Research overview: clinical toxoplasmosis in captive and wild felids

Although cats are the definitive host, felids can also suffer clinical toxoplasmosis, particularly when immunocompromised or exposed to virulent strains. This overview surveys reports of disease in captive and wild cats, including pneumonia, hepatitis, neurological signs and fatal infections, sometimes linked to concurrent immunosuppressive viruses. It considers the special vulnerability of certain species and of young or stressed animals, and how toxoplasmosis can complicate the management of zoo collections and endangered populations. The synthesis distinguishes the asymptomatic shedding that defines the cat’s reservoir role from the overt disease that occasionally strikes felids themselves. It aims to remind readers that the definitive host is not immune to its own parasite, and that toxoplasmosis is a genuine, if intermittent, health concern across the cat family.