AbstractBackgroundThe incidence of toxoplasmosis in humans in Syria indicates an increase in the number of infections with this disease. Cats are the only definitive host ofToxoplasma gondiiand excrete environmentally resistant oocysts in their feces.ObjectivesEstimate the prevalence ofT. gondii‐like oocyst shedding in the cat population in Damascus, Syria.AnimalsOne‐hundred domestic cats.MethodsOne‐hundred fecal samples from cats (68 feral cats and 32 owned cats) were collected in Damascus between October and December 2017 and examined forT. gondii‐like oocysts by direct microscopic examination using Sheather's sugar flotation procedure.ResultsExamination of the samples showed that 36% (36/100) of the cats were sheddingT. gondii‐like oocysts. Sporulated or unsporulated oocysts morphologically consistent withT. gondiiwere detected in 38.2% (26/68) of the samples collected from feral cats and in 31.3% (10/32) of the samples collected from client‐owned cats.ConclusionThe clinical importance of Toxoplasmosis in humans lies in the transmission of Toxoplasma to the fetus especially in the first trimester, resulting in severe clinical symptoms in the infant and leading to spontaneous abortion, stillbirth or other serious health problems and severe sequelae (e.g., mental retardation, blindness, hearing, and neurological disorders). Our results showed higher prevalence in Syria than in Lebanon. High amounts ofT. gondii‐like oocyst shedding were detected in both feral and client‐owned cats in Damascus, emphasizing the importance of further research to understandT. gondiiinfection in people and animals in this region.