Animal Welfare Professionals

Hi,

We have a barn cat adoption program for feral cats that can't be returned to their original outdoor homes after spay/neuter.  The cats awaiting adoption are in large pens. Does anyone have a way to treat feral cats that can't be handled for coccidia? It's not feasible to dose them orally and the cats share pens.

Thank you!
Linda
#Medicine,SurgeryandSterilization

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Linda Scullary
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Is it feasible to split out the cats who need treatment and house them separately until they have completed deworming? Or is a way to treat the entire pen essential? Typically we have pretty good luck mixing oral meds into canned cat food for our ferals, but that won't work if they are group housed and one cat eats a double-dose while the other skips. If they are used to eating at a certain time and will eat while humans are around, putting each dose on a separate plate and trying to spread them around might work, although you will need a referee who can subtly shoo cats away from each other without terrifying the whole group.

Would it be possible to put some kind of divider through the pen for treatment, to limit each cat to a section?

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Emme Hones
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Hi Emme,

Thanks so much for your help! We could isolate 2 cats at a time for treatment, as long we don't need those pens for other cats. I assume since the cats in the pens share litter boxes, that each cat in the affected pens would need to be treated for coccidia? The cats will not eat in front of people. Which med do you use that the cats will eat in wet food, and what is the timeline for treatment?

Thanks!
Linda

------------------------------
Linda Scullary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2021 01:18 PM
From: Emme Hones
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

Is it feasible to split out the cats who need treatment and house them separately until they have completed deworming? Or is a way to treat the entire pen essential? Typically we have pretty good luck mixing oral meds into canned cat food for our ferals, but that won't work if they are group housed and one cat eats a double-dose while the other skips. If they are used to eating at a certain time and will eat while humans are around, putting each dose on a separate plate and trying to spread them around might work, although you will need a referee who can subtly shoo cats away from each other without terrifying the whole group.

Would it be possible to put some kind of divider through the pen for treatment, to limit each cat to a section?

------------------------------
Emme Hones
------------------------------

I'm not a vet, so I would recommend checking with your vet to be sure it is appropriate for your shelter's cats and any local restrictions on medications, but our vets typically use ponazuril for coccidia. Typically it's a 5 day course, but these are also typically symptomatic cats, so definitely consult your vet about what the treatment goals are for both the cats who were confirmed to have it and those who were exposed. (Resolving symptoms? A negative fecal re-test?) It is a bit of trial-and-error to find a food that covers up the taste, but we start with whatever foods that particular cat likes best. Layering the foods can work, putting down some food, the meds, then more food, so an initial sniff/taste doesn't seem "off" to picky eaters.

Depending on how much space you have, maybe using some large pop-up dog crates would work to house the cats separately during their treatment. If you had one pen of cats who need to be treated, another of cats who have been cleared, and a set of crates, you could rotate sick cats into the crates, then add them to the healthy pen once your vet thinks they are no longer contagious.

------------------------------
Emme Hones
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2021 02:57 PM
From: Linda Scullary
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

Hi Emme,

Thanks so much for your help! We could isolate 2 cats at a time for treatment, as long we don't need those pens for other cats. I assume since the cats in the pens share litter boxes, that each cat in the affected pens would need to be treated for coccidia? The cats will not eat in front of people. Which med do you use that the cats will eat in wet food, and what is the timeline for treatment?

Thanks!
Linda

------------------------------
Linda Scullary
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2021 01:18 PM
From: Emme Hones
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

Is it feasible to split out the cats who need treatment and house them separately until they have completed deworming? Or is a way to treat the entire pen essential? Typically we have pretty good luck mixing oral meds into canned cat food for our ferals, but that won't work if they are group housed and one cat eats a double-dose while the other skips. If they are used to eating at a certain time and will eat while humans are around, putting each dose on a separate plate and trying to spread them around might work, although you will need a referee who can subtly shoo cats away from each other without terrifying the whole group.

Would it be possible to put some kind of divider through the pen for treatment, to limit each cat to a section?

------------------------------
Emme Hones

Hi,

A vet recommended mixing a solution of water & Albon (as their only water source) to treat the feral cats. We have not done tests yet, but they all seem to be improving!

