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larval development of angiostrongylus chabaudi, the causative agent of feline angiostrongylosis, in the snail cornu aspersum.nematodes of the angiostrongylidae family, such as angiostrongylus vasorum and angiostrongylus cantonensis, may cause potentially life-threatening diseases in several mammal species. alongside these well-known species, angiostrongylus chabaudi has been recently found affecting the cardiopulmonary system of domestic and wild cats from italy, germany, greece, romania and bulgaria. nonetheless, significant gaps in the understanding of a. chabaudi epidemiology include the lack of information of spec ...201728805181
fatal toxoplasmosis in an immunosuppressed domestic cat from brazil caused by toxoplasma gondii clonal type i.the objective of the study was to report on a fatal case of feline toxoplasmosis with coinfection with the feline leukemia virus (felv). a domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) presented intense dyspnea and died three days later. in the necropsy, the lungs were firm, without collapse and with many white areas; moderate lymphadenomegaly and splenomegaly were also observed. the histopathological examination showed severe necrotic interstitial bronchopneumonia and mild necrotic hepatitis, associate ...201728746448
competition and coexistence in a small carnivore guild.the potential for strong competition among small sympatric carnivores results in a need for coexistence strategies whereby competitors partition along spatial, temporal and dietary axes as a means to reduce ecological overlaps. we determined spatial and temporal partitioning patterns of a guild of small african carnivores: the african wildcat felis silvestris lybica, grey mongoose galerella pulverulenta, small-spotted genet genetta genetta, striped polecat ictonyx striatus, and the yellow mongoo ...201728733835
troglostrongylus brevior: a new parasite for romania.the genus troglostrongylus includes nematodes infecting domestic and wild felids. troglostrongylus brevior was described six decades ago in palestine and subsequently reported in some european countries (italy, spain, greece, bulgaria, and bosnia and herzegovina). as the diagnosis by the first-stage larvae (l1) may be challenging, there is a possibility of confusion with aelurostrongylus abstrusus. hence, the knowledge on the distribution of this neglected feline parasite is still scarce. the pr ...201729208009
visual classification of feral cat felis silvestris catus vocalizations.cat vocal behavior, in particular, the vocal and social behavior of feral cats, is poorly understood, as are the differences between feral and fully domestic cats. the relationship between feral cat social and vocal behavior is important because of the markedly different ecology of feral and domestic cats, and enhanced comprehension of the repertoire and potential information content of feral cat calls can provide both better understanding of the domestication and socialization process, and impr ...201729491992
spirometra erinaceieuropaei in a wildcat (felis silvestris) in iran.the zoonotic helminth, spirometra, has several species with almost global distribution. herein, we describe the first detailed molecular detection of spirometra erinaceieuropaei in a road-killed wildcat (felis silvestris) in iran and its identification at the species level using co1 gene. genomic dna was extracted using ctab extraction method. the dna then was applied for pcr amplification of cytochrome c oxidase subunit i (co1) gene. afterwards, pcr product was sequenced and obtained data were ...201731014600
evaluation of raw pork as a commercially manufactured diet option for zoo-managed african wildcats (felis silvestris lybica).second to beef, pork is a major protein source produced in the us. properly sourced and handled pork could be utilized as a protein option for zoo-managed carnivores. concerns of high levels of microbial populations in raw meat diets are common. the objectives of this study were to determine apparent total tract macronutrient and energy digestibility and fecal scores from cats fed a commercially manufactured raw pork-based diet compared with commercially available raw carnivore diets formulated ...201732704663
wide exposure to coxiella burnetii in ruminant and feline species living in a natural environment: zoonoses in a human-livestock-wildlife interface.assessment of the role of wild and domestic hosts as potential reservoirs of misdiagnosed zoonoses, such as q fever by coxiella burnetii, is an important public health issue today both for wildlife conservation and management of disease in human-livestock-wildlife interface. this study used elisa, an indirect antibody, to research (2003-2013) c. burnetii infection in seven free-living wild and domestic ruminant species and in european wildcats (felis silvestris). the animals studied were 0 europ ...201727776577
hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov.: morphological and molecular characterization of a new species of hepatozoon (adeleorina: hepatozoidae) from the european wild cat (felis silvestris silvestris).based on morphological and genetic characteristics, we describe a new species of hepatozoon in the european wild cat (felis silvestris silvestris), herein named hepatozoon silvestris sp. nov. the study also provides the first data on the occurrence of h. felis in this wild felid. hepatozoon meronts were observed in multiple cross-sections of different organs of four (44%) cats. additionally, extracellular forms, resembling mature gamonts of hepatozoon, were found in the spleen and myocardium of ...201727938443
use of a commercial serologic test for angiostrongylus vasorum for the detection of a. chabaudi in wildcats and a. daskalovi in badgers.three species of the genus angiostrongylus are known to infect european carnivores: a. vasorum (mainly in canids but also in other carnivores), a. chabaudi (in felids) and a. daskalovi (in mustelids). a. vasorum is responsible for clinically severe disease in domestic dogs, most commonly diagnosed based on fecal examination and serological detection of circulating antigens. considering the poorly known host range and the challenging larval differentiation in the feces between the three species o ...201728043379
occurrence and molecular genotyping of giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in wild mesocarnivores in spain.there is a surprisingly scarce amount of epidemiological and molecular data on the prevalence, frequency, and diversity of the intestinal protozoan parasites giardia duodenalis and cryptosporidium spp. in wildlife in general and mesocarnivore species in particular. consequently, the extent of the cyst/oocyst environmental contamination attributable to these wild host species and their potential implications for public veterinary health remain largely unknown. in this molecular epidemiological su ...201728215875
not another type of potato: mc1r and the russet coloration of burmese cats.the burmese is a breed of domestic cat that originated in southeast asia and was further developed in the united states. variants in melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) causes common coat colour phenotypes in a variety of mammalian species but only limited colour variation in the domestic cat. known as the extension (e) locus, melanocortin 1 receptor (mc1r) interacts with the agouti locus to produce the eumelanin and pheomelanin pigments. recently, a novel reddish coloration, which is termed russet, ...201727671997
