Peer-reviewed veterinary case report
How interstitial cystitis changes cats' startle reflexes
By Hague, Devon W et al.·Published in American journal of veterinary research·2013·Department of Veterinary Clinical Sciences, United States·View original on PubMed →
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Original publication title: Effects of interstitial cystitis on the acoustic startle reflex in cats.
- Species:
- cat
Plain-English summary
A group of 20 cats with interstitial cystitis (IC), a painful bladder condition, showed heightened startle responses compared to 28 healthy cats. Researchers found that the environment significantly affected these responses; when the cats with IC were placed in a more enriched setting, their startle reactions decreased. Additionally, female cats with IC became less reactive after acclimating to their new environment. This suggests that improving the living conditions for cats with IC can help reduce their stress and sensitivity to sudden noises.
People also search for: cat interstitial cystitis symptoms · how to help a cat with bladder pain · environmental enrichment for cats with IC
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To compare acoustic startle reflexes (ASRs) of healthy cats and cats with interstitial cystitis (IC). ANIMALS: 28 healthy cats (11 males and 17 females) and 20 cats with IC (13 males and 7 females). PROCEDURES: To evaluate the effect of neutering on ASRs, ASRs in neutered and unneutered healthy cats were measured. To evaluate the effect of housing facility acclimation on ASRs in cats with IC, ASRs were measured in cats with IC within 1 month after arrival at the housing facility and again 2 to 3 months after arrival. To evaluate the effect of the environment on ASRs, ASRs were evaluated in all cats with and without IC after acclimation but before and then after environmental enrichment. RESULTS: Neutering led to a significant decrease in overall ASR in the healthy cats. Habituation to the housing facility resulted in a significant decrease in overall ASR of female but not male cats with IC. Environmental enrichment led to a significant decrease in ASR in cats with IC but not in healthy cats. CONCLUSIONS AND CLINICAL RELEVANCE: The magnitude of the ASR appeared to be sensitive to environmental conditions and affected by sex, both in healthy cats and cats with IC. It was also higher in cats with IC versus healthy cats, except when cats were housed in a highly enriched environment. IMPACT FOR HUMAN MEDICINE: Treatment approaches that include reduction of a patient's perception of environmental unpredictability may benefit humans with IC.
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Search related cases →Original publication on PubMed: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/23270359/