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PubMed1992

Experimental proliferative glomerulonephritis in the cat.

A model of chronic serum sickness was used to induce immune-complex glomerulonephritis in seven experimental cats, by daily intravenous inoculation of an increasing dose (5 to 35 mg) of human serum albumin (HSA). At week four, two of the seven animals developed anterior uveitis. At week 23, two different animals developed the subcutaneous oedema characteristic of the nephrotic syndrome (NS), whilst the other five cats appeared clinically normal. The kidneys were examined at necropsy by light microscopy and by transmission electron microscopy. The glomeruli of four animals (three with both proteinuria and uraemia, and one with proteinuria only) showed morphological changes under light microscopy. The abnormalities suggested that a diffuse mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) had been induced in three cats and diffuse membranoproliferative GN induced in another. Ultrastructural studies revealed electron-dense deposits (immune-complexes) in six of the seven cats. Two cats without glomerular abnormalities by light microscopy had mesangial deposits and three cats with mesangial proliferative GN had deposits at mesangial, subendothelial and/or subepithelial sites. The single cat with membranoproliferative GN had deposits at mesangial, subendothelial, subepithelial and intramembranous sites. Immunohistological examination (peroxidase-antiperoxidase technique) showed that HSA and immunoglobulin (IgG and IgM) were deposited in the glomeruli of these cats. Deposits were the most dense in cats with more severe renal lesions. Deposits of IgM were most abundant. An extensive cellular infiltrate, comprising macrophages, neutrophils and plasma cells, was observed only in the four animals which showed abnormalities in glomerular ultrastructure. The disease induced in these cats thus appears to differ from the membranous nephropathy previously described in the cat and bears a close resemblance to immune complex (IC) disease in man. In view of the relatively few specific animal models of IC-mediated proliferative GN, this model has potential for application to the study of human IC disease.

Animals↗
PubMed1984

Effect of enkephalin on the micturition cycle of the cat.

The effect of the synthetic opiate [D-Ala2, Me-Phe4]-leu-enkephalin ( DAMLE ) on the micturition cycle of the cat was studied. In vivo assays were performed with young male cats under two different conditions: 1) decerebrated cats (D-cats), with an intercollicular transection of the brainstem, and 2) spinal cats (S-cats), with a spinal transection between C5-C6. In vitro studies were carried out on bladder strips taken from adult male cats. The D-cats showed two types of voiding patterns: the first type (I) was characterized by a smooth wave of pressure and an incomplete emptying of the bladder; the second type (II) began like the type I, but ended with a series of small contractions accompanied by small jets of liquid, resulting in the complete emptying of the bladder. DAMLE inhibited vesical contractions and completely inhibited voiding in D-cats at doses equal or superior to 250 micrograms/kg i.v.; no effect was noted with lower doses. Vesical contractions were hardly affected in S-cats, even at high doses (greater than 350 micrograms/kg i.v.). DAMLE did not affect electrically induced contractions of isolated bladder strips. Naloxone not only antagonized the inhibitory effects of DAMLE , but also induced per se a contraction of the bladder. These results indicate that enkephalinergic neurons are involved in the central neural circuitry of the micturition cycle in the cat, with an inhibitory effect at the level of either the ascending spinal pathways or the pontine Barrington 's center.

Animals↗
PubMed1982

Retention performance of a learned delayed-alternation task after chemical lesions of the cats mediodorsal nucleus.

The mediodorsal nucleus of the thalamus was lesioned in cats, which had learned a spatial delayed-alternation task. Lesions were carried out with kainic acid or ibotenic acid. From altogether 29 cats, 9 cats with bilateral and 6 cats with unilateral lesions of the mediodorsal nucleus together with a control group of 4 cats, were included in the final data analysis. Lesions in the operated cats destroyed variable portions of the mediodorsal nucleus. Consistently, however, neither the midline nuclei, situated next to the damaged mediodorsal nucleus, nor fiber tracts traversing or by-passing the mediodorsal nucleus, were damaged. Furthermore, remote lesion effects were not detected either in the diazepam-pretreated cats with kainic acid-induced lesions or in the ibotenic acid-lesioned animals. Cats injected with ibotenic acid at a concentration 8-fold higher than the kainic acid solution, showed smaller thalamic lesions than kainic acid-injected cats. A direct correlation was found between the extent of neuronal damage within the mediodorsal nucleus and the degree of the behavioral impairment. Cats with complete or almost complete bilateral lesions of the mediodorsal nucleus manifested severe deficits in retention of the delayed-alternation task, while cats with small, bilateral lesions of the mediodorsal nucleus or with unilateral lesions were impaired less severely or even not at all.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Abnormal excitability in capsaicin-responsive DRG neurons from cats with feline interstitial cystitis.