concurrent transitional meningioma and ceruminous gland adenocarcinoma in a scottish wildcat hybrid (felis silvestris).the scottish wildcat (felis silvestris) is an iconic and endangered subpopulation of the european wildcat (f. silvestris silvestris). there is much research devoted to the ecology, genetics and conservation of this animal, but little published information on pathology and disease. the investigation and reporting of such information is vital to furthering understanding of the effects of hybridization, a factor that is crucial if we are to secure a future for the scottish wildcat. this report desc ...201726778210
social interaction, food, scent or toys? a formal assessment of domestic pet and shelter cat (felis silvestris catus) preferences.domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) engage in a variety of relationships with humans and can be conditioned to engage in numerous behaviors using pavlovian and operant methods increasingly cat cognition research is providing evidence of their complex socio-cognitive and problem solving abilities. nonetheless, it is still common belief that cats are not especially sociable or trainable. this disconnect may be due, in part, to a lack of knowledge of what stimuli cats prefer, and thus may be mos ...201728343989
a subjective domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) temperament assessment results in six independent dimensions.the study of personality or temperament is well developed in many species, but in domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) it has lagged behind. we applied one common methodology, subjective surveys, performed by their owners, to investigate the dimensions of cat temperament. to do this, we developed an eighteen question survey covering common behavioral traits of cats, and had the evaluators rank their cat on a seven point likert scale for trait. the responses were analyzed with factor analysis, ...201728341144
highly stable individual differences in the emission of separation calls during early development in the domestic cat.study of the development of individuality is often hampered by rapidly changing behavioral repertoires and the need for minimally intrusive tests. we individually tested 33 kittens from eight litters of the domestic cat in an arena for 3 min once a week for the first 3 postnatal weeks, recording the number of separation calls and the duration of locomotor activity. kittens showed consistent and stable individual differences on both measures across and within trials. stable individual differences ...201728323347
precision medicine in cats: novel niemann-pick type c1 diagnosed by whole-genome sequencing.state-of-the-art health care includes genome sequencing of the patient to identify genetic variants that contribute to either the cause of their malady or variants that can be targeted to improve treatment. the goal was to introduce state-of-the-art health care to cats using genomics and a precision medicine approach. to test the feasibility of a precision medicine approach in domestic cats, a single cat that presented to the university of missouri, veterinary health center with an undiagnosed n ...201728233346
a new view on the european feline population from mtdna analysis in polish domestic cats.domestic cats from eastern europe have been poorly represented in studies on mitochondrial dna diversity for forensic purposes until now. the aim of the present study was to contribute to closing this gap. the genetic structure and the origin of a cat population in poland were examined against the background of human migrations over the centuries. one hundred and eighty-one cats from animal shelters in seven cities were genotyped. twenty-one mtdna haplotypes were found, with only one haplotype p ...201728068530
nonregenerative immune-mediated anemia associated with a diffuse large b-cell lymphoma in a captive jaguar (panthera onca).an 18-year-old male castrated jaguar (panthera onca) was presented with anorexia and continuous bleeding from the oral cavity after a history of fighting with the partner animal. clinical evaluation revealed ulcerating lesions on the gingiva and hard palate and a hematoma on the tongue. computed tomography of the head and endoscopic examination of the esophagus and stomach were unremarkable. hematology and clinical chemistry revealed severe nonregenerative anemia, mild thrombocytopenia, and mode ...201728902958
facultative myiasis of domestic cats by sarcophaga argyrostoma (diptera: sarcophagidae), calliphora vicina and lucilia sericata (diptera: calliphoridae) in northern italy.we describe five cases of myiasis of domestic cats, felis silvestris catus l. (carnivora: felidae), reported in 2016 in northern italy and caused by three diptera species: sarcophaga argyrostoma (robineau-desvoidy) (sarcophagidae), calliphora vicina robineau-desvoidy and lucilia sericata (meigen) (calliphoridae). three were cases of traumatic myiasis, one by s. argyrostoma and two by l. sericata, one was a case of auricular myiasis by c. vicina and one was a case of ophthalmomyiasis caused by an ...201728803354
compound mechanism of fatal neck injury: a case report of a tiger attack in a zoo.fatal injuries caused by attacks by large wild cats are extremely rare in forensic medical practice in europe. there are very few cases described in the forensic medical literature concerning incidents in zoos similar to the tiger attack on a 58-year-old male zoo employee that we present here. while preparing a runway for tigers, the man was attacked by a male sumatran tiger. another zoo employee was an eyewitness to the accident; in his testimony he described the sequence of events in detail. t ...201728579157
cell cycle synchronization and analysis of apoptosis-related gene in skin fibroblasts from domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) and kodkod (leopardus guigna).the kodkod population is in constant decrease and the somatic cell nuclear transfer (scnt) might help to preserve the genetic pool of this species. the cell cycle synchronization of donor cells plays a crucial role in scnt. the objective of this research was to evaluate two different methods for quiescence induction, serum starvation (ss) and contact inhibition (ci), both for 1, 3 and 5 days, on skin fibroblast from domestic cat and kodkod. flow cytometry analysis revealed that in domestic cat, ...201728544240
can but don't: olfactory discrimination between own and alien offspring in the domestic cat.mammalian maternal care usually comes at a large energetic cost. to maximize their fitness, mothers should preferentially care for their own offspring. however, the majority of studies of mother-offspring recognition have focused on herd- or colony-living species and there is little information on maternal discrimination in more solitary-living species. olfaction has been found to play a major role in mother-offspring recognition across various taxa. therefore, our aim was to study this in a spe ...201728540504
scotopic electroretinography in fishing cat (prionailurus viverrinus) and leopard cat (prionailurus bengalensis).to establish baseline normal scotopic electroretinograpic (erg) parameters for two wild cat species: fishing cats (fc) and leopard cats (lc).201727471166
ocelot (leopardus pardalis) density in central amazonia.ocelots (leopardus pardalis) are presumed to be the most abundant of the wild cats throughout their distribution range and to play an important role in the dynamics of sympatric small-felid populations. however, ocelot ecological information is limited, particularly for the amazon. we conducted three camera-trap surveys during three consecutive dry seasons to estimate ocelot density in amanã reserve, central amazonia, brazil. we implemented a spatial capture-recapture (scr) model that shared det ...201627191598
