Assessing welfare risks in unowned unsocialised domestic cats in Denmark based on associations with low body condition score
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Assessing welfare risks in unowned unsocialised domestic cats in Denmark based on associations with low body condition score. / Nielsen, Søren Saxmose; Thuesen, Ida Sofie; Mejer, Helena; Agerholm, Jørgen Steen; Nielsen, Stine Thorsø; Jokelainen, Pikka; Thamsborg, Stig Milan; Sandøe, Peter.
In: Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica, Vol. 65, 1, 2023.Research output: Contribution to journal › Journal article › Research › peer-review
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TY - JOUR
T1 - Assessing welfare risks in unowned unsocialised domestic cats in Denmark based on associations with low body condition score
AU - Nielsen, Søren Saxmose
AU - Thuesen, Ida Sofie
AU - Mejer, Helena
AU - Agerholm, Jørgen Steen
AU - Nielsen, Stine Thorsø
AU - Jokelainen, Pikka
AU - Thamsborg, Stig Milan
AU - Sandøe, Peter
PY - 2023
Y1 - 2023
N2 - Background Populations of unowned unsocialised cats are present worldwide. Generally, there is concern about their welfare. Low body condition score (BCS) is a potentially relevant indicator that is relatively easy to assess: emaciated cats are likely to have welfare problems while thin cats may be at risk of becoming emaciated. The objective of this study was to assess the association of low BSC with a selection of factors relating to the host, disease, and infection in unowned unsocialised domestic cats. We necropsied 598 euthanised unowned unsocialised cats from Denmark. We recorded each cat’s age-group, sex, and neuter status, together with its pregnancy status, the season and location of trapping, as well as gross lesions at necropsy. We also tested for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus, recorded presence of ectoparasites, and a subsample of the cats were also tested for endoparasites.Cats with no or sparse adipose deposits were categorised as having low BCS, and logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with low BCS.Results Of the cats, 11.4% had low BCS. Season, age-group and sex were associated with low BCS and confounded potential associations with other variables. Intact adult males and females in spring and early summer were at highest risk of low BCS. When these factors were taken into account, cats with biting lice had 2.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–5.4) times higher odds of low BCS, and cats with gastro-intestinal findings (i.e., enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, abdominal hernia, diarrhoea, obstructive foreign bodies, or diaphragmatic hernia) had 50 (95% CI 10–417) times higher odds of low BCS, than cats with no such findings. Cats with low BCS were primarily adult intact cats with tooth lesions and skin lesions, ear mite infection, and positive test result for feline immunodeficiency virus.Conclusions The results highlight associations that can be used to define a risk profile: low BCS, notably in summer autumn, in an unowned unsocialised cat was associated with underlying, less visible problems. Thus, low BCS can be more than a step towards being emaciated; it can also be an indicator of other underlying welfare problems.
AB - Background Populations of unowned unsocialised cats are present worldwide. Generally, there is concern about their welfare. Low body condition score (BCS) is a potentially relevant indicator that is relatively easy to assess: emaciated cats are likely to have welfare problems while thin cats may be at risk of becoming emaciated. The objective of this study was to assess the association of low BSC with a selection of factors relating to the host, disease, and infection in unowned unsocialised domestic cats. We necropsied 598 euthanised unowned unsocialised cats from Denmark. We recorded each cat’s age-group, sex, and neuter status, together with its pregnancy status, the season and location of trapping, as well as gross lesions at necropsy. We also tested for feline immunodeficiency virus and feline leukaemia virus, recorded presence of ectoparasites, and a subsample of the cats were also tested for endoparasites.Cats with no or sparse adipose deposits were categorised as having low BCS, and logistic regression was used to determine the factors associated with low BCS.Results Of the cats, 11.4% had low BCS. Season, age-group and sex were associated with low BCS and confounded potential associations with other variables. Intact adult males and females in spring and early summer were at highest risk of low BCS. When these factors were taken into account, cats with biting lice had 2.8 (95% confidence interval (CI) 1.4–5.4) times higher odds of low BCS, and cats with gastro-intestinal findings (i.e., enlarged mesenteric lymph nodes, abdominal hernia, diarrhoea, obstructive foreign bodies, or diaphragmatic hernia) had 50 (95% CI 10–417) times higher odds of low BCS, than cats with no such findings. Cats with low BCS were primarily adult intact cats with tooth lesions and skin lesions, ear mite infection, and positive test result for feline immunodeficiency virus.Conclusions The results highlight associations that can be used to define a risk profile: low BCS, notably in summer autumn, in an unowned unsocialised cat was associated with underlying, less visible problems. Thus, low BCS can be more than a step towards being emaciated; it can also be an indicator of other underlying welfare problems.
U2 - 10.1186/s13028-023-00665-2
DO - 10.1186/s13028-023-00665-2
M3 - Journal article
C2 - 36691036
VL - 65
JO - Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
JF - Acta Veterinaria Scandinavica
SN - 0044-605X
M1 - 1
ER -
ID: 333950160