Domestic Cats Research Articles

Do domestic budgerigars perceive predation risk?

Predation risk may affect the foraging behavior of birds. However, there has been little research on the ability of domestic birds to perceive predation risk and thus adjust their feeding behavior. In this study, we tested whether domestic budgerigars (Melopsittacus undulatus) perceived predation risk after the presentation of specimens and sounds of sparrowhawks (Accipiter nisus), domestic cats (Felis catus), and humans, and whether this in turn influenced their feeding behavior. When exposed to visual or acoustic stimuli, budgerigars showed significantly longer latency to feed under sparrowhawk, domestic cat, and human treatments than with controls. Budgerigars responded more strongly to acoustic stimuli than visual stimuli, and they showed the longest latency to feed and the least number of feeding times in response to sparrowhawk calls. Moreover, budgerigars showed shorter latency to feed and greater numbers of feeding times in response to human voices than to sparrowhawk or domestic cat calls. Our results suggest that domestic budgerigars may identify predation risk through visual or acoustic signals and adjust their feeding behavior accordingly.

An Exploratory Bioinformatic Investigation of Cats' Susceptibility to Coronavirus-Deriving Epitopes.

Coronaviruses are highly transmissible and pathogenic viruses for humans and animals. The vast quantity of information collected about SARS-CoV-2 during the pandemic helped to unveil details of the mechanisms behind the infection, which are still largely elusive. Recent research demonstrated that different class I/II human leukocyte antigen (HLA) alleles might define an individual susceptibility to SARS-CoV-2 spreading, contributing to the differences in the distribution of the infection through different populations; additional studies suggested that the homolog of the HLA in cats, the feline leukocyte antigen (FLA), plays a pivotal role in the transmission of viruses. With these premises, this study aimed to exploit a bioinformatic approach for the prediction of the transmissibility potential of two distinct feline coronaviruses (FCoVs) in domestic cats (feline enteric coronavirus (FeCV) and feline infectious peritonitis virus (FIPV)) using SARS-CoV-2 as the reference model. We performed an epitope mapping of nonapeptides deriving from SARS-CoV-2, FeCV, and FIPV glycoproteins and predicted their affinities for different alleles included in the three main loci in class I FLAs (E, H, and K). The predicted complexes with the most promising affinities were then subjected to molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations to provide insights into the stability and binding energies in the cleft. Results showed the FLA proteins encoded by alleles in the FLA-I H (H*00501 and H*00401) and E (E*01001 and E*00701) loci are largely responsive to several epitopes deriving from replicase and spike proteins of the analyzed coronaviruses. The analysis of the most affine epitope sequences resulting from the prediction can stimulate the development of anti-FCoV immunomodulatory strategies based on peptide drugs.

Prospective Investigation of Feline Leukemia Virus Infection in Stray Cats Subjected to a Trap-Neuter-Return Program in Switzerland.

Feline leukemia virus (FeLV) remains a serious concern in some countries despite advances in diagnostics and vaccines. FeLV-infected cats often have reduced lifespans due to FeLV-associated diseases. The infection is transmitted through social interactions. While Northern European countries have reported a decrease in FeLV among pet cats, Switzerland's rates remain stagnant at 2.7% (2016/17: 95% CI 1.4-5.2%). Research on FeLV in Swiss stray cats has been lacking, even though these animals could serve as a virus reservoir. Sampling stray cats that do not receive regular veterinary care can be challenging. Collaboration with the Swiss Network for Animal Protection (NetAP) allowed for the prospective collection of saliva samples from 1711 stray cats during a trap-neuter-return program from 2019 to 2023. These samples were tested for FeLV RNA using RT-qPCR as a measure for antigenemia. Viral RNA was detected in 4.0% (95% CI 3.1-5.0%) of the samples, with 7.7% (95% CI 4.9-11.3%) in sick cats and 3.3% (95% CI 2.4-4.4%) in healthy ones. We identified three geographically independent hotspots with alarmingly high FeLV infection rates in stray cats (up to 70%). Overall, including the previous data of privately owned cats, FeLV-positive cats were scattered throughout Switzerland in 24/26 cantons. Our findings underscore welfare concerns for FeLV infections among stray cats lacking veterinary attention, highlighting the potential risk of infection to other free-roaming cats, including those privately owned. This emphasizes the critical significance of vaccinating all cats with outdoor access against FeLV and developing programs to protect cats from FeLV infections.

