Associations between early neutering, obesity, outdoor access, trauma and feline degenerative joint disease

Accelerometer-derived classifiers for early detection of degenerative joint disease in cats

Decreased mobility is a clinical sign of degenerative joint disease (DJD) in cats, which is highly prevalent, with 61 % of cats aged six years or older showing radiographic evidence of DJD. Radiographs can reveal morphological changes and assess joint degeneration, but they cannot determine the extent of pain experienced by cats. Additionally, there is no universal objective assessment method for DJD-associated pain in cats. Developing an accurate evaluation model could enable earlier treatment, slow disease progression, and improve cats' well-being. This study aimed to predict early signs of DJD in cats using accelerometers and machine learning techniques. Cats were restricted to indoors or limited outdoor access, including being walked on a lead or allowed into enclosed areas for short periods. Fifty-six cats were fitted with collar-mounted sensors that collected accelerometry data over 14 days, with data from 51 cats included in the analysis. Cat owners assessed their cats' mobility and assigned condition scores, validated through clinical orthopaedic examinations. The study group comprised 24 healthy cats (no owner-reported mobility changes) and 27 unhealthy cats (owner-reported mobility changes, suggestive of early DJD). Data were segmented into 60-second windows centred around peaks of high activity. Using a Support Vector Machine (SVM) algorithm, the model achieved 78 % (confidence interval: 0.65, 0.88) area under the curve (AUC), with 68 % sensitivity (0.64, 0.77) at 75 % specificity (0.68, 0.79). These results demonstrate the potential of accelerometry and machine learning to aid early DJD diagnosis and improve management, offering significant advances in non-invasive diagnostic techniques for cats.

Associations between body composition, metabolic mediators and osteoarthritis in cats

BACKGROUND

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a common, age-related joint disease in cats. The common finding of bilateral symmetric joint involvement may suggest influence from systemic factors, and could imply that body parameters such as excess body fat and cat size are important for OA development. We aimed to investigate associations between body composition and whole-body OA scores in 72 cats, using whole-body computed tomography (CT), and if serum concentrations of the metabolic mediators leptin, adiponectin and insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) reflected the total OA load. In addition, associations between body composition and metabolic mediators were determined. For data analyses, cats were grouped as smaller or larger according to the median value of the total body bone volume (body size), and as leaner or fatter cats according to the median of the total body fat volumes normalized for body size (nBFV).

RESULTS

Computed tomography-detected OA changes were present in 94% of cats. In appendicular joints, OA was most commonly detected in hip joints followed by elbow, stifle, carpal, tarsal and shoulder joints, whereas in axial joints, OA was most commonly detected in the thoracic region. Groupwise comparisons showed that whole-body OA scores were higher for fatter compared to leaner cats (p = 0.012), and larger fatter cats had higher whole-body OA scores compared to smaller leaner cats (p = 0.021). Whole-body OA scores were associated with IGF-1 concentrations (p = 0.0051). Leptin concentrations were strongly associated with nBFV (p < 0.0001), whereas IGF-1 concentrations were weakly associated with total body bone volumes (p = 0.0134). Individual joint region OA scores were higher in carpal, elbow, stifle and hip joints in fatter cats, in carpal joints in larger and larger fatter cats, in elbow joints in larger leaner cats, and in stifle joints in smaller fatter cats.

CONCLUSIONS

In cats, increased body fat is a risk factor for having a higher load of OA, particularly in carpal, elbow, stifle and hip joints. Increased body size is additionally a risk factor for having carpal OA. The total OA load is reflected in serum IGF-1 concentrations, but underlying mechanisms for this association are unclear.

Prevalence and factors associated with overweight and obesity in cats in veterinary hospitals in France during the COVID-19 pandemic

OBJECTIVES

The present study aimed to determine the evolution of the percentage of overweight and obese cats during the COVID-19 pandemic in France, and to identify factors associated with excess weight to inform the development of targeted prevention strategies.