Interstitial cystitis (IC) is a painful disorder which affects urinary bladder function in cats and humans. We used patch clamp techniques to measure firing properties and K+ currents of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons (L4-S3) from normal cats and cats with feline interstitial cystitis (FIC) to examine the possibility that the properties of primary afferent neurons are changed in cats with FIC. We found that capsaicin (CAPS)-responsive neurons from FIC cats were increased in size, had increased firing in response to depolarizing current pulses and expressed more rapidly inactivating K+ currents. CAPS-sensitive neurons from FIC cats were 28% larger than those from normal cats but were otherwise similar with respect to membrane potential and action potential (AP) threshold. CAPS-responsive neurons from normal cats fired 1.5 APs in response to a 600 ms depolarizing current pulse, 60-200 pA in intensity. The number of APs was increased 4.5 fold in FIC neurons. Neurons from FIC cats also exhibited after hyperpolarization potentials which were on the average 2x slower than those in normal cat neurons. In addition, there was a lack of K+ currents in the critical voltage range of action potential generation (between -50 to -30 mV). These changes were not detected in CAPS-unresponsive neurons from normal and FIC cats. Our data suggest that FIC afferent neurons exhibit abnormal firing which may be due to changes in the behavior of K+ currents and show that these changes are restricted to a subpopulation of CAPS-responsive neurons.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Statistical comparison of dog and cat guard hairs using numerical morphology.

Numerical features obtained from the guard hairs of dogs and cats (total 300 hairs per dog or cat) were statistically compared, in an attempt to discriminate between them. Using hairs from each of five mongrel dogs and cats, eight measurements (length (Len), maximum width (MaxWid), cross sectional maximum diameter, cross sectional minimum diameter, cuticular thickness of the cross section and three scale counts per 100 microm length (observed at three positions: distal third (disSC), middle (midSC) and the proximal third (proSC) portions) and five indexes (hair width index (HWI), medulla index (MI), hair index, cuticle index and the difference in scale counts between the distal and proximal parts (defSC)) were examined. The range for each numerical feature overlapped each other extensively, and none of the features permitted a discrimination between dog and cat hairs, based on the values obtained. However, 12 numerical features, except for the midSC, showed a statistically significant difference between dog and cat hairs, as evidenced by a t-test. For the purpose of comprehensively comparing numerical features and statistically discriminating between dog and cat hairs, a discriminant analysis between the two were carried out using a multiple regression analysis. Four types of discriminant functions produced by combining over five numerical features were examined. Dog and cat hairs could clearly be discriminated using any of the discriminant functions. Species discrimination using the discriminant function permitted the species of a dog or cat to be determined, based on the overall morphologies of various numerical features. When experimentally collected test samples were investigated using the discriminant function using Combination-2, consisting of eight numerical features (Len, MaxWid, MI, HWI, disSC, midSC, proSC and defSC), all 10 cat hairs were correctly determined to be cat hair and 22 of 23 dog hairs were correctly identified. This discriminant function produced good results for species discrimination between dog and cat hairs.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Acquired antimicrobial resistance in the intestinal microbiota of diverse cat populations.