Is it time to re-evaluate anti-parasitic use in companion animals?

Anti-parasitics are very frequently used in companion animals for both prevention and treatment of parasites. When compared with practices related to parasite control in farmed animals, strategic, risk-based use of anti-parasitics in pet dogs and cats instead of precautionary and calendar-based treatment, is not a mainstream approach. Evidence of growing drug resistance in parasites of these hosts and a realisation of the potential adverse environmental consequences of anti-parasitics used in pets provide reasons to re-evaluate the use of anti-parasitics in companion animals. In order to achieve this, consultation and dialogue with industry stakeholders, as well as animal owners, is required.

Expression of IZUMO1 and JUNO in the gonads of domestic cats (Felis catus)

Because of the time-consuming nature of surgical neutering and the rapid rate of reproduction among domestic cats, it is crucial to investigate alternative, nonsurgical methods of contraception for this species. Sperm protein IZUMO1 and its oocyte receptor JUNO have been proposed as potential targets for nonsurgical contraceptives. This study aimed to demonstrate (1) the protein coding sequence of feline IZUMO1 and JUNO, (2) gene expression in specific organs by measuring mRNA levels in different visceral tissues, and (3) the expression of IZUMO1 and JUNO during sperm maturation and folliculogenesis, respectively. Amplification for sequencing of feline IZUMO1 and JUNO was performed using the RT-PCR method. Levels of gene expression in different tissues were evaluated using real-time PCR. In situ hybridization was performed to localize JUNO mRNA in ovarian tissues. The complete coding sequences of IZUMO1 and JUNO were obtained and analyzed. A comparison between protein orthologs demonstrated the conservation of IZUMO1 and JUNO in Felidae. The real-time PCR results from various visceral organs indicated that IZUMO1 was significantly higher in the testis than in other organs, whereas JUNO was significantly higher in the ovary than in other organs. Expression of IZUMO1 was found to be higher in the testes than in the caput, corpus, and cauda of epididymides. In situ hybridization revealed that JUNO mRNA was in the ooplasm and nucleus of the primordial, primary, secondary, and antral follicles. Importantly, this was the first study to demonstrate the IZUMO1 and JUNO genes in the testis and ovary of cats. The results are useful for future research related to these genes and for developing contraceptives against these targets.

Large animal models of pressure overload-induced cardiac left ventricular hypertrophy to study remodelling of the human heart with aortic stenosis.

Pathologic cardiac hypertrophy is a common consequence of many cardiovascular diseases, including aortic stenosis (AS). AS is known to increase the pressure load of the left ventricle, causing a compensative response of the cardiac muscle, which progressively will lead to dilation and heart failure. At a cellular level, this corresponds to a considerable increase in the size of cardiomyocytes, known as cardiomyocyte hypertrophy, while their proliferation capacity is attenuated upon the first developmental stages. Cardiomyocytes, in order to cope with the increased workload (overload), suffer alterations in their morphology, nuclear content, energy metabolism, intracellular homeostatic mechanisms, contractile activity, and cell death mechanisms. Moreover, modifications in the cardiomyocyte niche, involving inflammation, immune infiltration, fibrosis, and angiogenesis, contribute to the subsequent events of a pathologic hypertrophic response. Considering the emerging need for a better understanding of the condition and treatment improvement, as the only available treatment option of AS consists of surgical interventions at a late stage of the disease, when the cardiac muscle state is irreversible, large animal models have been developed to mimic the human condition, to the greatest extend. Smaller animal models lack physiological, cellular and molecular mechanisms that sufficiently resemblance humans and in vitro techniques yet fail to provide adequate complexity. Animals, such as the ferret (Mustello purtorius furo), lapine (rabbit, Oryctolagus cunigulus), feline (cat, Felis catus), canine (dog, Canis lupus familiaris), ovine (sheep, Ovis aries), and porcine (pig, Sus scrofa), have contributed to research by elucidating implicated cellular and molecular mechanisms of the condition. Essential discoveries of each model are reported and discussed briefly in this review. Results of large animal experimentation could further be interpreted aiming at prevention of the disease progress or, alternatively, at regression of the implicated pathologic mechanisms to a physiologic state. This review summarizes the important aspects of the pathophysiology of LV hypertrophy and the applied surgical large animal models that currently better mimic the condition.

