Cats Flashcards
Historically, what biome do cats originate from
Forests
Where were cats first domesticated
Cats were first domesticated 4000 BC by Egyptians
How many species are there in the cat family (Felidae)
38
The domestic cat is one of these species
How many breeds of cat are recognized by the Cat Fanciers’ Association
41
Pedigree cats
Ancestry has to be a recognized breed that been recorded for at least 4 generations.
-Fewer than1% of household cats are a pedigree heritage
Most cats are mixed breeds (household or domestic cats)
- Domestic shorthair
- Domestic longhair
What are the top ten pedigree cat breeds
- Persian
- Maine Coon
- Exotic
- Siamese
- Ragdoll
- Abyssinian
- Birman
- American Shorthair
- Oriental
- Sphynx
Persian Cat
Traits:
- Long hair
- sturdy and good disposition.
History:
Brought from Persia by an Italian traveler (1617-1621).
- Considered the cat of nobility and affluence in Europe
Maine Coon
Traits:
- Very large
- Good temperament
- Agile, strong, brave
- Good at rodent control
History:
It’s believed to be a cross of Persian cats (i.e. from Marie Antoinette own cat collection [trying to escape to the USA) and bred with American domestic cats
Exotic Cats (domestic breed)
Breed was developed crossing: Persians with American and British shorthair, Burmese, Russian Blue,
- Are considered good temperament
Siamese Cat
The Royal cat of Siam (Thailand) and lived in places and temples for over 200 years.
- Boisterous (rough) temperament
Ragdoll Cat
developed in 1960 by crossing Persian with Birman and Burmese cats. Only most docile were kept for breeding
- Cats are characterized by becoming limp and relaxed when be picked up off the ground
Abyssinian cat
Likely originated from Egypt, but was raised for 1000s of years in Abyssinian (Ethiopia)
- like people- but not good ‘lap cats’
Birman Cat
Sacred cat of Burma.
- Good household pets that are stocky and intelligent
American Shorthair
Originated from native American working cats.
- Good for rodent control, strong and agile good climbers
Oriental cat
Originated form Siamese crosses. Similar temperament to Siamese
- More colorful coats and patterns than Siamese
Sphynx Cat
Developed in Canada 1960 (aka ‘Canadian Hairless cat’). Kittens born with fine hair that is lost in adulthood
- cat owners like that these adult cats don’t shed hair once the fine hair growth is gone
Which adaptions make cats a top predator
- High agility and speed
- Can hunt either at day or night (usually night)
- Excellent smell and hearing
- Ears can rotate 180 degrees
- Tail
- Used as a rudder for body control while jumping and running
- Whiskers help locate prey at close range
- Receptors in mouth reflexively close jaw
- Canine teeth punctures tissue (vessels and trachea) and carnassial teeth tear flesh
What structures contribute to cat flexibily
The spine is very flexible, allowing the cat to make quick adaptations of its body in 3-D space
- The cat lumbar spine is 6 times more flexible of rotation of bending than humans
- The cat has a small muscle attached clavicle (floating clavicle) and this allows for easier longitudinal motion of the shoulder joint
Tapetum lucidum
Tapetum lucidum (Latin: ‘Bright tapestry’):
- Present in many mammals, including cats
- Located behind the retina.
- Causes “eye shine”
It reflects images back on to the retina, enhancing low light images and thus allows cats to see at night
Cat Balance
Cat balance and orientation: very effective at falling and turning around in mid-air to land on its feet (cats have 9-lives)
- It is believed that cats have a highly developed vestibular apparatus
Cat Whiskers (vibrissae)
Cat Whiskers (vibrissae):
These are used to detect the environment around them (i.e. feelers) especially in the dark.
- If cats have lost vibrissae they are more tentative and cautious to move around
- Usually, 30 whiskers in sets of 4/row along mouth and above eyes
No whiskers = Loss of head position info
Cat paw structures
Pads of feet: these are soft and allow for quiet movement
Retractable claws:
- an elastic fiber ligament system between the distal phalanx (P3) and the second most distal phalanx (P2) that when relaxed the claw is retracted.
- When needed a digital flexor tendon contracts and pulls the claw from its sheath
- This allows for quiet movement, keeps claws sharp, and lets the cat have longer claws
Problems with declawing cats
- Surgery risks
- Arthritis
- Causes inability to climb
- Increases aggresivness
- Removes scratching as a defence mechanism making cats resort to biting
Feline biting structures
Short lower (mandible) and short upper jaw (maxilla) and strong temporalis and masseter muscles gives very strong bite. Tongue has no effect
Canine teeth (eye-teeth) puncture wounds and carnassial teeth (premolar teeth, upper jaw and molar of lower jaw) tear tissue
Why are cats obligate carnivores?