the first estimates of marbled cat pardofelis marmorata population density from bornean primary and selectively logged forest.the marbled cat pardofelis marmorata is a poorly known wild cat that has a broad distribution across much of the indomalayan ecorealm. this felid is thought to exist at low population densities throughout its range, yet no estimates of its abundance exist, hampering assessment of its conservation status. to investigate the distribution and abundance of marbled cats we conducted intensive, felid-focused camera trap surveys of eight forest areas and two oil palm plantations in sabah, malaysian bor ...201627007219
molecular identification of the trematode paragonimus in faecal samples from the wild cat prionailurus bengalensis in the da krong nature reserve, vietnam.conventional identification of paragonimus species and their natural definitive hosts is based on the morphological features of adult parasites isolated from the lungs of wild mammalian hosts. however, wild animals are protected by strict regulations and sampling is not always possible. recently, molecular techniques have been developed to identify the internal transcribed spacer (its) sequences of paragonimus eggs in faeces/sputum of human patients. also, mammalian hosts can be identified using ...201626388560
environmental aspects of domestic cat care and management: implications for cat welfare.domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) are the most commonly kept companion animals in the us with large populations of owned (86 million), free-roaming (70 million), research (13,000), and shelter (2-3 million) cats. vast numbers of cats are maintained in homes and other facilities each year and are reliant on humans for all of their care. understanding cat behavior and providing the highest quality environments possible, including positive human-cat interactions, based on research could help i ...201627774506
lateral bias and temperament in the domestic cat (felis silvestris).research points to a relationship between lateralization and emotional functioning in humans and many species of animal. the present study explored the association between paw preferences and emotional functioning, specifically temperament, in a species thus far overlooked in this area, the domestic cat. thirty left-pawed, 30 right-pawed, and 30 ambilateral pet cats were recruited following an assessment of their paw preferences using a food-reaching challenge. the animals' temperament was subse ...201627359075
angiostrongylus chabaudi (biocca, 1957) in wildcat (felis silvestris silvestris, s) from romania.angiostrongylus chabaudi is a rare cardio-pulmonary nematode infecting felids. although almost 60 years have passed since the original description of the species in italy, this parasite has been seldom found in domestic and wildcats in southern europe. the present study aims to report a new case of patent a. chabaudi infection in a road-killed wildcat from maramureș county in northern romania. the necropsy revealed the presence of parasites in the pulmonary arteries and the right ventricle, and ...201627106235
earliest "domestic" cats in china identified as leopard cat (prionailurus bengalensis).the ancestor of all modern domestic cats is the wildcat, felis silvestris lybica, with archaeological evidence indicating it was domesticated as early as 10,000 years ago in south-west asia. a recent study, however, claims that cat domestication also occurred in china some 5,000 years ago and involved the same wildcat ancestor (f. silvestris). the application of geometric morphometric analyses to ancient small felid bones from china dating between 5,500 to 4,900 bp, instead reveal these and othe ...201626799955
inconsistency of allometric scaling for dissociative anesthesia of wild felids.to evaluate allometric scaling for ketamine-xylazine (kx) anesthesia in wild felids using domestic cats for reference.201626376437
first evidence of the european wildcat (felis silvestris silvestris) as definitive host of angiostrongylus chabaudi.angiostrongylus chabaudi (strongylida, angiostrongylidae) is a parasitic nematode described for the first time last century from the pulmonary arteries of six european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris) in central italy. since then, this parasite remained practically unknown until recently, when immature a. chabaudi have been reported from one wildcat in germany and two domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) in italy. the present report describes the first record of a. chabaudi in greece and ...201626637312
mucopolysaccharidosis vi in cats - clarification regarding genetic testing.the release of new dna-based diagnostic tools has increased tremendously in companion animals. over 70 different dna variants are now known for the cat, including dna variants in disease-associated genes and genes causing aesthetically interesting traits. the impact genetic tests have on animal breeding and health management is significant because of the ability to control the breeding of domestic cats, especially breed cats. if used properly, genetic testing can prevent the production of diseas ...201627370326
[isolation and characterization of a streptococcus suis serotype 9 from a wild cat].streptococcus suis (s. suis) is an emerging zoonotic pathogenic bacterium capable of infecting piglets and human and with sporadic infections in a variety of mammalian species. the aim of this study is to investigate the prevalence of s. suis in wild cats.201627373075
more or less: spontaneous quantity discrimination in the domestic cat.we examined spontaneous quantity discrimination in untrained domestic cats in three food choice experiments. in experiment 1, we presented the cats with two different quantities of food in eight numerical combinations. overall, the subjects chose the larger quantity more often than the smaller one, and significantly so when the ratio between the quantities was less than 0.5. in experiment 2, we presented the cats with two pieces of food in four different size combinations. again, subjects chose ...201627106666
whole genome sequencing in cats, identifies new models for blindness in aipl1 and somite segmentation in hes7.the reduced cost and improved efficiency of whole genome sequencing (wgs) is drastically improving the development of cats as biomedical models. persian cats are models for leber's congenital amaurosis (lca), the most severe and earliest onset form of visual impairment in humans. cats with innocuous breed-defining traits, such as a bobbed tail, can also be models for somite segmentation and vertebral column development.201627030474
mother-offspring recognition in the domestic cat: kittens recognize their own mother's call.acoustic communication can play an important part in mother-young recognition in many mammals. this, however, has still only been investigated in a small range mainly of herd- or colony-living species. here we report on the behavioral response of kittens of the domestic cat, a typically solitary carnivore, to playbacks of "greeting chirps" and "meows" from their own versus alien mothers. we found significantly stronger responses to the chirps from kittens' own mother than to her meows or to the ...201626935009