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Cryptosporidium spp. In Domestic Cats Around Mexico

Prevalence and Risk Factors for Cryptosporidium spp. In Domestic Cats Around Mexico

A Framework for Optimizing Lighting in Animal Shelters for Domestic Cats

In this project, we aim to enable designers to optimize lighting conditions for domestic cats in animal shelters. Specifically, we developed an optimization framework that controls the spectral power distribution (SPD) of light sources and returns the effect on feline visual perception. In our model, we used standard light source SPDs and predicted light reflected from different surfaces within an animal shelter. The reflected SPDs were combined with the known brightness sensitivity of domestic cats across the visible light spectrum to develop an understanding of cats’ visual experience in the shelter under different lighting conditions. The optimization framework then minimizes the difference between a desired lighting effect (here, daylight) and a modeled effect using a set of light source SPDs. Initial results demonstrate that by using slightly more advanced lighting design and control, shelters can potentially improve the visual experience for cats.

Evaluation of a commercial proAKAP4 kit for the assessment of fresh and frozen-thawed feline spermatozoa.

ProAKAP4 is gaining increasing attention as a potential marker of semen quality in many species, but while there is a commercial kit for assessing proAKAP4 in the domestic cat, there are no publications about its use. The aim of this study was to evaluate the commercial proAKAP4 kit - Cat 4MID® Kit (SPQI - 4BioDx, Lille, France) for the assessment of feline semen. Semen was collected from 54 male cats by urethral catheterization. After a basic semen evaluation (subjective motility, CASA, viability, morphology), proAKAP4 levels in each sample were assessed using the Cat 4MID® Kit according to the manufacturer's protocol or with some modifications related to incubation time, sample storage conditions and number of spermatozoa used. Finally, the Spearman correlation of proAKAP4 concentration and sperm motility parameters was calculated. The most reliable results (acceptable intraassay coefficient of variation) were obtained with an optimized protocol of overnight incubation and isolation of proAKAP4 protein from 1 × 106 spermatozoa stored at -80°C. For fresh semen, there were no significant correlations between proAKAP4 concentration and sperm motility parameters, despite a strong correlation between motility parameters and sperm viability and morphology. A predominant effect of other sperm parameters and highly variable performance of lysis buffer question the usefulness of Cat 4MID® Kit for the assessment of feline semen. For frozen-thawed semen, there was a moderate, negative correlation between proAKAP4 concentration and two CASA parameters, VAP and VSL. As there were no correlations between proAKAP4 concentration in fresh semen and motility parameters in cryopreserved samples, proAKAP4 cannot be used as freezability marker in cats. More studies are needed to establish potential correlation with long-lasting motility.

Connectome alterations following perinatal deafness in the cat

Following sensory deprivation, areas and networks in the brain may adapt and reorganize to compensate for the loss of input. These adaptations are manifestations of compensatory crossmodal plasticity, which has been documented in both human and animal models of deafness–including the domestic cat. Although there are abundant examples of structural plasticity in deaf felines from retrograde tracer-based studies, there is a lack of diffusion-based knowledge involving this model compared to the current breadth of human research. The purpose of this study was to explore white matter structural adaptations in the perinatally-deafened cat via tractography, increasing the methodological overlap between species. Plasticity was examined by identifying unique group connections and assessing altered connectional strength throughout the entirety of the brain. Results revealed a largely preserved connectome containing a limited number of group-specific or altered connections focused within and between sensory networks, which is generally corroborated by deaf feline anatomical tracer literature. Furthermore, five hubs of cortical plasticity and altered communication following perinatal deafness were observed. The limited differences found in the present study suggest that deafness-induced crossmodal plasticity is largely built upon intrinsic structural connections, with limited remodeling of underlying white matter.