Cats are prone to taurine deficiency and need to collect it from animal tissue
- Other species synthesize taurine from sulfur rich amino acids (methionine and cysteine). The enzymes involved in these pathways are in very low quantities in cats
Unlike other animal species cats have a difficulty in regulating the activity of hepatic enzymes involved in amino acid catabolism.
- Unable to adapt protein catabolic pathways and activities such as urea cycle
What diseases can be caused by taurine deficiency in cats
Dilated Cardiomyopathy
- Heart is too big
- Takes too much energy to pump blood
- Weak beats
- Leads to cardiovascular failure
- Can lead to blood clots
Progressive retinal degeneration that leads to blindness
- Retina is too thin
- Light is being reflected through the retina
What percentage of cats have benign Hyperthyroidism
Note: Hyperthyroidism is usually seen in middle age to geriatric cats
- 95% of cats with hyperthyroidism have benign thyroid adenomatous hyperplasia or adenomas (hyper-functional). Excess levels of T4 hormone
- This does not spread to other parts of the body
- Less than 2% are carcinomas
- This does spread to other parts of the body
- 70% of most cases are associated with both lobes of the thyroid gland
What causes hyperthyroidism in cats
- Antibodies (initially believed there as similarity to Graves disease in people); disproven
- Environment: indoor cats: one study cats that used lots of cat litter had higher incidence of disease
- Diet: cats on canned food (fish, liver, giblets) and with plastic linings: more incidence of disease
- Diets with high iodine: daily fluctuating levels of iodine are associated with higher incidence of disease. Constant iodine levels may modulate disease
Thyroid hormone
Thyroid hormone (T4 longer lasting in blood/ T3 [active form] is derived from T4 and is more potent) affects almost all cell types. Increases metabolic rate of body (increase cellular activity). Uses more
oxygen consumption by cells
- increases protein synthesis, fat and carbohydrate metabolism (catabolism, breakdown)
- Modulates calcium homeostasis
Cardiovascular effects of hyperthyroidism
- Increased heart rate (tachycardia) and heart contractility (i.e. strength of contraction)
- Increased in blood pressure, by increased water retention) (i.e. sodium reabsorption): increased preload of the heart
- Increased erythropoietin secretion (i.e. increase more red blood cells)
- Makes blood “sludgy” (harder to pump)
Consequences of hyperthyroidism
- Long-term increased heart rate
- Heart murmurs
- Increased respiration (stressed… visit to
veterinary clinic) - Heart arrhythmias
- Hypertrophic congestive heart failure
- Hypertophic Cardiomyopathy
- Heart muscle becomes too large
Treatments for hyperthyroidism (in cats)
-
Drug treatment: (Methimazole): ~90% effective but reversible
- The condition may return
-
Radiotherapy: (Radioiodine): >90% effective and curative
- Radiotherapy effects healthy cells too
-
Surgery: ~ 90% effective and curative
- Important glands are located near the thyroid gland (parathyroid glands)
- High risk of damaging structures
What causes Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)
FIP is caused by Feline coronavirus (FCoV): Group I coronavirus
- This virus can survive for 7 weeks in a dry environment
- Occurs in domestic and wild cats (more frequent in crowded areas)
- Contact virus: usually fecal-oral contact (litter box), rarely by saliva (water bowls) or in utero
How often will FCoV progress to FIP?
1:9 cats infected with FCoV will progress to FIP (a fatal disease) and manly seen in young cats (most of FIP are in cats less that 1-year of age)
- Stress: (i.e. surgery, overcrowding etc.) will increase the chance of progressing to FIP
What does Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP) do to the cat?
Virus will induce chronic immune stimulation: will result in pyogranulomatous vasculitis (neutrophils, macrophages infiltrating blood vessels)
2 forms: dry (non–effusive) and wet (effusive) form
- Dry: characterized by pyogranulomatous lesions of organs
- Partial immune response
- Wet: polyserositis (lining of body cavities) will exude fluid
- No immune response
Pathogenesis of FIP
Weak or absent cell mediated-immune response.
- If partial (effective) cell mediated-immune response: dry form
- If absent (effective) cell mediated-immune response: wet form
- If develop an antibody response (i.e. to S-protein) disease and death progress quickly.
- Wet form
- Wrong antibody response
What does a cat with wet form FIP look like?
Markedly distended abdomen
Pleural effusion- Ongoing leaking of fluid into longs and chest cavity
Peritoneal effusion (ascites)
What does a cat with dry from FIP look like?
