Research overview: scavenging behavior and disease transmission in felids

Many felids scavenge as well as hunt, and feeding on carcasses exposes them to pathogens including anthrax, bovine tuberculosis and parasites concentrated in dead and diseased animals. This overview surveys how scavenging shapes felid disease exposure, the trade-off between an easy meal and pathogen risk, and the specific diseases acquired through consuming infected tissues. It examines lions feeding on tuberculous buffalo, exposure to anthrax-laden carcasses, and the acquisition of parasites from prey. The synthesis connects feeding ecology to epidemiology. It aims to help readers understand that what and how a cat eats is a major determinant of its disease burden, and that the scavenging habits which provide nutritional flexibility also serve as a route by which felids encounter some of their most significant pathogens.