DEFECATION HABITS OF CATS AND DOGS AND CONTAMINATION BY TOXOCARA EGGSIN PUBLIC PARK SANDPITS

The defecation habits of cats and dogs in three sandpits in urban publ ic parks were observed by camcorder. Cats were the main cause of fecal contamination of these sandpits. Most (80%) feline defecations occurr ed at night between 6:00 PM and 6:00 AM. Each of the sandpits was used habitually as a defecation site by 4-24 cats, but these cats seemed t o defecate elsewhere, as well. Fecal deposits within the sandpits were evenly distributed and did not tend to be concentrated in one area, s uggesting that the cats avoided previously deposited feces when choosi ng a place to defecate. One sandpit was strongly contaminated and two were weakly contaminated with Toxocara eggs. Because sandpits are wide ly used as play areas for young children, effective sanitation measure s should be implemented to prevent the contamination of sandpits by To xocara eggs.