a glance at recombination hotspots in the domestic cat.recombination has essential roles in increasing genetic variability within a population and in ensuring successful meiotic events. the objective of this study is to (i) infer the population-scaled recombination rate (ρ), and (ii) identify and characterize regions of increased recombination rate for the domestic cat, felis silvestris catus. snps (n = 701) were genotyped in twenty-two east asian feral cats (random bred). the snps covered ten different chromosomal regions (a1, a2, b3, c2, d1, d2, d ...201626859385
cat serum contamination by phthalates, pcbs, and pbdes versus food and indoor air.a wide variety of endocrine disrupting compounds (edcs) with semi-volatile properties are emitted to indoor air and, thus, humans might get exposed to these compounds. pet cats spend the major part of their lifetime at home and might integrate indoor contamination so that they could mirror the human exposure. three classes of edcs, polybromodiphenyl ethers (pbdes), polychlorinated biphenyls (pcbs), and phthalates (paes), were simultaneously considered and quantified in the serum of cats (felis s ...201626841781
the population origins and expansion of feral cats in australia.the historical literature suggests that in australia, the domestic cat (felis catus) had a european origin [~200 years before present (ybp)], but it is unclear if cats arrived from across the asian land bridge contemporaneously with the dingo (4000 ybp), or perhaps immigrated ~40000 ybp in association with aboriginal settlement from asia. the origin of cats in australia is important because the continent has a complex and ancient faunal assemblage that is dominated by endemic rodents and marsupi ...201626647063
conservation of spermatogonial stem cell marker expression in undifferentiated felid spermatogonia.spermatogonial stem cells (sscs) are distinct in their ability to self-renew, transmit genetic information, and persist throughout the life of an individual. these characteristics make sscs a useful tool for addressing diverse challenges such as efficient transgenic production in nonrodent, biomedical animal models, or preservation of the male genome for species in which survival of frozen-thawed sperm is low. a requisite first step to access this technology in felids is the establishment of mol ...201627129396
survey on parasitic infections in wildcat (felis silvestris silvestris schreber, 1777) by scat collection.wildcats are endangered felid species living in europe, asia, and africa. regrettably, scientific information on parasites of wildcats is particularly meager and they often rely on data gained by necropsies of a small number of animals. in the present study, scat collection was used to assess the parasite spectrum of european wildcats living in the etna park (sicily, italy). scat collection was performed from may to september 2010 by weekly walking four transects for a total of 391 km. samples w ...201626377843
first detection of cytauxzoon spp. infection in european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris) of italy.cytauxzoonosis is an emerging, tick-transmitted, protozoan disease affecting domestic and wild felids and caused by cytauxzoon felis, cytauxzoon manul and cytauxzoon spp. this study aimed to determine the presence of infection with cytauxzoon spp. in felis silvestris silvestris in italy, in order to enhance the comprehension of its pattern distribution among domestic cat populations. in addition, wildcats were tested for other endemic vector-borne pathogens in italy. the carcasses of 21 f. s. si ...201627150590
cytauxzoon infections in wild felids from carpathian-danubian-pontic space: further evidence for a different cytauxzoon species in european felids.parasitic protists of the genus cytauxzoon are detected in a wide range of wild and domestic felids. bobcats are a confirmed reservoir of cytauxzoon felis in north america while domestic cats are susceptible hosts suffering from severe or fatal illness. cytauxzoon infections are mainly reported from american felids and, recently, several sub-clinical and clinical findings were reported from european, asian, and african felids. in 2014, the collection of organs of 4 eurasian lynx and 12 wild cats ...201626741977
the role of the wolf in endemic sylvatic trichinella britovi infection in the abruzzi region of central italy.during the period 2004-2014 in the abruzzi region (central italy), muscle samples gathered from hunted wild boars (n=16,323) and retrieved from carcasses of other susceptible wild mammals (n=838) and birds (n=438) were tested for trichinella larvae according to european union regulations. although no positive samples were found from wild birds, 91 wild mammals tested positive. six species were found to harbor trichinella spp. infections, namely wolf (canis lupus, 59 positive samples out of 218), ...201627522469
multiparasitism in a wild cat (leopardus colocolo) (carnivora: felidae) in southern brazil.parasitic diseases reflect the health and balance of ecosystems, affecting not only individuals but also entire populations or communities. the aim of this study was to report on the diversity of parasitic helminths detected in the feces of a wild feline in southern brazil. parasites were obtained from fecal samples, and four techniques were used for parasitological examination: direct examination, centrifugal flotation with zinc sulfate (faust technique), simple sedimentation (hoffman technique ...201627580395
could the domestic cat play a significant role in the transmission of echinococcus multilocularis? a study based on qpcr analysis of cat feces in a rural area in france.echinococcus multilocularis, a cestode parasite responsible for alveolar echinococcosis in humans, is often reported in europe. it involves red foxes, domestic dogs, and domestic and wild cats as definitive hosts. the parasite infects small mammals and accidentally humans as intermediate hosts and develops in a similar way to a tumor, usually in the liver. domestic animals are suspected of playing a role in parasite transmission, but this is rarely proven. moreover, the role of domestic cats is ...201627739398
development of a real-time pcr for a sensitive one-step coprodiagnosis allowing both the identification of carnivore feces and the detection of toxocara spp. and echinococcus multilocularis.studying the environmental occurrence of parasites of concern for humans and animals based on coprosamples is an expanding field of work in epidemiology and the ecology of health. detecting and quantifying toxocara spp. and echinococcus multilocularis, two predominant zoonotic helminths circulating in european carnivores, in feces may help to better target measures for prevention. a rapid, sensitive, and one-step quantitative pcr (qpcr) allowing detection of e. multilocularis and toxocara spp. w ...201626969697
molecular and morphologic characterization of sarcocystis felis (apicomplexa: sarcocystidae) in south american wild felids from brazil.wild felids are thought to share parasites with domestic cats. however, little is known of the coccidian parasites of wild felids. we investigated the presence of sarcocystis spp. in tissues of 6 species of 90 neotropical small felids killed in road accidents in the state of rio grande do sul, brazil by using microscopic and molecular techniques. formalin-fixed tissues from 28 felids were examined, and sarcocystis felis-like sarcocysts were detected in 4 wild cats (2 puma yagouaroundi and 2 leop ...201626827854
