In this study, parasitological examination of 48 female and 52 male cats (total 100 cats) obtained from plain and plateau villages of Elazığ in the period of 1995-1997 was conducted. The location where the cats caught and the sex of cats were recorded. Helminth and protozoon species in these cats were determined by the examination of feces. Autopsy was performed after the collection of ectoparasites on cats. Tissues of digestive tract, lungs, heart, pancreas, spleen, liver, kidneys, urine bladder, subcutaneous layer, and abdominal cavity were examined for parasites. Ectoparasites were collected in 70% alcohol and helminths in 0.9% saline. Nematodes collected were fixed in 70% alcohol while trematodes, and cestodes were fixed in 10% formalin. Transparency of ectoparasites was obtained by using chloral hydrate solution and lactophenol was used for nematodes. Trematodes and cestodes were stained with carmen borax dye. Type description and counting were performed by microscopic examination.

All of the cats examined (100%) were found to be infected by various parasites. Opistorchis tenuicollis was found in one cat (1.0%), Joyeuxiella pasqualei in 64 cats (64.0%), Hydatigera taeniaeformis in 59 cats (59.0%), Dipylidium caninum in 33 cats. (33.0%), Mesocestoides lineatus in 20 cats (20.0%), Diplopylidium nölleri in 19 cats (19.0%), Tetrathyridium elongatum in 8 cats (8.0%), Toxocara mystax in 57 cats (57.0%), Physaloptera praeputialis in 6 cats (6.0%), Capillaria aerophila in 4 cats (4.0%), Uncinaria stenocephala in 1 cat (1.0%), Isospora felis in 20 cats (20.0%), Ctenocephalides felis in 41 cats (41.0%), Cheyletiella blakei in 14 cats (14.0%), Rhipicephalus sanguineus in 3 cats (3.0%) and Linguatula serrata (nymph) in 1 cat (1.0%).

8 trematodes, 4525 cestodes, 285 nematodes, 1 Pentastomida and 523 arthropoda, in total 5342 parasites, were collected from 100 infected cats.

The presence of arthropods, Cheyletiella blakei and Linguatula serrata (nymph) in cats of Elazığ region was discovered for the first time in this study.