The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of acquired antimicrobial resistance in the resident intestinal microbiota of cats and to identify significant differences between various cat populations. Escherichia coli, Enterococcus faecalis, E. faecium and Streptococcus canis were isolated as faecal indicator bacteria from rectal swabs of 47 individually owned cats, 47 cattery cats and 18 hospitalised cats, and submitted through antimicrobial sensitivity tests. The results revealed that bacteria isolated from hospitalised and/or cattery cats were more frequently resistant than those from individually owned cats. E. coli isolates from hospitalised cats were particularly resistant to ampicillin, tetracycline and sulfonamide. Both enterococci and streptococci showed high resistance to tetracycline and in somewhat lesser extent to erythromycin and tylosin. Most E. faecium isolates were resistant to lincomycin and penicillin. One E. faecalis as well as one E. faecium isolate from hospitalised cats showed 'high-level resistance' (MIC > 500 microg/ml) against gentamicin, a commonly used antimicrobial agent in case of human enterococcal infections. The results of this research demonstrate that the extent of acquired antimicrobial resistance in the intestinal microbiota of cats depends on the social environment of the investigated population. It is obvious that the flora of healthy cats may act as a reservoir of resistance genes.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

FIV-infected cats respond to short-term rHuG-CSF treatment which results in anti-G-CSF neutralizing antibody production that inactivates drug activity.

The hematological and virological effects of recombinant human granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (rHuG-CSF) were evaluated in feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV)-infected cats. Six age-matched, FIV-infected cats used in this cross-over study were injected subcutaneously with 5 microg/kg of rHuG-CSF daily for 3 weeks, while six control cats received a placebo. Five of six rHuG-CSF-treated cats had significant increases in neutrophil counts that peaked on days 11-21 of treatment. All rHuG-CSF-treated cats exhibited an increase in myeloid:erythroid ratios of the bone marrow cells without significant changes in lymphocyte, CD4 counts, CD4/CD8 ratios, RBC counts, FIV antibody titers, and FIV loads in peripheral blood, and without clinical and hematological toxicities. Five of six rHuG-CSF-treated cats developed antibodies to rHuG-CSF by 14-21 days of treatment, which correlated with decreasing neutrophil counts and increasing neutralizing antibodies to rHuG-CSF. Three cats re-treated with rHuG-CSF rapidly developed neutralizing antibodies to rHuG-CSF, while one cat also developed neutralizing antibodies to recombinant feline G-CSF (rFeG-CSF). Overall, rHuG-CSF treatment increased neutrophil counts in FIV-infected cats without affecting the infection status of cats. However, long-term use of rHuG-CSF is not recommended in cats because of the neutralizing antibody production to rHuG-CSF that affects the drug activity. In addition, a preliminary finding suggests that repeated treatment cycle can also induce cross-neutralizing antibodies to rFeG-CSF, which may potentially affect the homeostasis of endogenous FeG-CSF.

Animals↗
PubMed2006

A homozygous single-base deletion in MLPH causes the dilute coat color phenotype in the domestic cat.

Three proteins have been described in humans and mice as being essential for even distribution, transport, and translocation of pigment granules, with defects in these molecules giving rise to lighter skin/coat color. The dilute phenotype in domestic cats affects both eumelanin and phaeomelanin pigment pathways; for example, black pigmentation combined with dilute appears gray and orange pigments appear cream. The dilute pigmentation segregates as a fully penetrant, autosomal recessive trait. We conducted classical linkage mapping with microsatellites in a large multigeneration pedigree of domestic cats and detected tight linkage for dilute on cat chromosome C1 (theta=0.08, LOD=10.81). Fine-mapping identified a genomic region exhibiting conserved synteny to human chromosome 2, which included one of the three dilute candidate genes, melanophilin (MLPH). Sequence analysis in dilute cats identified a single base pair deletion in exon 2 of MLPH transcripts that introduces a stop codon 11 amino acids downstream, resulting in the truncation of the bulk of the MLPH protein. The occurrence of this homozygous variant in 97 unrelated dilute cats representing 26 cat breeds and random-bred cats, along with 89 unrelated wild-type cats representing 29 breeds and random-bred cats, supports the finding that dilute is caused by this single mutation in MLPH (p<0.00001). Single-nucleotide polymorphism analyses in dilute individuals identified a single haplotype in dilute cats, suggesting that a single mutation event in MLPH gave rise to dilute in domestic cats.

Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing↗
PubMed1998

Increased tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity in the locus coeruleus of cats with interstitial cystitis.