METHODS

Cat owners visiting the veterinary hospitals of Maisons-Alfort and Toulouse between 2020 and 2022 for their pets' vaccinations were invited to answer a comprehensive questionnaire to gather general information about themselves and their cat, including details of its lifestyle, activity and diet. Only healthy adult cats were included in the study. During the vaccination consultation, veterinarians recorded the body condition score, muscle condition score and weight of each cat. This study followed a protocol adapted from a French study conducted in 2006 to allow analysis of any changes over time.

RESULTS

Of the 274 cats included in the study, 9.1% were underweight, 43.4% had an ideal body condition and 47.5% were overweight. Factors positively linked to overweight included age, being crossbred, being a male and having an owner who underestimated the cat's body condition. Living with a child and having a high activity score as rated by the owner were associated with ideal body condition. The prevalence of cats with a sedentary lifestyle and the number of overweight cats had both increased since the previous study in 2006. Additionally, changes in cats' diets and lifestyles over time, including those influenced by the COVID-19 pandemic, have led to an increase in exclusive dry food consumption compared with the 2006 study.

CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE

Important changes in cats' diet and lifestyle occurred between 2006 and 2020-2022. This study emphasises the need for further investigation into the duration of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on feline wellbeing. Educating owners on their cat's body condition and encouraging cats to be active can be effective strategies for maintaining feline health in response to ongoing global changes.

Overweight and obesity in domestic cats: epidemiological risk factors and associated pathologies

The domestic cat has evolved in various aspects in its journey from original domestication to the present day. Many domestic cats today lead a sedentary indoor lifestyle with low environmental stimulation. In addition, cats have changed their eating habits, transitioning from being carnivorous hunters to animals that eat commercial processed foods. Eating patterns have also changed since cats no longer need to hunt for food but instead have access to several portions throughout the day. All these variables, known as extrinsic epidemiological factors, added to animal-specific or intrinsic epidemiological factors (genetics, sex and breed, among others), predispose cats to the development of overweight and obesity (O&O). The prevalence of O&O has significantly increased in the global cat population, making them a growing clinical concern for companion animals. In turn, O&O contribute to the onset of other pathologies by either increasing susceptibility or creating conditions that allow existing or incipient pathologies to manifest or worsen. Some of these diseases correspond to changes in the musculoskeletal tissue, insulin resistance, type 2 diabetes, skin disorders, and kidney and urinary tract diseases, among others. Therefore, the aim of this review was to analyze the epidemiological variables and diseases associated with O&O in the domestic cat.

Evidence of obesity-induced inflammatory changes in client-owned cats

Background and Aim

Insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes mellitus are common health issues in obese (OB) cats. In humans, obesity leads to alterations in adipokine and proinflammatory cytokine secretion, causing persistent inflammation. The inflammatory impact of obesity in cats remains unproven. This study investigated associations between obesity and inflammatory and metabolic changes in three groups of client-owned Brazilian domestic shorthair cats: naturally lean, overweight (OW), and OB.

Materials and Methods

Cats from the Veterinary Hospital of Professor Sylvio Barbosa e Cardoso (FAVET/UECE) were clinically evaluated. Blood samples were collected for hematological and biochemical profile measurements, and part of the serum was used for measuring adipokine and inflammatory cytokines using sandwich enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

In both the OW and OB groups, serum cholesterol and insulin concentrations increased, while triglyceride concentrations were notably elevated in the OB group. In the OW and OB groups, serum adiponectin, tumor necrosis factor-α, and interleukin-1β levels were elevated, and leptin levels were significantly higher in the OB group.

Conclusion

This study is the first in Brazil to reveal increased serum levels of inflammatory markers in OW and OB client-owned felines. OW cats exhibited higher proinflammatory marker levels, implying obesity-induced inflammation.