Generation of Fel d 1 chain 2 genome-edited cats by CRISPR-Cas9 system

Allergens from domestic cats (Felis catus) cause allergy-related health problems worldwide. Fel d 1 is a major allergen that causes severe allergic reactions in humans, including rhinitis, conjunctivitis, and life-threatening asthma. Therefore, patients with cat allergies anticipate hypoallergenic cats. We successfully generated Fel d 1 chain 2 (CH2) genome-edited cats using the CRISPR-Cas9 system in this study. T7 endonuclease 1 assay and Sanger sequencing were used to confirm the mutation in CH2 genome-edited cats. Fel d 1 level in CH2 genome-edited cats were assessed by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Remarkably, ELISA showed that the level of Fel d 1 in the CH2 homozygous genome-edited cat (Name: Alsik) was extremely low compared with that in wild type domestic cats and could be hypoallergenic cats. Additionally, we successfully cloned the CH2 homozygous genome-edited cat using cytoplasm injection clone technology. The cloned CH2 homozygous genome-edited cat was verified using microsatellite analysis. Creating hypoallergenic cats using the CRISPR-Cas9 system is a significant step forward because these cats can safely approach allergic patients.

Feline distichiasis treated with cryoepilation: Aretrospective study of 15 cats (27 eyes).

To describe the clinical features of cats diagnosed with distichiasis and report on the outcomes following cryoepilation. Fifteen cats (27 eyes). Medical records of domestic cats with distichiasis that underwent a double freeze-thaw cycle with a -80°C cryoprobe applied to the palpebral conjunctiva, with hair then epilated were retrospectively studied. The patient signalment, distichiae locations, concurrent ocular diseases, recurrences, complications, and outcomes were recorded. The mean (std dev) age at the time of diagnosis and treatment was 2.2 years (2.8 years). All (15/15) cats were of the domestic shorthair (DSH) breed. Concurrent ocular findings at the initial examination were observed in 17/27 (63%) eyes, with upper lateral eyelid hypoplasia the most prevalent, present in 9/27 (33.3%) eyes. Recurrence of distichiae occurred in 8/27 (29.6%) eyes. The clinical presentation in the instances of recurrence was judged as asymptomatic and not of a clinical concern in 3/27 (11.1%) eyes, with a second procedure deemed necessary to alleviate symptoms in 5/27 (18.5%) eyes. All eyes treated with a second procedure had no recurrence of distichiae or symptoms. Complications following cryoepilation occurred in 4/27 (14.8%) eyes, with two cats developing bilateral entropion post-procedure. Treatment of distichiasis in cats utilizing cryoepilation was effective at alleviating symptoms, though some cats needed a second procedure. The development of post-procedural entropion was seen occasionally.

Whole-genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 from the initial cases of domestic cat infections in Canada.

Two cat nasal swabs from Canada's earliest confirmed SARS-CoV-2 positive domestic cats were sequenced to over 99% SARS-CoV-2 genome coverage. One cat had lineage A.23.1 SARS-CoV-2 not reported before in animals. Both sequences have multiple spike gene mutations and clustered closely with human-derived sequences in the global SARS-CoV-2 phylogenetic tree.

Erythropoietin effects on cryopreserved/transplanted cat ovarian tissue: A comparison of two incubation methods

Many feline species are currently threatened with extinction. Therefore, germplasm bank establishment has become imperative. However, cryoinjury and ischemia-reperfusion injury pose significant obstacles to both cryopreservation and xenotransplantation. In this regard, erythropoietin (Epo) represents a potential alternative strategy due to its properties. This study aimed to assess the incubation of domestic cat ovarian tissue in Epo, both before and after cryopreservation, and investigate its effectiveness in promoting revascularization following xenotransplantation. Sixteen ovaries from 8 healthy cats were sliced following elective bilateral ovariohysterectomy (OHE). Subsequently, 8 fragments measuring 3 mm³ each were obtained from the cortical region of each ovary. The fragments were allocated into 3 treatment groups: Cryo group, fragments were cryopreserved, thawed and immediately transplanted; Cryo + Epo group, fragments were first cryopreserved in nitrogen, thawed, incubated in Epo (100 IU) for 2h and transplanted; and the Epo + Cryo group, in which fragments were first incubated in Epo (100 IU) for 2h, cryopreserved, thawed and immediately transplanted. The fragments were then xenotransplanted into the dorsal subcutaneous region of ovariectomized female nude mice and retrieved at 7, 14, 21, and 28 days post-transplantation. The results indicated that Epo effectively enhanced follicular survival, preservation of viability, and tissue revascularization. The Epo + Cryo group displayed better revascularization rates on D14 and D21 post-transplantation and an increase in primordial and growing follicles on D28, the Cryo + Epo group exhibited significantly more follicles on D14 and D21, with fewer degenerated follicles.

