CAT CLASS EXAM 2

Are cats short-day or long-day breeders? What seasons does this include?

Cats are long-day breeders; summer & spring

How early can kittens begin puberty?

4 months old

What part of the Ovarian system is being described?

• produces follicles: has eggs (oocytes) encapsulated

• Large, pink bubble in diagram 1

Ovaries

Progesterone (P4)

the hormone of pregnancy also keeps animals out of heat when they are not pregnant

what is referred to as the hormone of pregnancy & also keeps animals out of heat when not pregnant?

Progesterone (P4)

what phase of the Estrus cycle is being described?

• occurs before estrus

• length: short (couple of days), may not be observed

• behavior: attracted to males, NO mating, affectionate

• hormonal: estrogen HIGH

no discharged - no bleeding

Proestrus

what phase of the Estrus cycle is being described?

• length: varies, several days to weeks

• behavior: attracted to males, ALLOWS mating, affectionate

• anatomy: ovarian follicular growth

• hormonal: estrogen PEAKS

no discharge - no bleeding

Estrus

In which phase of the Estrus cycle would a cat allow mating?

Estrus phase

In which phase/s do queens NOT allow mating?

Proestrus, Postestrus, Diestrus, & Anestrus

What phase does a queen go into if she does not ovulate after estrus?

postestrus/interestrus

What phase of the Estrus cycle does this describe?

• induced by…NO ovulation / NO mating

• Length: varies, days to weeks

• Behavior: NO mating

• Anatomy: follicular regression (follicles shrivel up)

• Hormonal: NO estrogen or progesterone

Postestrus/Interestrus

What phase does a queen go into if she ovulates and gets pregnant/doesn’t get pregnant?

Diestrus

What phase of the Estrus cycle does this describe?

• period of progesterone dominance

• pregnant phase ~ 60 days

• pregnant = 2 months, non-pregnant = 40-50 days

• Behavior: NO mating

• Anatomy: corpora lutea (follicles ovulate to become CL)

• Hormonal: progesterone heavy- takes cats out of heat

Diestrus

What phase of the Estrus cycle does this describe?

• period of reproductive quiescence (fall/winter)

• Behavior: NO mating

• Anatomy: inactive ovaries

• Hormonal: NO estrogen/progesterone

Anestrus

What does the term “Induced Ovulator” mean?

Queens require vaginal stimulation to ovulate

How common is it for queens to have spontaneous ovulation?

1/3

Which method is proven to have the best chance of impregnating the queen?

4 matings in 2 hours

What is the breakdown of the queen’s ovulation?

Hypothalamus:

the hypothalamus will release GnRH —> causes LH surge —> ovulation

What is Persistent Estrus?

When the Queen is consistently in heat, completely normal

What is happening inside the queen when Persistent Estrus is occurring?

• waves of estrogens blend together

• ovaries are hyperactive

What are some causes of Persistent Estrus?

• RARELY caused by ovarian neoplasia (ovarian cancer)

• Abnormal follicles that develop cysts that secrete estrogen

Granulosa cell tumors (GCT) are most common

• human products / hormones

Finish the sentence

The Corpus Luteum is dependent on during pregnancy.

Progesterone

What hormone is being described?

• made in placenta of Queens

• can be used for a pregnancy diagnosis test

Relaxin

What is the relationship between being in heat and a pregnant Queen?

OCCASIONALLY, queen can be in heat during pregnancy despite high progesterone

Superfecundation

When a litter has more than 1 father

ex. Sweet Girl & Chubbs

How long is the gestation period for a normal Queen?

~ 2 months (65-67 days since mating)

What is Deciduate referring to the Queen’s placenta?

fetal components of the placenta that are shed at birth

What tests can be used to confirm a pregnancy?

Relaxin blood/urine test, palpation, ultrasonography, & radiology

Which happens at 3 weeks gestation?

mammary glands change —> nipple development

Which happens at 6-7 weeks gestation?

mammary glands change —> lactation/ abdomen is obvious

When is a queen palpatable?

> 2 weeks gestation

When is Ultrasonography possible for the queen?

as early as ~2.5 weeks after mating

When is Relaxin useful for a pregnancy test?

approximately 28 days gestation

What can be seen using radiology to estimate gestational age?

crown-rump length (crown of head to tail)

Cats require in their diet; if lacking, it results in cardiac problems and reproductive issues

taurine

Parturition:

the act of giving birth (aka queening)

What stage of Parturition does this describe?

• nesting, pacing, & purring

• isolation, anxiety

• giving birth very soon

Stage I

What stage of Parturition does this describe?

• queen may cry out during passage

• can last several hours to days

• actively giving birth

Stage II

How does the queen react after passage of her kittens?

• Queen starts to clean/eat the membranes off the kittens

• licking stimulates the kittens to breathe

What stage of Parturition does this describe?

• fetal membrane (placenta) expulsion

Stage III

What is Feline Dystocia and what breeds is it more commonly seen in?

1. rare, problems giving birth

2. common in Devon Rex & short/long-headed/nosed breeds

What can be used to identify feline infertility?

endocrinology, abdominal ultrasonography, & karyotyping

Where can you find karyotyping & how much does it cost?

