Can chickens give cats coccidia?

[rowegirl]

I had three chicks die from coccidiosis. I bought Corid and am treating them and my older flock. They seem like they might be ok. Well, our young cats got a hold of the the 3 chicks that died before I could dispose of them and ate them! Will they get get coccidia from the dead chicks? I feel terrible!

 

[U_Stormcrow]

Is it possible? YES.

Is it likely? Not as much.

While Coccidia are present essentially everywhere humans are or have been, the coccidia most likely to infect chickens to a clinically significant degree are all Eimeria family, while those most commonly causing symptoms in cats are Isospora. If your cat has been infected to a degree it can't control on its own, you should know in about two weeks.

I am NOT an expert on poultry illness/injury, and even LESS knowledgeable re: cats, so I make no specific recommendations. Only repeating the state of the knowledge regarding most common varieties of infection in the various species.

 

[rowegirl]

Is it possible? YES.

Is it likely? Not as much.

While Coccidia are present essentially everywhere humans are or have been, the coccidia most likely to infect chickens to a clinically significant degree are all Eimeria family, while those most commonly causing symptoms in cats are Isospora. If your cat has been infected to a degree it can't control on its own, you should know in about two weeks.

I am NOT an expert on poultry illness/injury, and even LESS knowledgeable re: cats, so I make no specific recommendations. Only repeating the state of the knowledge regarding most common varieties of infection in the various species.

Thanks for the info. I will keep a close eye on them.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

For what its worth, Isospora from cats can also be very dangerous to humans - and our crap can give it back to the cats. Similarly, we can exchange Cryptosporum family coccidia with a bunch of species, including cows, cats, dogs, and various monkeys (you know, the things humans have been known to domesticate for thousands of years), as well as Cyclospora and Sarcocystis.

The good news, such as it is, is that Coccidia have been with us so long, while its frequently uncomfortable, its rarely dangerous to mammals in good health. Our chickens aren't built the same way, sadly.