Renal inflammation
Ocular Changes
- Hemorrage in eyeball
- Clots in retina
Treatment and management of FIP
- Supportive (possible short term): NSAIDS
- Euthanasia: the disease is always fatal:
- Control: Hygiene, clean and disinfect area.
- Try to prevent cats from wondering in areas with known FCoV infections
- If you had an FIP infected cat: It’s
recommended that at least 2 month before bring a new pet into the home
Feline Parvovirus
Feline Parvovirus = Feline Panleukopina virus
- Rare
- Cats never make it to adulthood
- In utero infection
- Complete loss of motor control
- cerebellum is “obliterated”
- “drunk” walking
- 99% similar to canines parvovirus
What populations are affected by Feline Calcivirus?
Highly contagious pathogen that spreads through cat populations.
- Larger cat households or shelters, higher prevalence of virus. 25-40% cats infected
- Large colonies of cats: infection prevalence: 50-90%
- Small cat households, smaller number of cats infected. <10% of cats infected
Structure of Feline Calicivirus
+ve single stranded RNA virus and this
enables rapid virus mutations.
- This can impact on developing long term protective immunity
How does Feline Calcivirus get into the body and spread?
Cats infected by oral, nasal, conjunctival (eye).
- The oropharynx (main route)
Transient viremia (virus in blood) 2-4 days (the virus is actively growing)
- Then virus found in distant tissues
What does Feline Calcivirus affect the body
Virus kills epithelial cells (epithelial cell necrosis)
Tongue and mouth eye lungs, synovial
membrane (joints) affected
Initially: vesicles (blisters) on tongue that rupture into ulcers
Tissue healing: 2-3 weeks post injury
- Most acute infections: cat recover 30 days
- Some cats will shed the virus for life
The virus is localized in palatine tonsils.
Note: tonsillectomy will not clear the virus
Clinical signs of Feline Calcivirus
Acute oral and upper respiratory tract
disease
- The disease manifestation is dependent on health, and age of animal. Husbandry practice and virulence (infectivity) of the virus
- Often appears in kittens
- Sneezing, watery eyes, coughing, lethargic
Calicivirus: Limping syndrome
- A transient lameness with in cats
- Occurs a few weeks post acute infection (i.e. showing upper respiratory signs) or vaccination
Calicivirus: Eye problems
- Ulcers of the cornea
- Inflammation of the conjunctiva
- Excessive tearing
Calicivirus: Chronic stomatitis
- Chronic inflammation of the mouth caused by an immune mediated problem
(autoimmunity) - Large amounts of lymphocytes invade the tissue
Highly Virulent Feline Calicivirus Disease
- New disease (~10 years) described in Europe and USA
- Highly virulent calicivirus
- ••Infects adults more than kittens••
- Characterized by systemic inflammatory response syndrome (hyper inflammation)
- Disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) and multi-organ failure
- Causes death in animals
- Mortality: 67% of incidence
Calicivirus: Diagnosis
- Virus isolation
- Serology (antibody detection): all cats that have tested positive for serology should be considered suspicious for being a carrier
- Molecular techniques: PCR (a technique that allows the detection of a single copy of the virus nuclear material)
Calicivirus: Disease Management
- Treat the acute upper respiratory disease: supportive care (can be intensive if cat is sick)
- Treat discomfort with NSIAD (ketoprofen) (Ibuprofen like drugs)
- Antibiotics for secondary bacterial infection
- Antivirals: either toxic or unavailable
-
Vaccination (Prevention): very important and effective. All healthy cats should be vaccinated
against calicivirus - Shelters: calicivirus is often present in shelters…therefore vaccinate all healthy cats and new arrivals
- Disinfect: calicivirus can survive in environment for 1 month: 5% bleach surfaces
- Catteries: vaccinate queen and kittens
Feline Leukemia Virus
- Feline leukemia virus: gamma-retrovirus
- Infects domestic and wild cats (i.e. lynx)
- Retrovirus: enveloped RNA virus
- 4 subtypes: A, B, C T (antigenically similar)
- Subtype A: is involved in every infections
What environments does Feline Leukemia Virus live in?
Virus doesn’t survive well in the environment (disinfectants, heat and drying will destroy the virus)
- Virus can live in moist areas and is easily transmitted from cat to cat or iatrogenic (introduced by procedure; contaminated needles or surgical equipment, blood transfusion, etc.)
