What is the definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii?

Toxoplasma gondii is a protozoan parasite that primarily reproduces in the intestines of its definitive host. The definitive host for Toxoplasma gondii is domestic cats. This is because cats shed oocysts of T. gondii into their feces, which can then infect other animals and humans. The life cycle of Toxoplasma requires a definitive host to complete its sexual reproduction, and cats serve this role effectively. When other intermediate hosts, such as birds or rodents, ingest the oocysts, they can become infected and harbor tissue cysts of the parasite, but they do not support the parasite's complete life cycle. Thus, domestic cats are essential for the continuation of Toxoplasma gondii's life cycle, making them the definitive host.