thelazia callipaeda in wild carnivores from romania: new host and geographical records.thelazia callipaeda is a vector-borne zoonotic nematode parasitizing the conjunctival sac of domestic and wild carnivores, rabbits and humans, with a vast distribution in asia and the former soviet union. in europe, the nematode has an emerging trend, being reported in italy, france, switzerland, germany, spain, portugal, bosnia and herzegovina, croatia, romania, greece and serbia, with human cases known in italy, france, spain, serbia and croatia. in romania, the infection was so far reported o ...201627316971
snp miniplexes for individual identification of random-bred domestic cats.phenotypic and genotypic characteristics of the cat can be obtained from single nucleotide polymorphisms (snps) analyses of fur. this study developed miniplexes using snps with high discriminating power for random-bred domestic cats, focusing on individual and phenotypic identification. seventy-eight snps were investigated using a multiplex pcr followed by a fluorescently labeled single base extension (sbe) technique (snapshot(®) ). the snp miniplexes were evaluated for reliability, reproducibil ...201627122395
aelurostrongylus abstrusus in wild felids of south africa.the increasing interest on respiratory nematodes of domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) has recently stimulated several studies on their epidemiology and geographic distribution. at the same time, there are still important gaps in our knowledge of the infections caused by respiratory nematodes in wild felids. the present study investigated the occurrence of pulmonary parasites in wild hosts housed in sanctuaries and protected areas of south africa. faecal samples collected from seven species ...201627230016
occurrence of lungworms in european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris) of central italy.the increasing focus on infections in domestic cats ( felis catus ) has raised questions about lungworm distribution in wild hosts. to enhance knowledge of the occurrence of lungworms in enzootic regions of central italy, we examined the carcasses of 16 european wildcats ( felis silvestris silvestris). adult nematodes, feces, respiratory flushings, and pulmonary tissues were collected at necropsy and then microscopically and genetically analyzed. fourteen wildcats had single or mixed lungworm sp ...201626967134
serological survey of toxoplasma gondii and besnoitia besnoiti in a wildlife conservation area in southern portugal.toxoplasma gondii and besnoitia besnoiti are closely related apicomplexan protozoa. t. gondii is a zoonotic pathogen which may cause serious disease in man and warm-blooded animals, including wild species. b. besnoiti causes bovine besnoitiosis, an emergent disease in europe, which is linked to important production losses. unlike t. gondii, the life cycle of b. besnoiti remains a mystery, since the definitive host has not yet been identified. the aim of this work was to determine the seroprevale ...201631014504
[investigation on epidemic foci of paragonimiasis in eastern part of zhenghe county, fujian province].to investigate the species and hosts of paragonimus and its infection rate in eastern part of zhenghe county, fujian province, so as to determine the local foci of paragonimus.201629376284
aristaless-like homeobox protein 1 (alx1) variant associated with craniofacial structure and frontonasal dysplasia in burmese cats.frontonasal dysplasia (fnd) can have severe presentations that are medically and socially debilitating. several genes are implicated in fnd conditions, including aristaless-like homeobox 1 (alx1), which is associated with fnd3. breeds of cats are selected and bred for extremes in craniofacial morphologies. in particular, a lineage of burmese cats with severe brachycephyla is extremely popular and is termed contemporary burmese. genetic studies demonstrated that the brachycephyla of the contempor ...201526610632
simultaneous infection by four feline lungworm species and implications for the diagnosis.besides aelurostrongylus abstrusus, other parasites belonging to the superfamily metastrongyloidea, namely oslerus rostratus, troglostrongylus brevior and to the family trichuridae, i.e. eucoleus aerophilus (syn. capillaria aerophila), have also been reported as agents of respiratory infection in domestic cats. a case of simultaneous infection by four feline lungworm species in sardinia is herein described. an adult female cat (felis silvestris catus), road-killed in the southeast part of sardin ...201525367212
european wildcat populations are subdivided into five main biogeographic groups: consequences of pleistocene climate changes or recent anthropogenic fragmentation?extant populations of the european wildcat are fragmented across the continent, the likely consequence of recent extirpations due to habitat loss and over-hunting. however, their underlying phylogeographic history has never been reconstructed. for testing the hypothesis that the european wildcat survived the ice age fragmented in mediterranean refuges, we assayed the genetic variation at 31 microsatellites in 668 presumptive european wildcats sampled in 15 european countries. moreover, to evalua ...201526811770
stable individual differences in separation calls during early development in cats and mice.the development of ethologically meaningful test paradigms in young animals is an essential step in the study of the ontogeny of animal personality. here we explore the possibility to integrate offspring separation (distress) calls into the study of consistent individual differences in behaviour in two species of mammals, the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) and the mound-building mouse (mus spicilegus). such vocal responses in young mammals are a potentially useful test option as they repr ...201526816512
lungworm disease in cats: abcd guidelines on prevention and management.cardiopulmonary nematodes are emerging parasites of cats in europe. a number of helminth parasites may be involved. the most prevalent lungworm in domestic cats is aelurostrongylus abstrusus. oslerus rostratus and troglostrongylus species are found mainly in wild cats. the trichurid capillaria aerophila has a low host specificity and is not uncommon in cats. additionally the lung flukes paragonimus species are reported in many species outside of europe, including cats.201526101316
cheetah interspecific scnt followed by embryo aggregation improves in vitro development but not pluripotent gene expression.the aim of this study was to evaluate the capacity of domestic cat (dc, felis silvestris) oocytes to reprogram the nucleus of cheetah (ch, acinonyx jubatus) cells by interspecies scnt (iscnt), by using embryo aggregation. dc oocytes were in vitro matured and subjected to zona pellucida free (zp-free) scnt or iscnt, depending on whether the nucleus donor cell was of dc or ch respectively. zp-free reconstructed embryos were then cultured in microwells individually (dc1x and ch1x groups) or in coup ...201525820926
broad-spectrum inhibitors against 3c-like proteases of feline coronaviruses and feline caliciviruses.feline infectious peritonitis and virulent, systemic calicivirus infection are caused by certain types of feline coronaviruses (fcovs) and feline caliciviruses (fcvs), respectively, and are important infectious diseases with high fatality rates in members of the felidae family. while fcov and fcv belong to two distinct virus families, the coronaviridae and the caliciviridae, respectively, they share a dependence on viral 3c-like protease (3clpro) for their replication. since 3clpro is functional ...201525694593
