more than 16 hours for a passed oocyst to sporulate into an infective state. Once in that state, they can survive for up to year in temperate environments.