Toxoplasma and Bartonella Tests for Cats

Toxoplasma and Bartonella are two germs that a cat can carry, often without looking ill, and both can pass to people. Toxoplasma is a parasite and is usually checked with blood antibody tests. Bartonella is a bacterium and is commonly looked for with an RT-PCR test on blood. Your vet decides which test, if any, suits your cat.

Why would a vet test a cat for these germs?

Most cats that meet Toxoplasma never show a problem. Only cats and their wild relatives pass the parasite's eggs in their droppings, and they usually do so for a short spell after a first infection. A few cats, especially kittens, very old cats and cats with weak defences, can fall ill, and the signs can look like many other diseases.

Bartonella spreads between cats mainly through fleas and flea droppings. Infected cats often look perfectly well. A vet may think of these germs when a cat has a long fever without a clear reason, red or cloudy eyes, swollen glands or other signs that the first tests do not explain. A healthy cat usually does not need either test.

What do the Toxoplasma antibody tests show?

Antibodies are proteins the body makes after it meets a germ. The Toxoplasma IgM test looks for IgM, the type made first after a new infection, so a positive result may suggest recent contact. The Toxoplasma IgG test looks for IgG, which appears later and can stay for a long time, so a positive result usually shows only that the cat has met the parasite at some point.

Neither result can tell you whether a cat is passing eggs in its droppings today. A negative result can also mislead if the sample was taken very early, before antibodies had time to form. Your vet may repeat the test after a gap to see whether the pattern changes.

Where does the rapid kit fit in?

The Feline Toxoplasma (Rapid Test) is a quick kit test on a cat's blood or serum. It gives an early indication when your vet wants a first answer without waiting. A positive may only show past contact, so your vet may follow it with a laboratory antibody test before drawing any conclusion.

What does Bartonella RT-PCR look for?

RT-PCR (real-time PCR) copies a tiny piece of a germ's genetic material until it is easy to detect. The Bartonella RT-PCR test uses a blood sample to look for the genetic material of Bartonella bacteria, and a positive result may indicate that the germ is in the blood. A negative result does not always rule infection out, because the bacteria are not in the blood at every moment. Your vet may repeat the test or weigh it against your cat's signs and flea history.

How can you protect your family?

Both infections are zoonoses, which means they can pass from animals to people. Bartonella can reach a person through a scratch or bite, and Toxoplasma through contact with infected droppings. Simple hygiene helps:

• Wash your hands with soap after touching a litter tray, after rough play and after gardening in soil.
• Wear gloves to clean the tray, and clean it regularly.
• Wash any scratch or bite with soap and water.
• Ask your vet about flea control for your cat.

Anyone who is pregnant, has weak immunity or feels unwell should speak to a doctor and mention the cat.

Owners sometimes ask for a test because someone at home is pregnant or has weak immunity. A result can help that conversation with the doctor, but it does not replace hygiene, because a cat that tests negative today can still pick up a germ later. A registered veterinarian reads the test results together with your cat's signs and history. If your cat is sick, see a vet promptly and do not wait for a test.

Read next

These two articles are about milk testing rather than cats, but they are useful if your family also runs a dairy or buys milk from one. Milk Adulteration Tests: What Dairy Farmers and Vendors Should Know explains what adulteration tests look for in a milk sample, and Milk Progesterone and PAG Tests for Early Pregnancy Checks shows how a milk sample can support an early pregnancy check.

Testing in Bhopal

A cat needs only a small blood sample for these tests. In Bhopal the lab at C-200, C Sector, Shahpura collects it free at your door, which suits a cat that hates travelling. Elsewhere, your vet can send the blood by courier or bus parcel. Call or WhatsApp +91 88175 01118, and the lab confirms the method, sample needs and reporting time when you book.