Research overview: non-invasive scat sampling for pathogen detection in wild cats

Capturing and sampling wild felids is costly and risky, so researchers increasingly turn to non-invasive methods, especially analysis of feces, to detect pathogens and parasites. This overview surveys how scat yields DNA, parasite eggs, oocysts and even viral genetic material, enabling surveillance without handling animals. It examines applications from documenting Toxoplasma and helminth burdens to detecting viral shedding and identifying individuals through genetics, alongside limitations in sensitivity and the challenge of linking samples to known animals. The synthesis connects field-friendly sampling to the broader goal of monitoring disease in secretive carnivores. It aims to help readers appreciate how a pile of scat becomes a rich epidemiological data source, expanding what can be learned about felid health while minimizing disturbance to the animals studied.