CATS

Abstract: A highly T-lymphotropic virus was isolated from cats in a cattery in which all the animals were seronegative for feline leukemia virus. A number of cats in one pen had died and several had an immunodeficiency-like syndrome. Only 1 of 18 normal cats in the cattery showed serologic evidence of infection with this new virus, whereas 10 of 25 cats with signs of ill health were seropositive for the virus. Tentatively designated feline T-lymphotropic lentivirus, this new feline retrovirus appears to be antigenically distinct from human immunodeficiency virus. There is no evidence for cat-to-human transmission of the agent. Kittens experimentally infected by way of blood or plasma from naturally infected animals developed generalized lymphadenopathy several weeks later, became transiently febrile and leukopenic, and continued to show a generalized lymphadenopathy 5 months after infection.

Abstract: Cell proliferation in the brains of rats and cats was investigated autoradiographically Two young adult rats were injected intraperitoneally with 2 mc of thymidine-H3 and killed after a two weeks' exchange period Two adult cats were injected intraventricularly with 05 mc of thymidine-H3 and killed one week later Labeling of cell nuclei in the brain, presumed to reflect DNA turnover and cellular proliferation, was investigated In the rats, some neuroglia cells were found labeled in all parts of the brain, suggesting a low rate of glial proliferation In addition, circumscribed small regions with numerous labeled neuroglia and microglia cells were seen in several brain regions, suggesting the occurrence of local glial proliferative reactions in these presumably normal brains A few apparently labeled neurons were seen in the neocortex, and a proliferative region of granule cells was identified in the dentate gyrus of the hippocampus In the cats labeling of glia cells was highest in the midline region, near the point of injection of the radiochemical, with a gradient of decreasing number of labeled cells both laterally and in the anteroposterior direction of the neuraxis Neurons with apparently labeled nuclei were observed in the midline cortex bilaterally in both animals These results indicate that glia cells can multiply in the brains of young adult rats and adult cats and they support the possibility that new neurons may be formed in forebrain structures, both in rodents and carnivores

Abstract: Coronavirus in Cats SARS-CoV-2 was detected in three cats after they were cohoused with cats that had been experimentally inoculated with the virus. Cats may be a silent intermediate host of SARS-C...

Abstract: Thousands of pet cats die each year with dilated cardiomyopathy, the cause of which is unknown. Although taurine is present in millimolar concentrations in the myocardium of all mammals, taurine depletion has not previously been associated with a decrease in myocardial function in any species. In this study, low plasma taurine concentrations associated with echocardiographic evidence of myocardial failure were observed in 21 cats fed commercial cat foods and in 2 of 11 cats fed a purified diet containing marginally low concentrations of taurine for 4 years. Oral supplementation of taurine resulted in increased plasma taurine concentrations and was associated with normalization of left ventricular function in both groups of cats. Since myocardial concentrations of taurine are directly related to plasma concentrations and low plasma concentrations were found to be associated with myocardial failure in cats, a direct link between decreased taurine concentration in the myocardium and decreased myocardial mechanical function is proposed.