x-ray structure and inhibition of the feline infectious peritonitis virus 3c-like protease: structural implications for drug design.feline infectious peritonitis (fip) is a deadly disease that effects both domestic and wild cats and is caused by a mutation in feline coronavirus (fcov) that allows the virus to replicate in macrophages. currently, there are no treatments or vaccines available for the treatment of fip even though it kills approximately 5% of cats in multi-cat households per year. in an effort to develop small molecule drugs targeting fip for the treatment of cats, we screened a small set of designed peptidomime ...201526592814
occurrence of aelurostrongylus abstrusus and troglostrongylus brevior in domestic cats in greece.despite the evidence that mediterranean europe offers suitable conditions for the biology of felid respiratory metastrongyloids, no updated data on the presence of felid lungworms are available for greece. although the cat lungworm aelurostrongylus abstrusus is considered as enzootic in domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) living in some areas of continental greece, conversely, troglostrongylus brevior, has only been reported in the island of crete. the present study aimed to evaluate the occu ...201526577206
what's inside your cat's head? a review of cat (felis silvestris catus) cognition research past, present and future.the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus) has shared an intertwined existence with humans for thousands of years, living on our city streets and in our homes. yet, little scientific research has focused on the cognition of the domestic cat, especially in comparison with human's other companion, the domestic dog (canis lupus familiaris). this review surveys the current status of several areas of cat cognition research including perception, object permanence, memory, physical causality, quantity a ...201526154131
domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) do not show signs of secure attachment to their owners.the ainsworth strange situation test (sst) has been widely used to demonstrate that the bond between both children and dogs to their primary carer typically meets the requirements of a secure attachment (i.e. the carer being perceived as a focus of safety and security in otherwise threatening environments), and has been adapted for cats with a similar claim made. however methodological problems in this latter research make the claim that the cat-owner bond is typically a secure attachment, opera ...201526332470
environmental conditions during early life accelerate the rate of senescence in a short-lived passerine bird.environmental conditions experienced in early life may shape subsequent phenotypic traits including life history. we investigated how predation risk caused by domestic cats (felis silvestris catus) and local breeding density affected patterns of reproductive and survival senescence in barn swallows (hirundo rustica) breeding semicolonially in denmark. we recorded the abundance of cats and the number of breeding pairs at 39 breeding sites during 24 years and related these to age-specific survival ...201526230016
unknown age in health disorders: a method to account for its cumulative effect and an application to feline viruses interactions.parasite interactions have been widely evidenced experimentally but field studies remain rare. such studies are essential to detect interactions of interest and access (co)infection probabilities but face methodological obstacles. confounding factors can create statistical associations, i.e. false parasite interactions. among them, host age is a crucial covariate. it influences host exposition and susceptibility to many infections, and has a mechanical effect, older individuals being more at ris ...201525979281
a deletion in foxn1 is associated with a syndrome characterized by congenital hypotrichosis and short life expectancy in birman cats.an autosomal recessive syndrome characterized by congenital hypotrichosis and short life expectancy has been described in the birman cat breed (felis silvestris catus). we hypothesized that a foxn1 (forkhead box n1) loss-of-function allele, associated with the nude phenotype in humans, mice and rats, may account for the syndrome observed in birman cats. to the best of our knowledge, spontaneous mutations in foxn1 have never been described in non-human, non-rodent mammalian species. we identified ...201525781316
feline mitochondrial dna sampling for forensic analysis: when enough is enough!pet hair has a demonstrated value in resolving legal issues. cat hair is chronically shed and it is difficult to leave a home with cats without some level of secondary transfer. the power of cat hair as an evidentiary resource may be underused because representative genetic databases are not available for exclusionary purposes. mitochondrial control region databases are highly valuable for hair analyses and have been developed for the cat. in a representative worldwide data set, 83% of domestic ...201525531059
strong spatial segregation between wildcats and domestic cats may explain low hybridization rates on the iberian peninsula.the european wildcat (felis silvestris silvestris) is an endangered felid impacted by genetic introgression with the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus). the problem of hybridization has had different effects in different areas. in non-mediterranean regions pure forms of wildcats became almost extinct, while in mediterranean regions genetic introgression is a rare phenomenon. the study of the potential factors that prevent the gene flow in areas of lower hybridization may be key to wildcat con ...201526358989
tiger, bengal and domestic cat embryos produced by homospecific and interspecific zona-free nuclear transfer.the aim of this study was to evaluate three different cloning strategies in the domestic cat (felis silvestris) and to use the most efficient to generate wild felid embryos by interspecific cloning (iscnt) using bengal (a hybrid formed by the cross of felis silvestris and prionailurus bengalensis) and tiger (panthera tigris) donor cells. in experiment 1, zona-free (zp-free) cloning resulted in higher fusion and expanded blastocyst rates with respect to zona included cloning techniques that invol ...201526332056
toward a genome-wide approach for detecting hybrids: informative snps to detect introgression between domestic cats and european wildcats (felis silvestris).endemic gene pools have been severely endangered by human-mediated hybridization, which is posing new challenges in the conservation of several vertebrate species. the endangered european wildcat is an example of this problem, as several natural populations are suffering introgression of genes from the domestic cat. the implementation of molecular methods for detecting hybridization is crucial for supporting appropriate conservation programs on the wildcat. in this study, genetic variation at 15 ...201526103945
genetic analysis shows low levels of hybridization between african wildcats (felis silvestris lybica) and domestic cats (f. s. catus) in south africa.hybridization between domestic and wild animals is a major concern for biodiversity conservation, and as habitats become increasingly fragmented, conserving biodiversity at all levels, including genetic, becomes increasingly important. except for tropical forests and true deserts, african wildcats occur across the african continent; however, almost no work has been carried out to assess its genetic status and extent of hybridization with domestic cats. for example, in south africa it has been ar ...201525691958