PURPOSE: Environmental stressors seem to play a role in exacerbation of symptoms of interstitial cystitis (IC), both in cats and in human beings. These observations suggest a role for the sympathetic nervous system in the pathophysiology of IC. To begin to assess the underlying role in IC of the pontine nucleus locus coeruleus (LC), the most important source of norepinephrine in the central nervous system, we compared the intensity of tyrosine hydroxylase immunoreactivity (THIR) in sections of LC obtained from cats with IC and from healthy cats. Cats with IC were studied during quiescent periods in an attempt to avoid the risk of flare-induced activation of the LC. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Six cats diagnosed with IC and six healthy cats were studied. Cats with IC were monitored to ensure that no behavioral or urinary signs attributable to IC had been observed for at least two weeks prior to the study. Cats were euthanized and perfused with 4% paraformaldehyde, after which brainstem tissues were collected. Coronal sections (10 microns) of LC were prepared and examined for THIR. RESULTS: THIR in total LC, parabrachial nucleus and LC complex was significantly greater (p < 0.05) in samples from cats with IC than from healthy cats. CONCLUSIONS: The increased THIR in the LC of cats with IC provides additional evidence for increased sympathetic nervous system activity in patients with IC, even during periods of absence of clinical signs.

Animals↗
PubMed1997

Innervation of the caudate nucleus, thalamus and red nucleus by the remaining sensorimotor cortex in cats with fetal or neonatal unilateral frontal cortex removal.

We studied the projections to the caudate nuclei, thalami and red nuclei from the remaining sensorimotor cortex in adult cats that had sustained a unilateral frontal cortex resection prenatally or neonatally. Four cats had the lesion at age E 50-55 and six animals sustained the ablation at age P 8-14 (seven cats were intact controls). All cats grew to young adulthood and then received injections of tritiated leucine-proline in the remaining sensorimotor cortex. Injection sites and axon terminal fields were reconstructed using autoradiography-processed tissue. In all cats the label filled a similar extent of the right pericruciate cortex. Terminal field densities in the subcortical nuclei were estimated using computer-based video software. Three medial-lateral sectors at five coronal levels were examined in the caudate nucleus. Three nuclear groups were analyzed in the thalamus (intralaminary, ventralis lateralis and ventrobasal complex). For the red nucleus, the four quadrants were examined at four coronal levels. The main goal of the study was to assess possible changes in the cortical innervation of the nuclei ipsilateral to the lesion. Therefore, the mean particle counts per nucleus (and per area or sector of nuclei) and per animal group were used to calculate percentage values for the decussated (crossed, or contralateral to the injection site) as a function of the non-decussated (uncrossed, or ipsilateral to the injection site) innervation. The percentage values for the crossed projections were: (a) for the entire caudate nucleus, 61.3% for the intact. 56.7% for the fetal-lesioned and 42.7% for the neonatal-lesioned cats, with no statistical differences between groups; (b) for the thalamus the proportion of crossed projections was minimal fluctuating between a low 0.06-0.16% for the nucleus ventralis lateralis and a high of 2.01-3.46% for the intralaminary nuclei, with the highest values belonging to the lesioned groups but with no significant differences between groups: (c) for the entire red nucleus, 1.98%, 12.74% (P < 0.05) and 6.76% for the intact, fetal- and neonatal-lesioned cats respectively. In the lesioned cats, the topography of the distribution of the axon terminals was bilaterally the same as in the controls. In conclusion, only the red nucleus of the frontal-lesioned cats showed an increased crossed innervation from the remaining sensorimotor cortex but this was relatively weak and statistically significant only for the fetal-lesioned animals. These results as well as the literature suggest that: (a) the crossed corticorubral projections in fetal cats may represent true reinnervation (i.e., newly originated, no preexisting terminals); (b) the relative paucity of the crossed projections in the present cats as compared to the extensive reorganization of subcortical terminals seen after cerebral hemispherectomy (our original postnatal lesion model) may be due to the much smaller size of the present cortical lesion which presumably induced only a limited amount of subcortical nuclear deafferentation.

Animals↗
PubMed1999

Changes in the axonal conduction velocity of pyramidal tract neurons in the aged cat.

