Epidemiological Evaluation of Gastrointestinal Helminths in 1000 Stray Cats from the Anatolian Side of Istanbul, Türkiye

Cats are companion animals that live closely with humans, and parasitic infections found in cats are important not only for animal health but also for public health due to their zoonotic potential. This study aimed to determine the prevalence of gastrointestinal helminths in fecal samples collected from 1000 stray cats randomly selected on the Anatolian side of Istanbul, a metropolitan city, between June 2022 and February 2025. Fecal samples were collected from the ground following natural defecation and examined using native and Fulleborn flotation techniques. Age and sex data were recorded, and infection rates were statistically compared across these variables. Coproscopic analysis revealed that 434 cats (43.4%) were infected with at least one helminth. The most commonly detected helminth species was Toxocara spp. (25.5%), followed by Toxascaris spp. (4.8%), Dipylidium spp. (4.2%), Ancylostomatidae eggs (1.2%), Trichuris spp. (0.2%), and Taenia spp. (0.2%). Among the cats, 36.1% were infected with a single helminth species, 6.6% with two species, and 0.7% with three species. No statistically significant difference was found between sexes in terms of parasite prevalence (p = .769). However, a statistically significant difference was observed among age groups (p = .001), with a notably higher prevalence in kittens under six months of age. This study represents one of the most recent and comprehensive epidemiological investigations with a high sample size on gastrointestinal helminths in stray cats in Istanbul, Türkiye, and the results provide significant contributions to the development of appropriate treatment, prevention, and control strategies for cats helminthiasis and raising awareness of environmental hygiene practices.

Cite this article as: Erkınay, S., & Çetinkaya, H. (2026). Epidemiological evaluation of gastrointestinal helminths in 1000 stray cats from the Anatolian side of Istanbul, Türkiye. Acta Veterinaria Eurasia, 52, 0156, doi:10.5152/actavet.2026.25156.