Stray Cat
Felis catus
Feral and free-ranging domestic cats — 3-5kg, varied coat colours — adapted to urban environments across South India. Solitary hunters but form colonies near food sources. Excellent climbers that enter compounds and rooftops via walls and trees. Hunt rodents, birds, and lizards but their droppings contaminate sandpits, vegetable gardens, and water storage. Toxoplasmosis is the primary human health risk — pregnant women are especially vulnerable.
What to look for
Evidence around the property
Risk assessment
Monitor and exclude. Low-risk pests still need prevention when activity repeats.
Toxoplasmosis (Toxoplasma gondii) — pregnant women risk miscarriage and fetal brain damage. Cat-scratch fever (Bartonella) from bites/scratches. Rabies (rare but possible). Toxocariasis from roundworm eggs in droppings. Allergies from dander. Secondary: killed songbirds, including protected species.
Practical steps before treatment
Surface Disinfection & Sanitisation
Hospital-grade ULV fogging for move-in, post-illness, or outbreak response. 99.9% pathogen kill.
More mammal pests
Need help with stray cat activity?
Book a professional inspection and get a fixed treatment recommendation from a certified Siva technician.