ORIGINAL PAPER Characterization of ectoparasites in an urban cat (Felis catus Linnaeus, 1758) population of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Flavya Mendes-de-Almeida & Ana Lucia Crissiuma & Liza Crissiuma Gershony & Liliane Maria Valentin Willi & Jonimar Pereira Paiva & Jorge Guerrero & Norma Labarthe Received: 5 June 2010 / Accepted: 25 November 2010 / Published online: 22 December 2010 # Springer-Verlag 2010 Abstract Ectoparasites are capable of transmitting infec- tious diseases and, therefore, are of zoonotic concern. Cats submitted to a spay/neuter program in the city of Rio de Janeiro were examined to determine the distribution of ectoparasites in cats from a city with a tropical climate. Independent of gender, breed, or age, 292 cats were combed and subjected to otoscopic examination. Ectopar- asites were collected, and blood samples were taken to determine packed cell volume. The majority of the 292 cats were female (71%), and most of them were categorized as domestic short hair cats (92%). Different species of ectoparasites that produced both single agent and multi- agent infestations were detected in these cats. Most cats were infested by Ctenocephalides felis (60%); however, other ectoparasites were found to a lesser degree in the sampled population (Felicola subrostratus (5.4%), Rhipi- cephalus sanguineus (1.4%), Lynxacarus radovskyi (1%), and Otodectes cynotis (6.2%)). Within the infested cats, 16.3% were also anemic, and there was a significant association between the occurrence of anemia and flea infestation. Of all sampled cats, 65% were infested by at least one species of ectoparasites, which suggests both a heavy infestation of the environment and owner negligence. Ectoparasites are not only nuisances to both cats and owners, but they are also significant carriers of disease. Therefore, the implementation of rigorous, safe preventive measures is of great importance. Introduction There has been an evident increase in companion animal populations worldwide, which demands better maintenance of healthy animals to maintain long, beneficial relationships between cohabitating species. However, the basic care provided by pet owners does not always guarantee adequate health preservation (Chomel and Artz 2000). Arthropods are considered the most significant vectors of microbial agents, and the arthropod parasites that infect cats can also be sources of zoonotic diseases in humans (Case et al. 2006). Arthropods, particularly mites and insects, can directly cause disease in addition to serving as disease vectors. Therefore, these parasites are of prime importance in feline dermatology. Ectoparasites are capable of causing systemic diseases that can F. Mendes-de-Almeida : A. L. Crissiuma : L. C. Gershony : N. Labarthe Universidade Federal Fluminense, Faculdade de Veterinária, Rua Vital Brazil Filho 64, Niterói, RJ, Brazil A. L. Crissiuma Universidade do Grande Rio, Rua Professor José de Souza Herdy 1160, Duque de Caxias, RJ, Brazil A. L. Crissiuma : L. M. V. Willi : J. P. Paiva : N. Labarthe Universidade Castelo Branco, Av. Brasil 9727, Penha, RJ, Brazil J. Guerrero School of Veterinary Medicine, Department of Pathobiology, University of Pennsylvania, 3800 Spruce Street, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA N. Labarthe Fundação Oswaldo Cruz, Av. Brasil 4365, Manguinhos, RJ, Brazil F. Mendes-de-Almeida (*) Rua Marechal Ramon Castilla 251/1203, Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, RJ 22290-175, Brazil e-mail: fma@centroin.com.br Parasitol Res (2011) 108:1431–1435 DOI 10.1007/s00436-010-2189-z