Genetic relationships and inbreeding levels among geographically distant populations of Felis catus from Japan and the United States.

Pedigreed cats have traditionally been mated with close relatives, which increases the risks for inbreeding depression and genetic disorders. We evaluated the genome-wide population structure and the degree of inbreeding of 1022 cats, including 13 pedigreed and two random bred populations from Japan and the USA, using single nucleotide polymorphism array-based data. Ancestry structure analysis revealed Japan's American Curl, Norwegian Forest, and Siamese cat populations were genetically distinct from their American counterparts. Furthermore, we found an ancestral genetic component shared between five pedigreed and random bred Japanese cats, suggesting the breeds were admixed with Japanese cats or cats of east Asian origin. Between-country differences in inbreeding estimates based on runs of homozygosity were found for Maine Coon, Siamese, and random bred cats. To reduce the risks of inbreeding depression and genetic disorders, particularly for highly inbred breeds, such as Abyssinian cats, as well as Russian Blue and Siamese cats in the USA, appropriate breeding practices must be observed, including mating practices that increase the genetic diversity.

Multiple locus variable number tandem repeat analysis for the characterization of wild feline Bartonella species and subspecies.

Bartonella genus includes an increasing number of species and subspecies, especially among wild felids, the positioning of which, with regards to the zoonotic species Bartonella henselae, is important to determine. The aim of this study was to test the ability of a molecular typing technique to distinguish between various Bartonella isolates obtained from four different species of free-ranging and captive wild felids and to identify key profiles or markers allowing differentiating them from each other and/or from B. henselae or B. koehlerae. A molecular typing technique for B. henselae based on the polymorphism of variable number tandem repeat units (VNTR) called MLVA (Multiple Locus VNTR Analysis) was applied to 24 Bartonella isolates from free-ranging or captive wild felids, 19 of which were obtained from California and five from three countries in Southern Africa, and compared with 49 B. henselae isolates from cats, dog or humans from the United States including the human ATCC (American Type Culture Collection) reference strain, B. henselae Houston 1. MLVA allowed distinguishing Bartonella isolates from wild felids from either B. henselae or B. koehlerae. We confirmed infection of semi-captive cheetahs with an isolate similar to a Californian bobcat isolate. MLVA also confirmed the unique profile of a free-ranging cheetah isolate from Namibia. Specific profiles were observed making MVLA a useful identification/classification tool of these wild felid isolates and suggesting that they are highly adapted to a specific feline reservoir. Finally, circulation of B. henselae isolates between domestic cats, wild felids and humans is likely occurring, based on the close allelic profiles of some isolates.

Obstetric and newborn parameters in the Maine Coon cats.

The aim of this study was to determine several obstetric and neonatal parameters in the Maine Coon breed. The birth data of Maine Coon breeding population were collected of 52 litters from different households using a questionnaire. Significant relationships between various outcomes and the relevant predictors were assessed by multiple linear regression or logistic regression, as appropriate. The overall mean gestation length was 65.5±1.32 days. Larger litter size was associated with shorter gestation lengths (p⟨0.01). Mean litter size was 5.3±2.3 kittens. The weight of kittens born alive (overall mean 119.6±18.4 g) increased with prolonged gestation lengths (p⟨0.01) and decreased with larger litter sizes (p⟨0.01). In the analyzed group of kittens, 12.5% were stillborn. The expulsion intervals varied widely. The duration of the first stage of labour was less than 2h in 82.9% of the cats. The interval between the birth of the first and the last kitten was less than 6h in 99.3% of the cats, and it exceeded 6 h in only 2 cats. The present results can be used to develop references values and reliable assistance protocol for assessing the parturition in the Maine Coon to protect the queen and reduce perinatal losses.

The Burmese cat as a genetic model of type 2 diabetes in humans.