identification and characterization of diverse groups of endogenous retroviruses in felids.endogenous retroviruses (ervs) are genetic elements with a retroviral origin that are integrated into vertebrate genomes. in felids (mammalia, carnivora, felidae), ervs have been described mostly in the domestic cat, and only rarely in wild species. to gain insight into the origins and evolutionary dynamics of endogenous retroviruses in felids, we have identified and characterized partial pro/pol erv sequences from eight neotropical wild cat species, belonging to three distinct lineages of felid ...201525808580
[major histocompatibility complex (mhc) in mammals' and its importance for studies of rare species (with felidae family as an example)].major histocompatibility complex (mhc) appears to be a suitable tool for solving various tasks of popu- lationgenetics. information on genetic basis of immunity facilitates understanding of evolutionary his- tory and assessment of current state and prospects of studied population/species survival. on the one hand, mhc variability is maintained through pathogen dependent mechanisms, i.e., directional selection of individuals resistant to diseases, that are present in the environment and balancing ...201525786311
comparative assessment of genetic and morphological variation at an extensive hybrid zone between two wild cats in southern brazil.increased attention towards the neotropical cats leopardus guttulus and l. geoffroyi was prompted after genetic studies identified the occurrence of extensive hybridization between them at their geographic contact zone in southern brazil. this is a region where two biomes intersect, each of which is associated with one of the hybridizing species (atlantic forest with l. guttulus and pampas with l. geoffroyi). in this study, we conducted in-depth analyses of multiple molecular markers aiming to c ...201425250657
natural pet food: a review of natural diets and their impact on canine and feline physiology.the purpose of this review is to clarify the definition of "natural" as it pertains to commercial pet food and to summarize the scientific findings related to natural ingredients in pet foods and natural diets on the impact of pet health and physiology. the term "natural," when used to market commercial pet foods or pet food ingredients in the united states, has been defined by the association of american feed control officials and requires, at minimum, that the pet food be preserved with natura ...201425006071
the genetic integrity of the ex situ population of the european wildcat (felis silvestris silvestris) is seriously threatened by introgression from domestic cats (felis silvestris catus).studies on the genetic diversity and relatedness of zoo populations are crucial for implementing successful breeding programmes. the european wildcat, felis s. silvestris, is subject to intensive conservation measures, including captive breeding and reintroduction. we here present the first systematic genetic analysis of the captive population of felis s. silvestris in comparison with a natural wild population. we used microsatellites and mtdna sequencing to assess genetic diversity, structure a ...201425162450
personality structure in the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus), scottish wildcat (felis silvestris grampia), clouded leopard (neofelis nebulosa), snow leopard (panthera uncia), and african lion (panthera leo): a comparative study.although the study of nonhuman personality has increased in the last decade, there are still few studies on felid species, and the majority focus on domestic cats. we assessed the structure of personality and its reliability in five felids-domestic cats, clouded leopards, snow leopards, african lions, and previous data on scottish wildcats-and compared the results. in addition to the benefits of understanding more about this taxon, comparative studies of personality structure have the potential ...201425111629
viral metagenomic analysis of feces of wild small carnivores.recent studies have clearly demonstrated the enormous virus diversity that exists among wild animals. this exemplifies the required expansion of our knowledge of the virus diversity present in wildlife, as well as the potential transmission of these viruses to domestic animals or humans.201424886057
tnr and conservation on a university campus: a political ecological perspective.how to manage the impact of free-ranging cats on native wildlife is a polarizing issue. conservation biologists largely support domestic cat euthanasia to mitigate impacts of free-ranging cat predation on small animal populations. above all else, animal welfare activists support the humane treatment of free-ranging cats, objecting to euthanasia. clearly, this issue of how to control free-ranging cat predation on small animals is value laden, and both positions must be considered and comprehended ...201424711965
bioassay-guided fractionation of extracts from easter lily (lilium longiflorum) flowers reveals unprecedented structural variability of steroidal glycoalkaloids.several lilium species are nephrotoxic in cats (felis silvestris catus), among them easter lilies (lilium longiflorum). although clinical trials have been carried out, the causative toxic phytochemicals have not yet been identified. we thus aimed to determine the toxic constituents of easter lily flowers applying a bioassay-guided approach based on a feline kidney cell line model. the bioassay-guided fractionation traced the observed cytotoxicity to a complex mixture of compounds that were tenta ...201425269117
acceptance of domestic cat mitochondrial dna in a criminal proceeding.shed hair from domestic animals readily adheres to clothing and other contact items, providing a source of transfer evidence for criminal investigations. mitochondrial dna is often the only option for dna analysis of shed hair. human mitochondrial dna analysis has been accepted in the us court system since 1996. the murder trial of the state of missouri versus henry l. polk, jr. represents the first legal proceeding where cat mitochondrial dna analysis was introduced into evidence. the mitochond ...201425086413
effect of melatonin implants on spermatogenesis in the domestic cat (felis silvestris catus).the aim of this study was to assess the efficacy of subcutaneous melatonin implants to temporarily and reversibly suppress spermatogenesis in male cats. tomcats (n = 8) were housed in a conditioned room with alternating long and short 2-month photoperiod cycles to maintain sperm production and quality. animals were randomly assigned to one of the two treatments. four animals received a subcutaneous melatonin implant (mel, 18 mg; syntex, argentina), whereas the other four received a subcutaneous ...201425082022
apparent total tract energy and macronutrient digestibility of one- to three-day-old, adult ground, extruded, and canned chicken-based diets in domestic cats (felis silvestris catus).there has been a recent increase in the popularity of feeding unconventional diets, including whole prey diets, to domestic cats (felis silvestris catus). data are needed that allow animal caretakers to choose and formulate diets that meet the nutritional requirements of their cats. our objective was to evaluate the effects of feeding 1- to 3-d-old whole chicks (who), ground adult chicken product (gro), a chicken-based canned diet (can), and a chicken-based extruded diet (ext) on apparent total ...201425074451
