History and Breeds of Cats

History of Cats

• Historically, it has been difficult to determine the changes in cats because they were forest dwelling animals which made fossilization difficult
• Some records suggest skins of big cats (predators) were used as clothing around 6500 BC
• Cats were first domesticated around 4000 BC by Egyptians
• Cats were venerated in Egyptian culture because it was believed that these animals were reincarnated gods
• The domestication of cats correlated with the development of agriculture
• Stored grains attracted small rodents
• Cats were employed for vermin control
• Cats continued to be absorbed into society and trained to hunt birds
• In early Europe, cats were used to keep keep pest down and control the plague
• Getting rid of large numbers of cats likely assisted the spreading of the bubonic plague
• In 1665, the Mayor of London ordered the extermination of cats and dogs to control the plague
• Human incidence of the plague rose as rat populations continued to climb over the summer
• A reduction in plague happened in the fall as flea populations began to die off
• During the dark ages, cats were considered 'familiars', embodying a supernatural spirit aiding witches or warlocks in performing magic (Spiritism and demonology)
• Familiars were thought to be gifts from Satan and carry messages and assist in black magic rituals
• Witches would take on the form of their familiar in order to travel freely

Cat Taxonomy

• The domestic cat is 1 of 38 members of the cat family (felidae)
• The largest cat is the Siberian tiger at 10 feet 5 inches in length
• It stands 42 inches at the shoulder and weighs 660lbs
• The smallest cat is the African Black-footed cat which weighs around 3.25 lbs

Cat Breeds

• The Cat Fanciers Association (CFA) recognizes 41 total cat breeds
• Recognized breeds include Abyssinian, American Bobtail, American Curl, among others
• Pedigree cats must have ancestry recorded for at least 4 generations
• Fewer than 1% of household cats are of pedigree heritage
• Most cats are mixed breeds (household or domestic cats)

Top 10 Cat Breeds in 2006

• Persian
• Maine Coon
• Exotic
• Siamese
• Ragdoll
• Abyssinian
• Birman
• American Shorthair
• Oriental
• Sphynx

Specific Cat Breeds

• Persian Cats are long-haired, sturdy with a good disposition
• They were brought from Persia by an Italian traveler (1617-1621) making them cats of nobility and affluence in Europe
• Maine Coon Cats are agile, strong, and brave with a good temperament known for their large size
• They are known to excel in rodent control
• It is believed to be a cross of Persian cats (i.e. from Marie Antoinette own cat collection [trying to escape to the USA) and bred with American domestic cats
• Exotic cats were developed by crossing Persians with American and British shorthair, Burmese, and Russian Blue cats
• Exotic cats are considered good temperament
• Siamese cats were Royal cats of Siam (Thailand) living in places and temples for over 200 years
• Siamese cats have boisterous (rough) temperaments
• Ragdoll cats were developed in 1960 by crossing Persian with Birman and Burmese cats
• Only the most docile cats kept for breeding
• Cats are characterized by becoming limp and relaxed when picked up
• Abyssinian cats likely originated from Egypt, but were raised for 1000s of years in Abyssinia (Ethiopia)
• They are people-oriented, but not good lap cats
• Birman cats are Sacred cats of Burma
• They are good household pets that are stocky and intelligent
• American shorthair cats originated from native American working cats
• They are good for rodent control, and are strong, agile and good climbers
• Oriental cats originated form Siamese crosses with similar temperaments
• Oriental cats have more colorful coats and patterns than Siamese
• Sphynx cats were developed in Canada in 1960, also known as 'Canadian Hairless cat'
• Sphynx kittens are born with fine hair that is lost in adulthood
• Cat owners like that adult Sphynx cats don't shed hair once the fine hair growth is gone

Cats as Predators

• Agility and speed make cats excellent predators allowing them to quietly hunt both day and night
• They have a good sense of smell and excellent hearing
• Smell 200 x 10^6 olfactory receptors
• Ears can rotate 180° along the vertical axis
• The tail acts as a rudder providing the cat with better body control while running and jumping
• Sight at long distances along with whiskers allows for close contact
• Receptors in the mouth help close the jaw
• Canine teeth puncture tissue (vessels and trachea) and the carnassial teeth tear flesh

Cat Anatomy and Physiology (Special Structures)

• The spine is very flexible allowing for quick adaptations in 3-D space
• The lumbar spine is 6 times more flexible for rotation or bending than humans
• They have a small muscle attached clavicle (floating clavicle) allows for easier longitudinal motion of the shoulder joint
• Cats see 6 times better at night than people because:
• Large pupils allow more light in
• Tapetum lucidum (Latin: 'Bright tapestry'): Located behind the retina and reflects images back onto the retina, enhancing low light images
• Cat balance and orientation are very effective at falling and turning around in mid-air to land on their feet, this is where the saying that cats have 9 lives comes from
• The belief is that cats have a highly developed vestibular apparatus
• Cat whiskers (vibrissae) are used to detect the environment around them, especially in the dark
• If cats lose their vibrissae, they are more tentative and cautious to move around
• Usually, there are 30 whiskers in sets of 4 rows above the mouth and eyes
• Pads of feet: are soft for quiet movement
• Retractable claws: an elastic fiber ligament system between the distal phalanx (P3) and the second most distal phalanx (P2) that when relaxed the claw is retracted
• When needed a digital flexor tendon contracts and pulls the claw from its sheath