ONLY at Texas A&M; $500

What is the difference between an Intact male and a castrated male?

A castrated male has the testes removed; penis becomes smooth from lack of testosterone

How can you tell if a male cat is castrated?

clipped ear

Where is the testosterone made in toms?

gonads (testes)

What causes poor fertility in toms?

• penile hair rings

• mate preference

• intersex issues

• cryptorchidism: testes in abdomen (if only 1 testicle tom can be fertile)

what can a deficiency of riboflavin (vitamin) or linoleate (fatty acid) cause?

poor fertility in toms

which part of the sperm contains the DNA?

the head

which part of the sperm holds the mitochondria which allows the sperm to swim?

middle piece

What is the GnRH vaccination?

vaccine to prevent fertility in toms and queens

is GnRH available in the US?

No

What effects does the GnRH vaccine have?

1. dramatic decrease in testosterone

2. testicular & penile spines got smaller (atrophied)

Fill in the blank:

GnRH prevents the ———- from functioning or sending signals correctly

gonad

What is the relationship between GnRH and the word antigenic?

GnRH attaches to a shellfish protein, and makes it antigenic: makes the body angry at the protein

what percentage of cats ovulate after the first mating?

50%

How many matings does it take for cats to ovulate FOR SURE?

after 4+ matings

What can vaginal cytology tell vets?

where & what phase the queen is in her reproductive cycle

What can serum progesterone?

shows if the queen ovulated or not

fill in the blank:

if the serum progesterone is less than ———— , the queen did not ovulate

2 ng/ml

how can you distinguish when a male achieves intromission?

queen will yell out, run away, and clean/rub herself

what is pseudopregnancy?

queen will ovulate but not get pregnant

what can pseudopregnancy cause?

prolonged progesterone

How can ovaries look in a queen with cystic ovarian disease?

large ovaries with giant cysts attached

• prolongs estrus behavior

• cat fails to get pregnant

Fill in the blank:

______________________ is the most common diagnosis in uterine pathology for dogs and cats

Cystic endometrial hyperplasia

(prolonged exposure to progesterone in absence of pregnancy)

what can cystic endometrial hyperplasia cause?

spontaneous ovulations & unsuccessful mating

cystic endometrial hyperplasia

______ is when the uterus is distended with purulent material (only causes sickness in cats)

pyometra

what is the average age of cats that have pyometra?

5 years old (young as 1)

symptoms of pyometra?

depression, anorexia, vaginal discharge

What can a

• lower dose of HCG (200-250 IU)

OR

• 25 ug GnRH + inserted in muscle

do to queens in estrus/not?

induce ovulation

What day of estrus gives the best chances of induction?

day 3/4

What is the best technique in semen collection for a full ejaculation?

artificial vagina

Which technique of collecting semen

• requires heavy sedation

• clinical procedure

urethral catheterization

which technique of collecting semen

• is the most consistent method

• requires general anesthesia

electroejaculation

fill in the blanks:

knowledge of _________ and _________ is crucial for successful artificial insemination.

anatomy;physiology

What are 2 stimuli that affect behavior?

1. internal (GEDAP)

2. external (SES)

What does the acronym GEDAP mean for internal stimuli

Genetics

Experience

Development

Anatomy

Physiology

Where do domestic cats descend from?

African/Near Eastern wildcats (Felis silvestris libyca)

were cats domesticated by humans or by themselves?

both

How many breeds are present from breeding?

71 breeds

What is the most common cause of euthanasia in cats?

behavioral problem

What would these forms of communication be called?

• allorubbing

• allogrooming

• flank rubbing/face rubbing/chin rubbing

Fill in the blank:

____ of aggressive behavior is petting aggression

40%

What is a cats last resort when scared?

fight

What are the health benefits to spay your female cat?

• protection against disease

• prevent uterine infection

• reduce breast cancer risk

What is the typical spay in females?

• the ovaries, fallopian tubes, and uterus are removed

ovariohysterectomy

what is another spay technique that removes only the ovaries?

ovariectomy

what is the typical neuter in males? testicles are removed.

orchiectomy

What are some surgical alternatives to prevent pets from reproducing but keep their breeding behaviors/instincts?

hysterectomy; vasectomy

Fill in the blank:

spayed and neutered dogs/cats are more at risk to becoming __________.

overweight

what is the golden age for spay/neuter?

5 months

where is the landmark for incision in a kitten spay?

caudal to umbilicus

What knots are used during a kitten spay?

half knot, modified Miller’s knot, aberdeen knot, slipknot

How many times do you sew up the incision for a kitten spay?

6 in front/ 6 at end = 12 in all

what is the landmark for an incision in a male neuter?

median raphe

When doing a shelter assessment, what acronym should be used?

S. O. A. P.

What do the letters in S.O.A.P stand for?

S - subjective

O - objective

A - assessment

P - plan

What are the 5 freedoms?

freedom from/to…

1. hunger & thirst

2. discomfort

3. pain, injury, or disease

4. express normal behaviors

5. fear and distress

What are canine teeth used for?

to grip prey