But not every cat with Giardia looks ill. Some cats pass Giardia cysts without showing any signs themselves, and this way the parasites spread unnoticed in your home.
What symptoms do cats with Giardia show?
Giardia are single-celled parasites that live in the small intestine. Kittens and cats with a weak immune system in particular can suffer from an infection, while adult cats often show no signs at all. When a cat does become ill, these are the typical symptoms:
- diarrhoea that keeps coming back and is sometimes watery
- faeces with mucus
- less appetite
- weight loss
- tiredness and lack of interest
- general stomach and gut problems
The signs can be mild or strong, and they can go away completely for a while. But not every case of diarrhoea means Giardia, because other parasites, infections or illnesses can cause similar symptoms. So if your cat has diarrhoea again and again, have your vet test a faeces sample.
Is Giardia dangerous for cats?
Giardia can become a problem especially in young cats. With heavy diarrhoea, they lose fluid and important electrolytes within a short time. For older cats or cats in poor health, too, problems that last can be hard on the body. See a vet soon if your cat:
- has heavy or lasting diarrhoea
- vomits again and again
- hardly eats or drinks
- is clearly losing weight
- seems unusually weak and tired
Ask your vet: If a kitten has diarrhoea, do not wait. Call your vet's practice straight away.
How do cats get Giardia?
Giardia spread through tough cysts that infected animals pass in their faeces. The cysts get into the surroundings, and where many cats live together, for example in homes with several cats, animal shelters and cat boarding homes, an infection spreads more easily. Your cat can take up the cysts in different ways:
- contaminated water or food
- shared litter boxes
- dirty floors and lying places
- contact with infected cats
- cysts on their own fur that they swallow while grooming
Can indoor cats get Giardia too?
Yes. Cats that never go outside can also get infected, for example through another cat in the home or a new animal that has just moved in. This is why steady hygiene matters for indoor cats as well.
How is Giardia in cats diagnosed?
You cannot tell for sure from the symptoms alone whether your cat has Giardia. For this, your vet tests a faeces sample, among other methods with tests for Giardia antigens or under a microscope. Cats do not always pass the cysts evenly, so it can make sense to collect faeces samples over several days.
What does a Giardia rapid test for home use show?
If you think your cat might have Giardia, the ViPiBaX® Giardia Rapid Test can give you a first idea. With it, you check a faeces sample at home for signs of Giardia.
Important: a rapid test for home use is a screening tool and does not replace a diagnosis by your vet. Have a positive result checked by your vet, and a negative result also does not rule out Giardia for certain. If your cat has symptoms, have it checked by a vet, whatever the test result.
How does the veterinary treatment of Giardia in cats work?
The veterinary treatment of Giardia belongs in the hands of your vet. Whether your cat needs medicine, which medicine is used and how long the therapy lasts depends on your cat's state of health. So do not give your cat any medicine on your own.
Your vet takes care of your cat, and you take care of the litter box, the bowls and the lying places.
As well as the veterinary treatment, targeted disinfection of the surroundings is important. Giardia cysts can stay behind on contact surfaces, and your cat can take them up there again. A steady disinfection routine helps lower the risk that your cat gets infected again.
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How do you disinfect the litter box when your cat has Giardia?
The litter box is one of the most important areas when a cat has Giardia, because this is where the cysts get into the surroundings directly with the faeces. Wiping alone is not enough here, as it does not make sure that the Giardia cysts left behind are inactivated. How to do it:
Remove faeces straight away
Put faeces and dirty litter in a closed bag and throw it away with the general waste.
Clean the litter box well
Remove the rest of the litter and all visible dirt.
Disinfect suitable surfaces
Use the ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Hygiene Spray on surfaces that can take it, as stated on the product label. Make sure everything is fully wet and keep to the required contact time.
Rinse and dry
Follow the maker's instructions before you fill in fresh cat litter.
Include the area around it and other litter boxes
Do not forget the litter scoop and the floor around the litter box. If you have several cats, include every shared litter box in the routine.
Hygiene Spray 500 ml
Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
Which other areas should you disinfect when your cat has Giardia?
As well as the litter box, other contact surfaces that are used often can have Giardia cysts on them. These areas matter most:
| Area | What to do |
|---|---|
| Floors and walkways | Disinfect suitable floors that can be mopped with the ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Floor Concentrate. |
| Food and water bowls | Clean them hygienically every day, for example with high enough temperatures or a disinfectant that is suitable for this. Before the next use, rinse them well as the product instructions say. |
| Sleeping places and baskets | Disinfect suitable hard surfaces with the Hygiene Spray. |
| Blankets and covers | Wash them at 65 °C or more if possible, as long as the material allows this. |
| Scratching posts and transport boxes | Disinfect suitable contact surfaces that can take the product. |
The Hygiene Spray is ready to use and meant for disinfecting suitable surfaces, and the Floor Concentrate adds to it for larger floors that can be mopped. For both products, follow the dose or the instructions for use, the contact time and the notes on which materials can take it, as stated on the current label. Both are only meant for the intended surfaces. You can find a detailed guide for your whole home in our article “Disinfecting your home properly when your pet has Giardia”.
Floor Concentrate
What about your cat's fur?
When grooming, your cat can take up Giardia cysts that stick to its fur, especially around the bottom. So if the fur is very dirty, extra fur hygiene can make sense. Whether you should bathe your cat and which shampoo is suitable is something to discuss with your vet.
Important: surface disinfectants must not be used on the animal. Never use the Hygiene Spray or the Floor Concentrate directly on your cat's fur, skin or paws.
Frequently asked questions about Giardia in cats
Should my other cat be tested too?
Cats without visible signs can also pass Giardia cysts. So talk to your vet about whether the other cats in your home should be tested.
Can people catch Giardia from cats?
It is possible in principle. But for the Giardia types that are common in cats, the risk is thought to be low. Wash your hands well after handling faeces and cat litter.
Can my cat get Giardia again after the veterinary treatment?
Yes. Your cat can get infected again if it takes up infectious cysts from its surroundings. This is why you add steady hygiene and targeted disinfection of suitable contact surfaces to the veterinary treatment.
What can my cat eat with Giardia, and what should it avoid?
ESCCAP, the European expert group for parasites in dogs and cats, recommends lean, easily digestible food with few carbohydrates and plenty of protein during treatment. ESCCAP says that a lot of carbohydrates can help Giardia and gut bacteria multiply, so it is better to avoid food that is rich in carbohydrates. Talk to your vet before you change your cat's food.
How much does a Giardia test at the vet cost?
In Germany, the fee schedule for vets (GOT) sets 30.78 euros for an immunological rapid test and 23.62 euros for a general examination of a cat with advice. Depending on the effort, the practice may charge one to three times these amounts, so 54.40 to 163.20 euros before VAT, or 64.74 to 194.21 euros with 19 % VAT. Used material and further tests can be charged on top. A rapid test for home use is a screening and does not replace a diagnosis by a vet.
Summary: spotting Giardia in cats early and doing the right thing
Giardia can cause diarrhoea that keeps coming back, weight loss and other stomach and gut problems in cats, and young cats are especially at risk. If you think your cat may have Giardia, a check by your vet is important. The ViPiBaX® Giardia Rapid Test can give you a first idea at home, but it does not replace a diagnosis. As well as the veterinary treatment, you can use the ViPiBaX® Giardien EX® Hygiene Spray and the Floor Concentrate to disinfect suitable contact surfaces in a home with cats and so lower the risk of new contamination.
Use biocides safely. Always read the label and product information before use.
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