The present study was undertaken to determine whether age-dependent changes in axonal conduction velocity occur in pyramidal tract neurons. A total of 260 and 254 pyramidal tract neurons were recorded extracellularly in the motor cortex of adult control and aged cats, respectively. These cells were activated antidromically by electrical stimulation of the medullary pyramidal tract. Fast- and slow-conducting neurons were identified according to their axonal conduction velocity in both control and aged cats. While 51% of pyramidal tract neurons recorded in the control cats were fast conducting (conduction velocity greater than 20 m/s), only 26% of pyramidal tract neurons in the aged cats were fast conducting. There was a 43% decrease in the median conduction velocity for the entire population of pyramidal tract neurons in aged cats when compared with that of pyramidal tract neurons in the control cats (P < 0.001, Mann-Whitney U-test). A linear relationship between the spike duration of pyramidal tract neurons and their antidromic latency was present in both control and aged cats. However, the regression slope was significantly reduced in aged cats. This reduction was due to the appearance of a group of pyramidal tract neurons with relatively shorter spike durations but slower axonal conduction velocities in the aged cat. Sample intracellular data confirmed the above results. These observations form the basis for the following conclusions: (i) there is a decrease in median conduction velocity of pyramidal tract neurons in aged cats; (ii) the reduction in the axonal conduction velocity of pyramidal tract neurons in aged cats is due, in part, to fibers that previously belonged to the fast-conducting group and now conduct at slower velocity.

Aging↗
PubMed2002

Pharmacokinetics of selamectin following intravenous, oral and topical administration in cats and dogs.

The pharmacokinetics of selamectin were evaluated in cats and dogs, following intravenous (0.05, 0.1 and 0.2 mg/kg), topical (24 mg/kg) and oral (24 mg/kg) administration. Following selamectin administration, serial blood samples were collected and plasma concentrations were determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). After intravenous administration of selamectin to cats and dogs, the mean maximum plasma concentrations and area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) were linearly related to the dose, and mean systemic clearance (Clb) and steady-state volume of distribution (Vd(ss)) were independent of dose. Plasma concentrations after intravenous administration declined polyexponentially in cats and biphasically in dogs, with mean terminal phase half-lives (t(1/2)) of approximately 69 h in cats and 14 h in dogs. In cats, overall Clb was 0.470 +/- 0.039 mL/min/kg (+/-SD) and overall Vd(ss) was 2.19 +/- 0.05 L/kg, compared with values of 1.18 +/- 0.31 mL/min/kg and 1.24 +/- 0.26 L/kg, respectively, in dogs. After topical administration, the mean C(max) in cats was 5513 +/- 2173 ng/mL reached at a time (T(max)) of 15 +/- 12 h postadministration; in dogs, C(max) was 86.5 +/- 34.0 ng/mL at T(max) of 72 +/- 48 h. Bioavailability was 74% in cats and 4.4% in dogs. Following oral administration to cats, mean C(max) was 11,929 +/- 5922 ng/mL at T(max) of 7 +/- 6 h and bioavailability was 109%. In dogs, mean C(max) was 7630 +/- 3140 ng/mL at T(max) of 8 +/- 5 h and bioavailability was 62%. There were no selamectin-related adverse effects and no sex differences in pharmacokinetic parameters. Linearity was established in cats and dogs for plasma concentrations up to 874 and 636 ng/mL, respectively. Pharmacokinetic evaluations for selamectin following intravenous administration indicated a slower elimination from the central compartment in cats than in dogs. This was reflected in slower clearance and longer t(1/2) in cats, probably as a result of species-related differences in metabolism and excretion. Inter-species differences in pharmacokinetic profiles were also observed following topical administration where differences in transdermal flux rates may have contributed to the overall differences in systemic bioavailability.

Administration, Oral↗
PubMed2001

A comparison of corneal sensitivity between brachycephalic and Domestic Short-haired cats.