Prevalence of Feline Leukemia Virus
Infections have been identified worldwide
The cat population density is important:
- Individual cats: prevalence<1%
- Multiple cat household (unvaccinated): prevalence >20%
Viremic (live virus in blood) cats are the
source of infection: virus shed in saliva, milk, nasal secretions, feces
Transmission of Feline Leukemia Virus
Transmission: usually by friendly contact (i.e. grooming,) and bites
Pregnant queens: stillbirth/abortions, viremic kittens that succumbed to
illness quickly (in utero) or by nursing
Feline Leukemia Virus (pathogenesis)
infections starts in oropharynx: virus infects lymphocytes that travel to bone marrow (bone marrow cells divide rapidly and thus many cells become infected): very viremic
- With large amounts virus will then infect salivary glands and intestine (shed virus in saliva and feces)
- Some cats develop protective immunity others are persistently infected will develop disease (death 18 months-3 years)
Feline Leukemia Virus effect on immune system
Immune suppression: granulocytes
(neutrophils) and lymphocytes are
infected by the virus (cells are impaired or
destroyed)
Feline Leukemia Virus
(diseases)
Leukemia and lymphoma: classifications
- Thymic
- Alimentary tract
- Peripheral form (multi-centric lymph nodes)
- Kills healthy lymphocytes, infected lymphocytes stay alive
- Extra-nodal (non lymph node) skin, kidneys, brain etc.
- Occasionally get odd tumors (fibrosarcoma)
- Tumor surveillance goes down
- Immune system is unable to check for cancer
Detection of Feline Leukemia Virus
- Elisa test for antibody to p27
- Immunochromatography and immunofluorescence
- Virus isolation
- Molecular techniques: PCR
Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV)
Retrovirus: Lentivirus (close relation to HIV)
- 5 sub groups (A-E): most common subtype A and B. Important for PCR diagnosis. FIV mutates rapidly (lots of variability and hard to mount and affective immune response
Management of Feline Leukemia Virus
General management:
- Separate infected cats from non infected cats. All cats should be tested
- Multi-cat household/ cattery: test and remove all virus positive cats
- Keep cats indoors. Prevent from exposure neighborhood cats
Care of the animal:
- Supportive care: antibiotics for secondary bacterial infections
- Blood transfusion and stimulating agents (erythropoietin, stimulates RBC production) to help anemic animals
- Antiviral agents: not too effective
- Vaccinate (but not 100% successful)
Spread and prevalence of FIV
Endemic world wide domestic cats (and wild ones)
- Sick cats, male and roaming cats most susceptible
Main route of transmission
- Bites
- Saliva
- Can be transmitted vertically (in utero [70% fetuses] and nursing) to kittens (but is less common)
- Also transmitted by oronasal and venereal spread
- Most often appears later in life (4-6 years)
What does FIV target?
FIV targets CD4 T cells and macrophages/dendritic cells
- CD4 T cells: directs/orchestrates immune responses
- Macrophages: can initiate immune functions and destroys pathogens and involved in healing
- gp120 binds to CD 134 protein on CD4 T cells and the invades the CD4 T cell
FIV Latency
Latency: part of the virus (proviral genome) integrates into cell genome. Once cell is activated, produces virus. This acts as reservoir
- Hard for the immune system to remove
Pathogenesis of FIV
Initially FIV replicates in CD4 T cells, macrophages and dendritic cells
- 2 weeks later the virus is identified in blood (viremia)
- 8-12 weeks post exposure: peak infection: anorexia, fever and depression
- Following this the cat recovers (lymph nodes enlarged for up to several months)
- Asymptomatic phase: cat remains healthy (last years and in some cats…entire life)
- There can be a slow progressive loss in CD 4 T cell number. As well as macrophage dysfunction
Immunological impairment
- AIDS: acquired immunodeficiency
syndrome…death
Clinical Signs of FIV
Most clinical signs are caused by secondary infection leading to sickness and death. bacteria, fungal viral
- Tumors develop (lymphosarcoma, bone marrow cell hyperproliferation).
- Immune system down, unable to check for tumours
- Can rarely get FIV inducing brain injury itself; behavioral changes, seizures, sleep patterns aberrations
- Stomatitis
- Hemorrhagic necrotizing enteritis-intestinal injury with bleeding and mucosal sloughing
Disease management of FIV
Diagnosis
- Virus isolation
- Molecular techniques: PCR
- Serology: detection of antibodies for FIV
- T cell function tests
Decontamination
- virus can only survive minutes outside the animal and is easily destroyed by common disinfectants (even hand soap)
Isolation
- primary form of protection. Keeps the FIV cat safe (not pathogens from healthy cats) and keeps healthy cat safe. Stops propagation of infection
- Keep indoor cats inside
- Test all sick animals (isolate or terminate infected animals)
- Quarantine up to 3 months
Vacinate
Routine health checks
Neutering ingected male cats
suportive care
Antiviral therapy
- AZ, ADM 3100 (CXCR4 on T cells blocking drug), interferons
- Very expensive
- mostly for human medicine