Arterial Thromboembolism in a Domestic Cat – A report

Arterial thromboembolism is more common in cats. Generally, it develops without premonitory signs. When the thrombus lodged in aortic trifurcation posterior paresis develops. This paper documents one such case and its successful management. A four-year-old male domestic short-haired cat was presented with a history of being unable to stand and walk for the past three hours. Clinical examination revealed that there was paraparesis on hind limbs, pulselessness in both the hind limbs, cold extremist and digital paws that looked cyanotic. Echocardiographic, radiographic and hemato-biochemical analyses were inconclusive. The absence of femoral pulse, pain and absence of blood flow in the Doppler blood pressure crystal and ultrasonographic exam confirmed the aortic thromboembolism. The animal was treated with buprenorphine @ 0.02 mg/kg every 6 hours, injection enoxaparin @ 1 mg/kg every 8 hours and tablet clopidogrel 75 mg total dose (1/4 -0 – 0). On the fourth day of therapy, the animal showed deep pain, improvement in the digital pad (Fig 3) and mild voluntary motor activity. On the seventh day of therapy, the animal showed significant improvement and after 10 days of therapy, the animal showed an uneventful recovery. The paper presents paraparesis due to aortic thromboembolism in a domestic cat and its management.

Relationship between acoustic traits of protesting cries of domestic kittens (Felis catus) and their individual chances for survival

Domestic cat (Felis catus) mothers may rely on offspring cries to allocate resources in use of individuals with greater chances for survival and sacrifice the weak ones in case of impossibility to raise the entire large litter. Potential victims of this maternal strategy can enhance their chances of survival, by producing vocalizations with traits mimicking those of higher-quality offspring. We compared acoustic traits of 4990 cries produced during blood sampling by 57 two-week-old captive feral kittens (28 males, 29 females); 47 of them survived to 90 days of age and 10 died by reasons not related to traumas or aggression. No relationship was found between acoustic parameters and kitten survival, however, positive relationship was found between survival and body weight. The cries had moderate cues to individuality and lacked cues to sex. Body weight correlated positively with fundamental frequency and negatively with call rate, duration, peak frequency and power quartiles. We discuss that dishonesty of acoustic traits of kitten quality could develop as adaptation for misleading a mother from allocation resources between the weaker and stronger individuals, thus enhancing individual chances for survival for the weaker littermates. Physical constraint, as body weight, may prevent extensive developing the deceptive vocal traits.

Ecological factors influencing invasive predator survival and movement: insights from a continental-scale study of feral cats in Australia

Feral cats (Felis catus) pose a significant global threat to biodiversity, primarily through predation, disease and competition. A key gap in parameterizing models for improving management decisions for feral cat control relates to factors that drive feral cat survival and movement in the wild. Our study objective was to conduct the first continental-scale analysis of survival rates and displacement distances for feral cats. We collated data on 528 feral cats from telemetry studies in naturally-vegetated landscapes across Australia. Using Cox-proportional hazards models, we investigated the effects of sex, presence of larger predators (dingoes, Canis familiaris and introduced foxes, Vulpes vulpes), presence of introduced prey (rabbits, Oryctolagus cuniculus), body mass, landscape productivity and feral cat density on feral cat survival. We also analysed the effects of sex, body mass and landscape productivity on feral cat displacement using linear mixed model analysis. Feral cat survival was positively associated with presence of dingoes and increasing body mass, whereas there was no clear association between feral cat survival and sex, presence of rabbits, or cat density. Presence of foxes had a strong negative effect on feral cat survival, but the hazard ratio was associated with considerable uncertainty. Net displacement of male feral cats was nearly two times further than that of females, and the proportion of feral cats making long-distance movements was greater in landscapes with low productivity. Increasing body mass of feral cats was positively related to net displacement, with heavier cats moving further. Analysis of metadata from telemetry studies can provide valuable insights into wildlife survival rates and movement behaviour. Our findings will help inform the development of effective management strategies and improve feral cat management for biodiversity conservation.