OBJECTIVE: To compare sensitivity of the central and peripheral cornea of brachycephalic and Domestic Short-haired (DSH) cats. DESIGN: Prospective study. ANIMALS: Fifty DSH, thirteen Persian, and seven Himalayan cats. CRITERIA FOR INCLUSION: Healthy DSH, Persian, or Himalayan cats older than 6 months, with a normal ophthalmic examination and Sno-strip values greater than or equal to 5 mm wetting/60 s. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Corneal sensitivity was measured using a Cochet-Bonnet aesthesiometer. The cornea was touched using the tip of the monofilament, decreasing the fiber length in 5 mm increments until a blink reflex occurred. Corneal touch threshold was defined as the stimulus that elicited a corneal blink reflex greater than 50% of the time. RESULTS: Mean central and peripheral corneal touch threshold (CTT, +/- SD in gm/mm2) for the DSH cats were 1.79 +/- 2.33 and 5.01 +/- 5.07 in the right eye (OD), and 1.74 +/- 1.65 and 5.02 +/- 4.55 in the left eye (OS). Mean central and peripheral CTT +/- SD (gm/mm2) for the brachycephalic cats were 4.09 +/- 5.29 and 6.18 +/- 5.65 OD, and 3.18 +/- 3.75 and 7.66 +/- 6.24 OS. Statistical analysis of the data revealed a significantly higher CTT in the central (P = 0.019) and peripheral (P = 0.003) cornea of brachycephalic than DSH cats. When evaluated for gender, this difference persisted in female cats, but did not hold true for male cats. A significant difference in CTT was found between central and peripheral cornea within both groups of cats. CONCLUSIONS: The central cornea is less sensitive in brachycephalic than DSH cats. The central cornea is more sensitive than the peripheral cornea in both brachycephalic and DSH cats.

Animals↗
PubMed2005

Mutant allele frequencies in domestic cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee.

We conducted surveys of mutant allele frequencies of four cat populations in Arkansas and Tennessee during 2002. Our calculations and analyses support that Southwestern cat populations were relatively more genetically similar to each other than compared to cat populations in other areas of North America. However, the cat population of Fort Smith is slightly different from the other cat populations studied in the Southwestern United States. Although there is a clear significant spatial geographic pattern for many mutant coat allele frequencies in the United States and Canada cat populations (d, l, S, and W), our results revealed that there is not a significant isolation-by-distance model affecting these cat populations. Our data also support the historical migration hypothesis because our calculated allele frequencies were genetically similar to cat populations located in ancestral areas of Europe. Different phenograms, including new European cat genetic profiles, showed that the Southwestern cat populations studied are of a clear British origin. Therefore, migration routes of early Arkansas and Tennessee settlers help explain the similarities of allele frequencies among domestic cat populations.

Animals↗
PubMed1978

Taurine: an essential nutrient for the cat.

Cats fed a purified diet containing purified casein as the source of protein develop retinal degeneration due to the lack of taurine in the diet. To test whether cats can synthesize this sulfur amino acid from sulfate or cystine, radioisotopes of these substances were injected into taurine-depleted and control cats. Sulfate did not serve as a precursor for taurine synthesis, whereas cystine underwent only a moderate conversion to taurine. This is in keeping with the low level of cysteinesulfinic acid (CSA) decarboxylase activity in cat liver. There was no difference between the activity of CSA decarboxylase in tissues from control cats and that in tissues from taurine-depleted cats. The pattern of tissue accumulation of [35S]taurine and from [35S]cystine also indicated that tissues from taurine-depleted cats do not synthesize [35S]taurine more rapidly than tissues from control cats. The data did not indicate a difference in taurine uptake by tissues of control and deficient cats, but progressive accumulation in deficient cats suggested that the turnover rate of taurine is decreased by the deficiency. Since supplementation of the purified diet with cysteine has been found previously to be inadequate to prevent progressive taurine depletion of the retina and its subsequent degeneration and since conversion of sulfur compounds to taurine in vivo is inadequate, taurine can be considered an essential nutrient for the cat.

Animals↗
PubMed1995

Dietary soybean protein decreases plasma taurine in cats.

