How Serious Are Health-Related Welfare Problems in Unowned Unsocialised Domestic Cats? A Study from Denmark Based on 598 Necropsies.

Animals (Basel). March 2022;12(5):.

Ida Sofie Thuesen¹, Jørgen Steen Agerholm², Helena Mejer³, Søren Saxmose Nielsen⁴, Peter Sandøe⁵

¹ Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.; ² Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-2630 Tåstrup, Denmark.; ³ Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.; ⁴ Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.; ⁵ Department of Veterinary and Animal Sciences, University of Copenhagen, DK-1870 Frederiksberg C, Denmark.

Abstract

Free ranging unsocialised domestic cats are widely believed to suffer from a high load of welfare problems. We assessed the validity of this belief by performing necropsies on the corpses of 598 unsocialised cats, originating from all parts of Denmark, that had been euthanised by two Danish cat welfare organisations. We selected a number of variables for health-related cat welfare that could be assessed through necropsy (e.g., gross lesions, ectoparasites and body condition) or by laboratory analysis (e.g., infection with feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), and by feline leukaemia virus (FeLV)). Each finding was classified as having either a major or minor welfare impact on the cat. More than 83% of the cats had no major finding, and 54% had no finding indicating a welfare issue at all. More than 83% of the cats had a body condition within normal range. Only 0.3% were emaciated. The most common finding was infestation with ectoparasites, with 15.9% infected with lice, 12.3% with fleas, 4.7% with ticks, and 6.7% with ear mites. FIV and FeLV were detected in 9.2% and 1.2% of the cases, respectively. The most common lesion related to the cats' teeth. Overall, unsocialised cats in Denmark have a moderate level of health-related welfare problems.

Keywords

FIV; FeLV; Felis catus; body condition; ectoparasite; free-ranging; necropsy; unsocialised;

Article Tools:

Medline

Email to me

Grants:

No grant number Dyrenes Dags Komité, QATO Fonden, Dyrenes Beskyttelse, Fonden Inges Kattehjem, Foreningen Kustos, Kattens Værn, Kitty og Viggo Freisleben Jensens Fond, and University of Copenhagen

Archives Highlights:

Effects of intranasal maropitant on clinical signs of naturally acquired upper respiratory disease in shelter cats.
There was no significant difference in clinical improvement score between the maropitant treatment and control groups for conjunctivitis, blepharospasm, ocular discharge, nasal discharge, or total disease severity after 7 days.

Value of repeated health screening in 259 apparently healthy mature adult and senior cats followed for 2 years.
Within 2 years, 28% of mature adult and 54% of senior cats that were confirmed healthy at inclusion developed new diseases, most commonly IRIS = stage 2 CKD (cumulative incidence, 13.4%), hyperthyroidism (8.5%), chronic enteropathy, hepatopathy or pancreatitis (7.5%), or neoplasia (7%). The high prevalence and 2-year incidence of physical examination abnormalities and systemic diseases in apparently healthy older cats argue for regular health screening in cats at least 7 years of age.

Oral Flea Preventive to Control Rickettsia typhi-Infected Fleas on Reservoir Opossums, Galveston, Texas, USA, 2023-2024.
Spinosad killed 98% of fleas infesting opossums.

Endoparasites of rabbits and hares.
Accurate gross and microscopic identification of endoparasites in rabbits and hares is an important element of the diagnostic work of veterinary anatomic pathologists. Given the zoonotic nature of rabbit and hare endoparasites, such as C. hepatica, E. cuniculi, and others, veterinary pathologists are ideally poised to make valuable contributions to the understanding of the disease ecology of these pathogens in the context of a One Health research program.

Elimination Diet Trials: Steps for Success and Common Mistakes
Increasing the duration of the EDT to 8 weeks increases the sensitivity to more than 90% for the diagnosis of food allergies in dogs and cats. The time to flare upon oral challenge with the offending diet can be 7 to 14 days.