Cats and Sea Otters
Cat owners were surprised a few years ago to learn that their pets were being accused of killing off sea otter populations. It may haven taken some time to sink in, but there does seem to be a real correlation between a parasite found in cat feces, and the decrease in sea otter populations.
Toxoplasma gondii
Toxoplasma gondii is an internal parasite that is common in cats. T. gondii eggs are shed in cats’ feces, and can picked up by other animals. It can be transferred to other species, including humans, and including sea otters. While T. gondii does not always cause a sickness or symptoms in infected cats, it is primarily the cats that carry and spread the parasite. It is usually more serious in other species and weak or sickly animals will suffer more symptoms.
Sea otters seem to be particularly sensitive to T. gondii, and it is frequently fatal to them. Sea otters that have contracted T. gondii suffer from seizures and brain damage, and are not able to hold food or feed themselves, eventually leading to death.
Prevention
The big question a few years ago was how is T. gondii making its way to the ocean, where it kills otters? After some investigating, scientists have learned that T. gondii infects sea otters in the ocean from nearby feral cat colonies, from storm drain runoff, and from flushable cat litter that ends up in sewage treatment plants.
There are many cat owners in California, and many of them were in the practice of buying cat litter that could be flushed, as a way to reduce garbage and easily get rid of cat feces. But now, in areas near the ocean, owners are asked not to flush even “flushable” cat litter, and not to use fancy composting cat litter in these areas. All cat owners are being encouraged to dispose of their cats’ feces responsibly, mainly by bagging it up and throwing it away. Keeping cats indoors will also help prevent the spread of the parasite to other cats or species like the otter.
Scientists are concerned about the long term ecological effects of this parasite and others like it. Therefore, they are asking owners to help any way they can to stop the spread of the T. gondii parasite.
