Feline Flashcards
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wire basket cat carriers?
Secure, can be end or top opening, easily cleaned and disinfected.
But without cover, cats may feel unsafe and frightened, and hard floor may be uncomfortable.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of carrying box cat carriers?
Can be end or top opening, easily cleaned and disinfected, cat can see and hide too.
But door rims can it difficult to remove cat.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of soft cat carriers?
Light weight and made of solid/mesh soft plastic, easily cleaned and disinfected and can collapse for storage.
But cat may feel vulnerable due to open sides and soft floor, and could collapse with cat’s weight.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of cardboard cat carriers?
Low cost, top opening and light weight.
But not durable, especially if wet weather or if cat urinates, cat could escape, can’t disinfect and tears easily, so range of use is limited.
What are the advantages and disadvantages of wicker cat carriers?
Looks nice, is available in many shapes, can be end or top opening, and closed sides gives security while being able to see out.
But hard to keep clean, leaks upon urination, igloo shaped baskets are particularly hard to remove cat from.
Describe how to restrain a cat for cephalic blood sampling.
- Position cat near edge of table, either sitting or in sternal recumbency, with head facing whoever is taking the blood sample.
- Gently restrain head by placing hand under neck/head.
- Place other hand behind elbow and extend limb forward slightly. If calm, this may be enough restraint.
- Use arm to hold cat against body to prevent wriggling. Here, hair is clipped over upper forelimb/cephalic vein and prepared aseptically.
- Raise vein using thumb over dorsal aspect of forelimb at elbow level and rotate.
Describe how to wrap a cat.
- Place a towel length ways on a table.
- Place cat 2/3 way on towel, caudal end towards you.
- Fold shorter end of the towel over the cat, leaving head (and limb is necessary) out.
- Tuck towel beneath cat.
- Take the remaining end of the towel and wrap over the cat leaving the head out.
- Tuck towel beneath cat.
Describe how to sex a cat.
Using ano-genital distance.
Male = greater distance. Urogenital penile opening is round. Testicles in entire/unneutered males positioned between anus and penile opening
Female = urogenital vulva opening is slit-like and immediately below anus.
Describe the classification of reproduction in queens.
- Seasonal breeders so reproductive activity associated with a distinct period of time.
- Timing of seasonality is dependent on light photoperiod and ambient temperature, usually running from March to September.
- Polyoestrous so multiple ovulations during a breeding period.
- Induced ovulation from mating
- Puberty is from 6 months and dependent on breed and time of year
Describe the oestrous cycle in queens.
- No distinctive proestrous
- Oestrous behaviour is distinctive with vocalisation, restlessness, rolling, rubbing, squat/submissive posture, ‘on song’, ‘calling’, urine marking
- Waves of follicle development so behaviour can seem continuous
- Induced ovulation means that stimulation of vagina results in GnRH release and LH surge
- Oestrous signs persist for 3 or up to 14 days depending on whether mated or not
- Luteal phase is the progesterone dominated phase that lasts around 50 days
- Anoestrous is the period of sexual inactivity over the winter months
Describe reproduction in toms.
- Puberty is 5-11 months depending on breed and body weight
- No seasonality of breeding
- Testosterone drives secondary male characteristics – cheek pads, stature, urine pheromones, roaming to seek females, aggressive behaviour towards other male cats, urine marking
Describe mating in cats.
Mating in cats is quick and painful due to the barbed spines on the feline penis, which are necessary to induce ovulation. The queen shows pain and aggression on intromission.
Describe pregnancy in queens.
- Multiple sires possible for each pregnancy
- Multiple pregnancies possible within a single breeding season
- Progesterone solely produced by corpus luteum. Leuteotrophic factor such as prolactin and relaxin are thought to maintain secretion of progesterone from the corpus luteum.
When does pseudopregnancy and non-pregnant luteal phase occur?
Pseudopregnancy involved corpus luteum secreting for 30-40 days
Non pregnant luteal phase is 25-45 days and pregnant luteal phase 65 days
How is oestrous controlled in queens?
- Neutering
- Medical control of heat rarely used because of very significant side effects of drugs
- No licenced products for misalliance
