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Cats can get Giardia, a parasite that may cause diarrhea and other digestive problems. But the “1 in 15 cats” claim is not supported by the Texas A&M source that appears to underlie it: that source reported about 1 in 15 tested dogs and 1 in 25 tested cats positive. Those were veterinary-office test results cited in a 2022 article—not a current prevalence estimate for all cats.
Does the 1-in-15 figure apply to cats?
No—not in the Texas A&M report associated with this claim. The article quoted clinical assistant professor Dr. Meriam Saleh saying that, in the year before the June 2, 2022 article, about 1 in 15 dogs (6.7%) and 1 in 25 cats (4.1%) tested for Giardia at veterinary offices across the United States were positive. The 1-in-15 figure refers to dogs; the cat figure is 1 in 25. Texas A&M’s article does not establish that 1 in 15 cats carry the parasite.
These figures describe animals that were tested, not a representative survey of every cat or dog in the country. They also refer to the year before the 2022 article, not to 2026. They should not be read as current national prevalence.
Can cats get Giardia, and does it cause diarrhea?
Yes. Giardia is an intestinal protozoan parasite that can infect cats and may cause diarrhea and other digestive problems. Some infected pets show no symptoms, so a cat’s appearance alone cannot establish whether it has Giardia. Conversely, diarrhea alone does not show that Giardia is the cause.
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Why do prevalence figures differ?
A percentage depends on which animals were sampled, where and when samples were collected, and how they were tested. Clinic-tested pets, shelter animals, and samples submitted for molecular testing are different populations; their results should not be treated as interchangeable estimates of infection in all cats.
- Veterinary-office tests: The Texas A&M figures count tested pets and distinguish dogs from cats. They are not a population-wide survey.
- Shelter cats in northern Spain: A 2017 study detected Giardia duodenalis in 9.2% of feline fecal samples from sheltered animals in the province of Álava. That result describes this particular shelter sample, not pet cats generally. The study’s abstract describes the population and findings.
- Submitted samples across regions: A 2024 research communication reported geography-specific findings from submitted fecal samples tested with molecular methods. The authors also reported Giardia assemblages with zoonotic potential. Because the samples and estimates were tied to particular geographies and submissions, they do not combine into one global rate for cats. The congress research communication reports those findings.
Can a cat have Giardia without symptoms?
Yes. Some infected pets do not show signs, according to the Texas A&M article. This is one reason a prevalence statistic cannot tell you whether an individual cat is infected or ill. A cat’s risk and need for testing depend on its circumstances, which a veterinarian can assess.
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How do vets test cats for Giardia?
Veterinary fecal testing is the relevant diagnostic context in the cited sources. The 2024 communication specifically describes molecular testing of submitted fecal samples, while the Texas A&M article discusses veterinary-office testing. The available sources do not establish one best test for every cat or compare the accuracy of all available methods.
If you are concerned about diarrhea, possible exposure, or an otherwise unwell cat, ask a veterinarian whether fecal testing is appropriate. A positive rate in a study cannot diagnose your cat, and symptoms by themselves cannot identify Giardia.
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