Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
Common health problems in UK pet cats by age and sex
By O'Neill, Dan G et al.·Published in Journal of feline medicine and surgery·2023·The Royal Veterinary College, United Kingdom·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Commonly diagnosed disorders in domestic cats in the UK and their associations with sex and age.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A study of over 18,000 cats in the UK found that common health issues include dental disease, obesity, and periodontal disease. Female cats were more likely to experience problems like hyperthyroidism and complications after surgery, while male cats had higher rates of dental disease and obesity. Younger cats often suffer from injuries like bite abscesses and flea infestations, while older cats are more prone to lameness and bladder issues. This research highlights the importance of regular veterinary check-ups to prevent these common problems and improve overall cat health.
People also search for: cat dental disease treatment · why is my cat overweight · signs of hyperthyroidism in cats
Abstract
OBJECTIVES: The objectives of this study were to generate a robust evidence base on the prevalence of common disorders in cats and develop a deeper understanding of disorder associations with sex and age that could offer important opportunities for targeted veterinary care to improve feline health and welfare. METHODS: A random sample of 18,249 cats was obtained from 1,255,130 cats under primary care during 2019 within VetCompass, an epidemiological research programme based on anonymised primary care veterinary clinical records. All disorders recorded during 2019 were extracted and reported, and associations with sex and age were examined. RESULTS: The most prevalent disorders were periodontal disease (n = 2780 [15.2%], 95% confidence interval [CI] 14.72-15.76), obesity (n = 2114 [11.6%], 95% CI 11.12-12.06) and dental disease (n = 1502 [8.2%], 95% CI 7.84-8.64). Compared with male cats, females had an increased prevalence of poor quality of life, postoperative complications and hyperthyroidism, among others. Male cats had a higher prevalence of periodontal disease, road traffic accident (RTA) and obesity. Younger cats (<8 years) had an increased prevalence of cat bite abscess, flea infestation and RTA, while older cats (⩾8 years) had increased prevalence of lameness, cystitis and dental disease, among others. CONCLUSIONS AND RELEVANCE: These findings suggest that the veterinary profession needs to engage more effectively in informing owners on common preventable disorders (ie, obesity and dental disease). This new information can contribute to more targeted health surveillance and more effective veterinary interventions to promote improved health and welfare in pet cats. Large-scale collection and analysis of anonymised veterinary clinical records offer an important clinical resource for research.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/36852509/