structure of liganded t-state haemoglobin from cat (felis silvestris catus), a low oxygen-affinity species, in two different crystal forms.haemoglobin (hb) is an iron-containing metalloprotein which plays a major role in the transportation of oxygen from the lungs to tissues and of carbon dioxide back to the lungs. hb is in equilibrium between low-affinity tense (t) and high-affinity relaxed (r) states associated with its unliganded and liganded forms, respectively. mammalian species can be classified into two groups on the basis of whether they express `high' or `low' oxygen-affinity hbs. although hbs from the former group have be ...201425004966
annotated features of domestic cat - felis catus genome.domestic cats enjoy an extensive veterinary medical surveillance which has described nearly 250 genetic diseases analogous to human disorders. feline infectious agents offer powerful natural models of deadly human diseases, which include feline immunodeficiency virus, feline sarcoma virus and feline leukemia virus. a rich veterinary literature of feline disease pathogenesis and the demonstration of a highly conserved ancestral mammal genome organization make the cat genome annotation a highly in ...201425143822
evidence for widespread leishmania infantum infection among wild carnivores in l. infantum periendemic northern spain.leishmania spp. infection was investigated in tissue samples of wild carnivores from the spanish basque country (bc), by pcr and dna sequencing. the region is at the northern periphery of leishmania infantum endemic iberian peninsula and infection in the dog (reservoir) or other species has not been previously reported. leishmania kinetoplast dna was detected by real-time pcr (rtpcr) in 28% (44/156) of animals. specifically, in 26% of eurasian badgers (n=53), 29% of foxes (n=48), 29% of stone ma ...201424380572
seroprevalence of feline immunodeficiency virus (fiv) and feline leukemia virus (felv) in shelter cats on the island of newfoundland, canada.feline immunodeficiency virus (fiv) and feline leukemia virus (felv) are retroviruses found within domestic and wild cat populations. these viruses cause severe illnesses that eventually lead to death. housing cats communally for long periods of time makes shelters at high risk for virus transmission among cats. we tested 548 cats from 5 different sites across the island of newfoundland for fiv and felv. the overall seroprevalence was 2.2% and 6.2% for fiv and felv, respectively. two sites had s ...201424688176
use of brachial plexus blockade and medetomidine-ketamine-isoflurane anaesthesia for repair of radio-ulna fracture in an adult cheetah (acinonyx jubatus).regional anaesthetic techniques have been used in combination with systemic analgesics during small animal surgery to provide multimodal analgesia. brachial plexus nerves block using local anaesthetics provides analgesia of the thoracic limb through desensitization of the nerves that provide sensory and motor innervation. this has been shown to reduce intra-operative anesthetic requirements and provide postoperative pain relief. decreasing the doses of general anaesthetics allows more stable car ...201425301165
evaluation of protective efficacy of the synthetic peptide vaccine containing the t-helper 1 epitope with cpg oligodeoxynucleotide against feline infectious peritonitis virus infection in cats.feline infectious peritonitis (fip) is a feline coronavirus-induced fatal disease in domestic and wild cats. cellular immunity is considered to play an important role in the prevention of fip. thus, induction of the cellular immune response is essential in vaccines against fip virus (fipv) infection.201424458025
first findings and prevalence of adult heartworms (dirofilaria immitis) in wild carnivores from serbia.heartworm (dirofilaria immitis) is a parasitic roundworm that causes a zoonotic disease known as dirofilariosis. little is known about the role of wild carnivores serving as reservoirs in nature. therefore, we examined 738 hearts and lungs of free ranging wild carnivores from serbia to determine the presence of adult heartworms. during the period 2009-2013, the prevalence in golden jackals (canis aureus) was 7.32%, in red foxes (vulpes vulpes) 1.55%, in wolves (canis lupus) 1.43%, and in wild ca ...201424951168
angiostrongylus chabaudi biocca, 1957: a new parasite for domestic cats?natural infection with a species of angiostrongylus has been reported only once in wildcats from central italy by biocca in 1957. the causative species of this infection was identified as angiostrongylus chabaudi. following this report, this parasite had never been found in either wild or domestic cats.201425515026
the european wildcats (felis silvestris silvestris) as reservoir hosts of troglostrongylus brevior (strongylida: crenosomatidae) lungworms.the increasing reports of troglostrongylus brevior lungworm in domestic cats from italy and spain raised questions on its factual distribution and on the role wildcats play as reservoirs of these parasites. carcasses of 21 wildcats were collected in natural parks of southern italy (i.e., catania, sicily n=5 and matera, basilicata n=16) and biometrically and genetically identified as felis silvestris silvestris, but two as hybrids. troglostrongylus brevior and eucoleus aerophilus lungworms were f ...201425027610
endoparasites in mammals from seven zoological gardens in romania.animals from seven zoological gardens located in romania, including 18 species of herbivores, 10 species of carnivores, and 13 species of omnivores, were screened for the presence of parasites. overall, the prevalences of parasites identified in the sampled population were 54.2% (58/107) for herbivores, 54.5% (24/44) for carnivores, and 32.6% (17/52) for omnivores. in herbivores, eimeria spp., dicrocelium lanceolatum, and pulmonary and digestive strongyles were detected. in carnivores, the gener ...201425000683
what makes a feline fatal in toxoplasma gondii's fatal feline attraction? infected rats choose wild cats.toxoplasma gondii is an indirectly transmitted protozoan parasite, of which members of the cat family (felidae) are the only definitive hosts and small mammals such as rats serve as intermediate hosts. the innate aversion of rodents to cat odor provides an obstacle for the parasite against successful predation by the feline definitive host. previous research has demonstrated that t. gondii appears to alter a rat's perception of the risk of being preyed upon by cats. although uninfected rats disp ...201424907200
alterations in selected serum biochemistry values of free-ranging bornean leopard cats (prionailurus bengalensis borneoensis) captured by box traps.box-traps for capturing wild cats are widely used by researchers since it is one of the most effective methods for trapping these species. although they are extensively utilised, the effects on the physiology of trapped felids remain unclear. researchers frequently make judgements regarding the safety of such capture devices by examination of external injuries but often fail to take into consideration other physiological parameters. to assess the effects of capture events on selected serum bioch ...201424839119
who's behind that mask and cape? the asian leopard cat's agouti (asip) allele likely affects coat colour phenotype in the bengal cat breed.coat colours and patterns are highly variable in cats and are determined mainly by several genes with mendelian inheritance. a 2-bp deletion in agouti signalling protein (asip) is associated with melanism in domestic cats. bengal cats are hybrids between domestic cats and asian leopard cats (prionailurus bengalensis), and the charcoal coat colouration/pattern in bengals presents as a possible incomplete melanism. the complete coding region of asip was directly sequenced in asian leopard, domesti ...201425143047
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