Introduction

A variety of organisms inhabit the reproductive tract of cats and is believed to be affected by stages of the estrous cycle.

Objectives

This study aimed to determine the relationship of estrus and interestrus phases with aerobic bacterial culture of the vagina of cats.

Methods

Samples were obtained from twenty-six intact, female, domestic shorthair cats aged 1-year-old or older from two areas in the state of Selangor. Sterile cotton swabs were used for sample collection for vaginal cytology and bacterial culture. Three animals were in estrus while 23 were in the interestrus stage. Blood and MacConkey agar were used for bacterial culture.

Results

Gram-negative bacteria were isolated only from interestrus cats while gram-positive bacteria were isolated from both estrus and interestrus cats. Amongst all the animals, the most aerobic bacteria isolated were Staphylococcus intermedius (26%), Streptococcus canis (26%), Escherichia coli (14%) and Staphylococcus pseudintermedius (12%). There was no association observed between aerobic bacteria cultured from cats in estrus and interestrus.

Conclusions

Types of bacteria cultured from the vagina of cats were not related to the phases of estrus and interestrus.