Functions and Metabolism of Amino Acids in Bones and Joints of Cats and Dogs

The bone is a large and complex organ (12-15% of body weight) consisting of specialized connective tissues (bone matrix and bone marrow), whereas joints are composed of cartilage, tendons, ligaments, synovial joint capsules and membranes, and a synovial joint cavity filled with synovial fluid. Maintaining healthy bones and joints is a dynamic and complex process, as bone deposition (formation of new bone materials) and resorption (breakdown of the bone matrix to release calcium and phosphorus) are the continuous processes to determine bone balance. Bones are required for locomotion, protection of internal organs, and have endocrine functions to maintain mineral homeostasis. Joints are responsible for resisting mechanical stress/trauma, aiding in locomotion, and supporting the overall musculoskeletal system. Amino acids have multiple regulatory, compositional, metabolic, and functional roles in maintaining the health of bones and joints. Their disorders are prevalent in mammals and significantly reduce the quality of life. These abnormalities in companion animals, specifically cats and dogs, commonly lead to elective euthanasia due to the poor quality of life. Multiple disorders of bones and joints result from genetic predisposition and are heritable, but other factors such as nutrition, growth rate, trauma, and physical activity affect how the disorder manifests. Treatments for cats and dogs are primarily to slow the progression of these disorders and assist in pain management. Therapeutic supplements such as Cosequin and formulated diets rich in amino acids are used commonly as treatments for companion animals to reduce pain and slow the progression of those diseases. Also, amino acids (e.g., taurine, arginine, glycine, proline, and 4-hydroxyproline), and glucosamine reduce inflammation and pain in animals with bone and joint disorders. Gaining insight into how amino acids function in maintaining bone and joint health can aid in developing preventative diets and therapeutic supplementations of amino acids to improve the quality of life in companion animals.

Prevalence and risk factors for common respiratory pathogens within a cohort of pet cats in the UK

OBJECTIVES

Feline herpesvirus (FHV), feline calicivirus (FCV) and Chlamydia felis are common causes of upper respiratory tract disease (URTD) in cats. Their prevalence in the UK pet cat population has not been reported and little is known regarding the risk factors for their oral carriage.

METHODS

Total nucleic acid was extracted from owner-collected buccal swabs (n=600) from cats enrolled in a self-selected longitudinal cohort study. Duplex quantitative PCRs for the detection of FHV and C. felis genomic DNA and reverse-transcriptase quantitative PCRs for the detection of FCV genomic RNA were performed. Duplicates, swabs with insufficient host DNA/RNA, and cats with missing data were excluded. Selected epidemiological data were interrogated using univariable and multi-variable logistic regression modelling to identify risk factors.

RESULTS

Data from 430 cats were included in the final statistical model. Of these, 2.1% (n=9/430; 95% CI 1.0% to 3.9%) were positive for FHV, 13.3% (n=57/430; 95% CI 10.2% to 16.8%) positive for FCV and 1.2% (n=5/430; 95% CI 0.4% to 2.7%) positive for C. felis. FCV co-infection was present in five (44%) FHV-positive cats and three (60%) C. felis-positive cats. FCV carriage was more frequent in purebred cats (odds ratio 2.48; 95% CI 1.37 to 4.49) and in cats with current or historical clinical signs compatible with URTD (odds ratio 2.98; 95% CI 1.22 to 7.27).

CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE

FCV was the most frequently encountered URTD pathogen in this sample of cats; this should be noted for disinfectant choice. In cats suspected of having FHV or C. felis infection, assessment for co-infection with FCV is recommended.

Characterization of the Domestic Cat Population of Uruguay: Breeds, Coat Colors, Hair Length, Lifestyle, Sex and Spay/Neuter Status According to Guardian Report

The objective of this study was to characterize the domestic cat population of Uruguay in relation to breed, coat color, hair length, lifestyle (indoor vs. outdoor), age, sex, and spay/neuter status according to a survey completed by their owners or guardians. An online survey, distributed to residents of Uruguay, was completed in full by 2561 cat guardians. Descriptive statistics and Chi-squared tests were performed. The population of cats with guardians in Uruguay is characterized by the following data: higher frequency of female cats (53%), most of the cats were between two and six years old (49%), most of them were neutered (84%, mainly those older than one year of age), most of them have outdoor access (87%), a very low percentage (6%) are purebred (Siamese being the most frequent: 86%), and within the non-pure breeds, short hair cats were the most frequent (79%). This study, in addition to expanding the information on the characteristics of cats with guardians from other countries and continents, is the first study in Latin America to describe some key demographic aspects such as cat breeds, coat color, hair length, lifestyles, and frequency by age, sex, and spay/neuter status (spayed/neutered or not) at the country level.