Thanks,
Linda

------------------------------
Linda Scullary
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 06-28-2021 11:09 AM
From: Emme Hones
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

I'm not a vet, so I would recommend checking with your vet to be sure it is appropriate for your shelter's cats and any local restrictions on medications, but our vets typically use ponazuril for coccidia. Typically it's a 5 day course, but these are also typically symptomatic cats, so definitely consult your vet about what the treatment goals are for both the cats who were confirmed to have it and those who were exposed. (Resolving symptoms? A negative fecal re-test?) It is a bit of trial-and-error to find a food that covers up the taste, but we start with whatever foods that particular cat likes best. Layering the foods can work, putting down some food, the meds, then more food, so an initial sniff/taste doesn't seem "off" to picky eaters.

Depending on how much space you have, maybe using some large pop-up dog crates would work to house the cats separately during their treatment. If you had one pen of cats who need to be treated, another of cats who have been cleared, and a set of crates, you could rotate sick cats into the crates, then add them to the healthy pen once your vet thinks they are no longer contagious.

------------------------------
Emme Hones
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2021 02:57 PM
From: Linda Scullary
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

Hi Emme,

Thanks so much for your help! We could isolate 2 cats at a time for treatment, as long we don't need those pens for other cats. I assume since the cats in the pens share litter boxes, that each cat in the affected pens would need to be treated for coccidia? The cats will not eat in front of people. Which med do you use that the cats will eat in wet food, and what is the timeline for treatment?

Thanks!
Linda

------------------------------
Linda Scullary


Original Message:
Sent: 06-23-2021 01:18 PM
From: Emme Hones
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

Is it feasible to split out the cats who need treatment and house them separately until they have completed deworming? Or is a way to treat the entire pen essential? Typically we have pretty good luck mixing oral meds into canned cat food for our ferals, but that won't work if they are group housed and one cat eats a double-dose while the other skips. If they are used to eating at a certain time and will eat while humans are around, putting each dose on a separate plate and trying to spread them around might work, although you will need a referee who can subtly shoo cats away from each other without terrifying the whole group.

Would it be possible to put some kind of divider through the pen for treatment, to limit each cat to a section?

------------------------------
Emme Hones

We use Toltrazuril 5% in liquid form and mix with very strong tasting foods like fish.  It is very hard to get them to eat it, so we skip a meal before and wait till its finished before giving more.  We have also had success with putting the liquid on their fur so that they clean it off.  The problem is getting them close enough for three days in a row.  At the same time, we treat them with ivermectin (one day only) to take care of worms and ear mites and use diatomaceous earth food grade.

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Frances Alford
Director
Its Meow or Never for Ferals
8507569776
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I agree with all of this treatment except for DE. DE can cause severe respiratory distress in cats and in humans 

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Amanda Gray
Adoptions volunteer
Adopt A Cat Foundation
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Original Message:
Sent: 07-07-2021 06:52 AM
From: Frances Alford
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

We use Toltrazuril 5% in liquid form and mix with very strong tasting foods like fish.  It is very hard to get them to eat it, so we skip a meal before and wait till its finished before giving more.  We have also had success with putting the liquid on their fur so that they clean it off.  The problem is getting them close enough for three days in a row.  At the same time, we treat them with ivermectin (one day only) to take care of worms and ear mites and use diatomaceous earth food grade.

------------------------------
Frances Alford
Director
Its Meow or Never for Ferals
8507569776
------------------------------

would like to know if that is other peoples experience. I usually spread DE in the cracks of the floors for general pest management and have not had any pbs yet.  Give it to our dogs no pbs yet. and I have asthma and no problems for me either.

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pamela malik
Director
Pam's rescue
NY
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Original Message:
Sent: 12-14-2023 04:37 PM
From: Amanda Gray
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

I agree with all of this treatment except for DE. DE can cause severe respiratory distress in cats and in humans 

------------------------------
Amanda Gray
Adoptions volunteer
Adopt A Cat Foundation
------------------------------


Original Message:
Sent: 07-07-2021 06:52 AM
From: Frances Alford
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

We use Toltrazuril 5% in liquid form and mix with very strong tasting foods like fish.  It is very hard to get them to eat it, so we skip a meal before and wait till its finished before giving more.  We have also had success with putting the liquid on their fur so that they clean it off.  The problem is getting them close enough for three days in a row.  At the same time, we treat them with ivermectin (one day only) to take care of worms and ear mites and use diatomaceous earth food grade.