Cat Bites

• Tiger: 1525 PSI
• Jaguar: 1014 PSI
• Leopard: 467 PSI
• Cats have a short lower mandible (and short upper jaw (maxilla) and strong temporalis and masseter muscles which gives a very strong bite
• The tongue has no effect on bite
• Canine teeth (eye-teeth) puncture wounds
• Carnassial teeth (premolar teeth, upper jaw and molar of lower jaw) tear tissue

Metabolic Diseases: Taurine Deficiency

• Cats are obligate carnivores who require a lot of food nitrogen
• Cats have a difficulty in regulating the activity of hepatic enzymes involved in amino acid catabolism
• They are unable to adapt to protein catabolic pathways and activities such as urea cycle
• Taurine is only found in animal tissues so cats being obligate carnivores must acquire it this way Other species synthesize taurine from sulfur-rich amino acids (methionine and cysteine) but the enzymes are in very low quantities in cats
• Prior to the 1980s they were supplemented in cat food preperations
• Can still see Taurine deficiency in farm cats fed table scraps or dog food
• Pathology can occur in the heart, eye, mouth, hair coat and immune function (respiratory burst of granulocyte)
• Taurine deficiency can cause Dilated Cardiomyopathy and Progressive retinal degeneration which leads to blindness

Endocrine DIsease: Hyperthyroidism

• First recognized in Boston and New York (1979) and now is considered the most common endocrine disorder in cats
• Seen in middle-age to geriatric cats
• 95% of cats with hyperthyroidism have benign thyroid adenomatous hyperplasia or adenomas (hyper-functional)
• Cats will express excess levels of T4 hormone
• Less than 2% are carcinomas
• 70% of most cases are associated with both lobes of the thyroid gland

Endocrine Disease: Hyperthyroidism Review

• Thyroid hormone (T4 longer lasting in the blood) is derived by the active form T3
• These hormones have more potent effects and affect almost all cell types
• Increases metabolic rate of the body (increase cellular activity)
• Increases oxygen consumption by cells
• Increases protein sysnthesis, fat and carbohydrate metabolism (catabolism, breakdown)
• Modulates calcium homeostasis

Endocrine Disease: Hyperthyroidism Etiologies

• Breed: purebred Siamese and Himalayan cats have lower risk
• Antibodies have been disproven as a cause and initially thought to be related to Graves disease
• Environment: Indoor only cats or cats that used kitty litter a lot had a higher incidence of hyperthyroidism
• Diet: cats on canned food or foods with plastic linings have been correlated with hyperthyroidism
• Diets with high iodine can have fluctuating levels of iodine and cause more hyperthyroidism
• Constant levels of iodine may modulate disease

Endocrine Disease: Hyperthyroidism Cardiovascular effects:

• Increased heart rate (tachycardia) and heart contractility (i.e. strength of contraction)
• Increased blood pressure by increased water retention (i.e. sodium reabsorption)
• Increased preload of the heart
• Increased erythropoietin sectretion leading to increased red blood cells

Endocrine Disease: Hyperthyroidism Consequences

• Long-term increased heart rate
• Heart murmurs
• Increased respiration (stressed... visit to veterinary clinic)
• Heart arrhythmias
• Hypertrophic congestive heart failure

Endocrine Disease: Treatments for Hyperthyroidism

• Drug treatment (Methimazole) with ~90% effectiveness but reversible
• Radiotherapy: (Radioiodine): >90% effective and curative
• Surgery: ~ 90% effective and curative

Infectious Disease: Feline Infectious Peritonitis (FIP)

• FIP is caused by the Feline coronavirus (FCoV: Group I coronavirus which can survive for 7 weeks in a dry environment
• Virus is more prevalent in domestic and wild cats that occurs more frequently in crowded cat areas
• 1:9 cats infected with FCoV will progress to FIP a deadly disease mostly seen in young cats less than a year old
• Contact occurs via fecal-oral route or rarely by saliva or in utero
• Stress will increase chance of progressing to FIP

Feline Infectious Peritonitis forms: FIP

• Virus will induce chronic immune stimulation which will result in pyogranulomatous vasculitis
• This leads to neutrophils macrophages infiltrating blood vessels
• 2 forms exist, dry (Non-effusive) and wet (effusive) form
• Dry is characterized by pyogranulomatous lesions of organs
• Wet leads to polyserositis in the lining of the body cavities which will exude fluid
• A pathogenesis is weak or absent immune response
• If partial (effective) cell mediated-immune response it is characterized as a Dry form
• If absent (effective) cell mediated-immune response it is characterized as a Wet form
• The development of an antibody response helps with the infection of the cell in the form of the S protein. This disease and death progress very quickly.

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: FIP Characteristics

• Wet form: pleural effusion and ascites formation
• Dry form: leads to renal inlfammation and can cause ocular changes

Feline Infectious Peritonitis: FIP Treatments

• One supportive option treatment includes NSAIDS and possible short term usage
• Euthanasia is a sad reality because the disease is always fatal
• Prevent cats with FCoV infections from wondering into different areas via hygiene by cleaning and disinfecting
• Its recommended to wait months before introducing a new pet due to disease spread