For cat owners, scooping the litter box is not always as enjoyable as it sounds. Cat poop often comes with surprises, such as blood or mucus, both of which are signs of illness that you need to be aware of. Some diseases can be serious, even life-threatening, so it’s always important to be able to recognize the symptoms of cat diseases in case any of your cats become ill. The following are three weird cat diseases that you may not have known existed before now. If you see these signs in your cat’s poop, take him or her to the vet immediately!

Toxoplasma gondii 

A parasite called Toxoplasma gondii, also known as T. gondii, is a protozoan that causes toxoplasmosis in humans and other animals. It can be found in Disease from cat poop feces and the tissues of any infected animal. In fact, it’s estimated that 1/5 of all people in the world (including those who show no symptoms) are infected with toxoplasmosis due to contact with cat feces or eating undercooked meat from an animal infected by this protozoan parasite.

Clinical signs in pets may include fever, lack of appetite, weight loss, vomiting, diarrhea, and lethargy. Cats may have swollen lymph nodes near their jaw or neck; they could also have ulcers on their mouth or nose if they were ill before being adopted. If you suspect your cat has become infected with this parasite, see your veterinarian for diagnosis and treatment options. Diagnostic tests often involve detecting antibodies in the blood serum and examining feline tissue cells under a microscope.

Typical treatments involve administering antiparasitic drugs to kill the parasites, along with medications to relieve symptoms such as nausea, stomach upset, and headache. Be sure to always wear gloves when handling cats or cleaning litter boxes so you don’t contract the infection yourself. T. gondii only reproduces sexually within cats, but there’s still concern about human transmission because an infected Disease from cat poop can shed oocysts in its stool at any time of year and these oocysts can survive outside of a host for weeks to months.

Sarcocystis

Sarcocystosis is thought to be spread through contact with cat feces that contain the parasite’s eggs and from eating undercooked meat from an infected animal. Symptoms include muscle aches, fever, enlarged lymph nodes, and a general feeling of being unwell. A diagnosis can be confirmed with a blood test or stool exam. The treatment is antibiotics and fluid replacement; if not treated, it could cause kidney failure. Feline leukemia.

Cats have various strains of leukemia, but the type passed on between cats isn’t infectious to humans. The most common form found in kittens affects their immune system cells in the bone marrow which leads to cancerous growths inside their bones. Feline Leukemia virus (FeLV) causes chronic infection, decreased immunity, and death over time. Early symptoms are weight loss and persistent high fever (more than 102°F). In later stages it may affect white blood cells which leaves them more susceptible to infection. FeLV spreads through close contact, such as sharing food bowls, litter boxes, bedding and also by fighting.

It can also be transferred from mother to kitten during pregnancy or childbirth. has no cure and is always fatal, though there are treatments available for alleviating some symptoms and prolonging life expectancy. Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium: If your kitty has diarrhea lasting more than 24 hours you should take him to the vet immediately because this disease is typically caused by Salmonella enterica serovar Typhimurium bacteria present in his poop. Treatment includes antibiotics like Amoxicillin or Metronidazole.

Bartonella henselae

Cat poop has a lot of diseases that can be transmitted to humans. The most well-known is toxoplasmosis, which is caused by the parasite Toxoplasma gondii. But there are other diseases like Bartonella henselae, which is carried in Disease from cat poop and can cause flu-like symptoms in humans and cats. B. henselae can also cause endocarditis (an infection of the heart), lymphadenopathy (swollen lymph nodes), and skin lesions on people and animals. It’s not typically fatal if it’s caught early, but it can lead to complications later on.

According to one study published in Clinical Infectious Diseases, nfection with this bacterium was associated with an increased risk of developing subsequent septicemia or endocarditis. Cats might have the bacteria without showing any signs themselves. If you’re showing signs of illness after being around cats, get checked out by your doctor immediately! They’ll likely test for bacterial infections and some viruses, too. The two other weird diseases from Disease from cat poop that we found were salmonellosis, a foodborne disease .

These are typically harmless in adults and children as long as they take antibiotics promptly; however, pregnant women need to avoid contact with them because they could potentially harm their unborn child. There’s also toxocariasis, which is often referred to as roundworm because it’s contracted through roundworm eggs present in cat feces. Roundworms are passed when the infected eggs are ingested and hatch inside the body.

Most people who contract toxocariasis won’t show any sign of illness, but those who do usually see fever, rash, swollen lymph nodes, muscle aches, diarrhea, or eye inflammation. Toxocariasis can also be serious for babies since it may cross into their eyes and central nervous system before they’re born (a condition called ocular larva migrans). The last weird Disease from cat poop that we found is cryptosporidiosis. Cryptosporidiosis is actually caused by a single-celled organism called Cryptosporidium parvum.