------------------------------
Frances Alford
Director
Its Meow or Never for Ferals
8507569776

since the fecal tests are often ' inconclusive ' anyway, I just use the silver bullet approach, for any intestinal problems, safe and cheap...diatomaceous earth. I put 1 teaspoon per cat in wet food in a muffin pan.  Doesnt affect the taste, all will eat it.  You will see results fast; however keep doing it as often as you can for a few weeks. It apparantly doesnt work on giardia Ive been told.

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kim stewart
kimsrescue
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Hi Kim:

Have you had success treating a cat with DE?  Do you know if it can be given to kittens? I have a mom cat who just had kittens that I am fostering.  I suspect she has coccidia.

------------------------------
pamela malik
Director
Pam's rescue
NY
------------------------------

Original Message:
Sent: 11-07-2021 05:04 PM
From: kim stewart
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

since the fecal tests are often ' inconclusive ' anyway, I just use the silver bullet approach, for any intestinal problems, safe and cheap...diatomaceous earth. I put 1 teaspoon per cat in wet food in a muffin pan.  Doesnt affect the taste, all will eat it.  You will see results fast; however keep doing it as often as you can for a few weeks. It apparantly doesnt work on giardia Ive been told.

------------------------------
kim stewart
kimsrescue
------------------------------

I attached our Feral/Fractious Cat Medication Protocol which has a paragraph on how we group treat diarrhea in the group enclosures. Hope that helps!

------------------------------
Monica Frenden-Tarant
Maddie's® Director of Feline Lifesaving
American Pets Alive!
------------------------------

We used to use Albon oral suspension for fractious cats in the shelter where I volunteered in NY.   The few cats I helped with had no objection to having it mixed in with a small amount of their canned food.  When that was eaten they would receive the remainder of their meal.

I assume it would work as well for non-shelter ferals and fracious kitties if  the population is such that you can feed targeted cats their own serving?  Or perhaps tx all cats since coccidia is so contagious.  Amprolium in the communal water supply is something else you could discuss with your vet.  More cost-effective, I think.

Here is the dosing suggested by Dr. Kathrine Polak in her book Field Manual for Small Animal Medicine:


• Sulfadimethoxine (Alba n® ) (50 mg/kg PO) for the first day followed by 25 mg/kg q24h until
the ani ­ mal is asymptomatic for 2 days. Treatment may take up to 2- 3 weeks.

• Sulfadimethoxine/ormetoprirn (P rirnor® ) (55 mg/ kg PO) for the first day, followed by half
the dose q24h until 2 days past the resolution of symptoms, or up to 21 days in dogs.

• T rime thoprim/sulfa diazine (30- 60 mg/kg PO q24h) for 6 days in cats [88].

• Amprolium [89,90]
- Dogs: (300 - 400 mg (total) PO q24h) for 5 days, or 110- 220 mg (total) PO q24h for 7- 12
days. Used in the drinking water (sole source) at 30 ml (9.6% so lu tion)/gallon (3.8]) for not
more than 10 days
- Cats: (60- 100 mg /kg (total) PO q24h) for 7 days. Used in the drinking water (sole
source) at
1.5 tbsp (23 ml) (9.6% solutio n)/ga llon (3.81) for not more than 10 days
• Ponazuril (20 mg/kg PO q24h) for 1- 3 days in dogs
and cats.

Good lucky with it!

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April King
Volunteer and Board Member
Kotor Kitties
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Original Message:
Sent: 11-08-2021 07:28 AM
From: Monica Frenden-Tarant
Subject: Ideas for treating feral cats for coccidia?

I attached our Feral/Fractious Cat Medication Protocol which has a paragraph on how we group treat diarrhea in the group enclosures. Hope that helps!

------------------------------
Monica Frenden-Tarant
Maddie's® Director of Feline Lifesaving
American Pets Alive!
------------------------------