DNA mini-barcoding reveals the mislabeling rate of canned cat food in Taiwan.

Domestic cats are important companion animals in modern society that live closely with their owners. Mislabeling of pet food can not only harm pets but also cause issues in areas such as religious beliefs and natural resource management. Currently, the cat food market is booming. However, despite the risk that mislabeling poses to cats and humans, few studies have focused on species misrepresentation in cat food products. To address this issue, we used DNA barcoding, a highly effective identification methodology that can be applied to even highly processed products. We targeted a short segment (~85 basepairs) of the mitochondrial 16S rRNA (16S) gene as a barcode and employed Sanger or next generation sequencing (NGS) to inspect 138 canned cat food products in the Taiwanese market. We discovered that the majority of mislabeling incidents were related to replacement of tuna with other species. Moreover, our metabarcoding revealed that numerous undeclared ingredients were present in all examined canned products. One product contained CITES Appendix II-listed shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus). Overall, we uncovered a mislabeling rate of at least 28.99%. To verify cases of mislabeling, an official standardized list of vernacular names, along with the corresponding scientific species names, as well as a dependable barcoding reference sequence database are necessary.

A Comparison of People’s Attachments to Romantic Partners and Pet Cats

ABSTRACT The purposes of our study were to investigate the suitability of human attachment concepts (anxiety and avoidance) in describing attachment to cats and to directly compare people’s attachment to their romantic partner with that to a pet cat. We used the 12-item Experiences in Close Relationships Scale-Short form (ECR-S) and the same measure adapted for cats. Items in the two measures had identical wording; only the attachment figure differed (e.g., “I feel close to my romantic partner” and “I feel close to my cat”). Items referred to a specific attachment figure (e.g., “my cat,” not “cats”). We received 453 valid responses to our online survey from participants in a romantic relationship who also had one cat. Factor analysis of the adapted ECR-S (for cats) did not result in the same factors as the ECR-S for humans. However, the six components of attachment anxiety (fear of interpersonal rejection or abandonment, excessive need for approval from others, and distress when one’s partner is unavailable or unresponsive) and avoidance (fear of dependence and interpersonal intimacy, excessive need for self-reliance, and reluctance to self-disclose) were structurally similar for both relationships. Although participants sought some degree of emotional support from their cats, they did not necessarily need reassurance from their cat or feel distress when their cat was unavailable to them the way they might about a romantic partner. The ECR needs further testing and external validation to be adapted for the human–cat relationship. Future research could investigate why the responses from cat owners do not result in the same attachment factors for cats as for romantic relationships.

Retroperitoneal Mullerian Cyst of Renal Origin in a Cat - A Case report

Extreme rarely reported mullerian cysts of the retroperitoneum are considered to be a subtype of urogenital cysts. Retroperitoneal cysts can be categorized into lymphatic cysts, mesothelial cysts, enteric cysts and urogenital cysts based on embryological origin and histogenesis. The present case is an rare encounter and the successful management of the same is herewith discussed. A twelve months old intact female domestic short hair cat was presented with a history of progressive abdominal distension, anorexia, lethargy and oliguria. On abdominal palpation, an extensive globular mass was palpable in the cranial abdomen a survey radiography of the abdomen and thorax revealed a soft tissue contour at the cranial abdomen at the left renal position, thoracic radiography revealed absence of any abnormalities. Renal functional status was ascertained with intravenous pyelography which revealed unilateral cystic dysgenesis of left kidney and agenesis of left ureter. Hematobiochemical profiles and preoperative assessment were done to rule out general organ health. Following routine and special diagnostic procedures, an exploratory laparotomy confirmed the cystic renal distension that was excised through an unilateral nephrectomy and the cat was observed on periodic reviews to confirm any abnormalities if any which was absent and the animal had an uneventful recovery,.