Commercial dry and canned diets fed to cats cause approximately two- and fourfold increase in the taurine requirement, respectively, as compared with that observed for purified diets. In two experiments, the effect of source and level of protein and fiber in the diet on the concentration of taurine in plasma and whole blood of cats was studied. All diets contained 1 g taurine/kg dry matter. When a casein-based diet containing either 25% or 50% protein was given to cats for 6 wk, no difference in plasma taurine concentration was observed; however, substituting soybean protein for casein resulted in a significant (P < 0.01) decrease in plasma taurine concentration of cats in the 50% soybean protein group, but not in the 25% soybean protein group. In Experiment 2, the food intake of cats was limited [26 g dry matter/(kg body weight.d)], and the protein was 30 or 60% of the diet. Cats fed 60% soybean protein or casein diets had significantly lower plasma taurine concentrations than cats fed a 30% casein diet, with the 60% soybean protein diet causing the greater decrease. There was no effect of either 2 or 4% soybean fiber on plasma taurine concentration as compared with the same diet without the added fiber. The taurine concentration in plasma was higher (P < 0.05) in male cats than in female cats. Protein source, amount in the diet and gender did not affect the whole blood taurine concentration. Cats given diets containing 60% casein or soybean protein diets excreted a greater amount of fecal total bile acid and total taurine than cats given a 30% casein diet.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)

Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena↗
PubMed1999

Sodium requirement of adult cats for maintenance based on plasma aldosterone concentration.

The sodium requirement of adult cats for maintenance was determined using a randomized block design of eight dietary sodium treatments (0.1, 0.4, 0.5, 0.66, 0.8, 1.2, 1.6 or 2.0 g Na/kg in a casein-lactalbumin-based purified diet) administered for periods of 4 wk. A total of 35 adult specific-pathogen-free domestic shorthaired cats (26 males and 9 females, 1.5-3 y of age) was given an equilibration diet (2 g Na/kg) for 14 d before assignment (or reassignment) to the treatments. A total of 12 cats (8 males, 4 females) was randomly assigned to the lowest six levels of sodium, and four cats to the highest two sodium levels. Cats consuming the diet containing 0.1 g Na/kg had significantly elevated aldosterone concentration in plasma, and packed cell volume. In addition, these cats exhibited anorexia, body weight loss, reduced urinary specific gravity and sodium excretion, and had a negative sodium balance. However, adult cats did not develop polydypsia and polyuria reported in sodium-deficient kittens. Cats given the diet containing 0.66 g Na/kg did not have an increased packed cell volume, but aldosterone concentration in the plasma was significantly elevated. However, cats given diets containing >/=0.8 g Na/kg had plasma aldosterone concentrations </=0.7 nmol/L (reference value for sodium-replete cats) and normal packed-cell volumes. A minimal sodium requirement of adult cats for maintenance of 0.8 g Na/kg diet (energy density = 22 kJ/g diet) or 0.4 mmol Na. kg body weight-1. d-1 is proposed.

Aldosterone↗
PubMed2001

Histopathology, electrodiagnostic testing, and magnetic resonance imaging show significant peripheral and central nervous system myelin abnormalities in the cat model of alpha-mannosidosis.

Alpha-mannosidosis is a disease caused by the deficient activity of alpha-mannosidase, a lysosomal hydrolase involved in the degradation of glycoproteins. The disease is characterized by the accumulation of mannose-rich oligosaccharides within lysosomes. The purpose of this study was to characterize the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) myelin abnormalities in cats from a breeding colony with a uniform mutation in the gene encoding alpha-mannosidase. Three affected cats and 3 normal cats from 2 litters were examined weekly from 4 to 18 wk of age. Progressively worsening neurological signs developed in affected cats that included tremors, loss of balance, and nystagmus. In the PNS, affected cats showed slow motor nerve conduction velocity and increased F-wave latency. Single nerve fiber teasing revealed significant demyelination/remyelination in affected cats. Mean G-ratios of nerves showed a significant increase in affected cats compared to normal cats. Magnetic resonance imaging of the CNS revealed diffuse white matter signal abnormalities throughout the brain of affected cats. Quantitative magnetization transfer imaging showed a 8%-16% decrease in the magnetization transfer ratio in brain white matter of affected cats compared to normal cats, consistent with myelin abnormalities. Histology confirmed myelin loss throughout the cerebrum and cerebellum. Thus, histology, electrodiagnostic testing, and magnetic resonance imaging identified significant myelination abnormalities in both the PNS and CNS that have not been described previously in alpha-mannosidosis.

Animals↗