The recent extension of genetic tools to the domestic cat, together with the serendipitous consequences of selective breeding, have been essential to the study of the genetic diseases that affect them. Cats are increasingly presented for veterinary surveillance and share many of human's heritable diseases, allowing them to serve as natural models of these conditions. Feline diabetes mellitus is a common condition in domestic cats that bears close pathological and clinical resemblance to type 2 diabetes in humans, including pancreatic ß-cell dysfunction and peripheral insulin resistance. In Australia, New Zealand and Europe, diabetes mellitus is almost four times more common in cats of the Burmese breed than in other breeds. This geographically based breed predisposition parallels familial and population clustering of type 2 diabetes in humans. As a genetically isolated population, the Australian Burmese breed provides a spontaneous, naturally occurring genetic model of type 2 diabetes. Genetically isolated populations typically exhibit extended linkage disequilibrium and increased opportunity for deleterious variants to reach high frequencies over many generations due to genetic drift. Studying complex diseases in such populations allows for tighter control of confounding factors including environmental heterogeneity, allelic frequencies and population stratification. The homogeneous genetic background of Australian Burmese cats may provide a unique opportunity to either refine genetic signals previously associated with type 2 diabetes or identify new risk factors for this disease.

A comparative survey of microsatellites among wild and domestic cat provides valuable resources for marker development.

Information on the level and distribution of genetic variation is important for conservation plan of captive population of an endangered species such as tiger and cheetah. We assayed the frequency of microsatellites in the genomic and genic sequences of wild cats (Panthera tigris, Acinonyx jubatus) and compared it with the domestic cat (Felis catus). Frequency, relative abundance and density of microsatellites were highest in the domestic cat when compared with wild cats. The frequency of microsatellites was positively correlated with the G+C content of genomic and genic sequences. The maximum frequency of microsatellites among all three sequence sets was of di-nucleotide repeats (genomic-88.1%; genic-70.4%), whereas the hexa-nucleotide repeat represents < 0.5%. Motif conservation study among the genomic and genic sequences revealed conservation of 81.3% and 51.0% motif within the members of family Felidae. A total 40,233 primers from genic sequences were designed in order to enrich the members of family Felidae with genomic resources. The designed primers could be useful in determining the molecular genetics of population structure and individualization of a particular cat.

CMAH genotyping survey for blood types A, B and C (AB) in purpose-bred cats.

In domestic cats, the AB blood group system consists of the three types A, B and C (also called AB). Mismatches can cause acute hemolytic transfusion reactions and hemolysis of the newborn (neonatal isoerythrolysis, NI). As blood types B and C are inherited recessively to A, breeders need to know the genotype to predict blood types in offspring and avoid NI. Several CMAH variants have been described as being associated with the b and ac alleles, and different genotyping schemes exist. Here, we genotyped 2145 cats with the original SNV panel, including SNVs c.142G>A and ∆-53, and our new scheme, with SNVs c.179G>T, c.268T>A and c.1322delT, to differentiate types A and B and added the SNV for the common ac (c.364C>T). Based upon the new scheme, all samples were assigned the correct genotype. No discordances appeared for the A allele, and new breed-specific SNVs (c.179G>T, c.1322delT) for the b allele were discovered. Furthermore, the genotypes A/ac (type A), ac /ac (C) and ac /b (C) could be detected. We found the variant c.179G>T in additional breeds: Ragdoll, Siberian, Scottish Fold, Chartreux, Neva Masquerade, British Shorthair and Highlander. Also, the variant c.364C>T was detected in additional breeds: Bengal, British Shorthair, Maine Coon, and Scottish Fold. We conclude that our new SNV panel is superior in genotyping cats than the original SNV panel and assures correct assignments of types A, B and C to assist veterinary clinicians and breeders to recognize, confirm and avoid blood incompatibilities such as acute hemolytic transfusion reactions and NI.

Human-mediated dispersal of cats in the Neolithic Central Europe.

Archeological and genetic evidence suggest that all domestic cats derived from the Near Eastern wildcat (Felis silvestris lybica) and were first domesticated in the Near East around 10,000 years ago. The spread of the domesticated form in Europe occurred much later, primarily mediated by Greek and Phoenician traders and afterward by Romans who introduced cats to Western and Central Europe around 2000 years ago. We investigated mtDNA of Holocene Felis remains and provide evidence of an unexpectedly early presence of cats bearing the Near Eastern wildcat mtDNA haplotypes in Central Europe, being ahead of Roman period by over 2000 years. The appearance of the Near Eastern wildcats in Central Europe coincides with the peak of Neolithic settlement density, moreover most of those cats belonged to the same mtDNA lineages as those domesticated in the Near East. Thus, although we cannot fully exclude that the Near Eastern wildcats appeared in Central Europe as a result of introgression with European wildcat, our findings support the hypothesis that the Near Eastern wildcats spread across Europe together with the first farmers, perhaps as commensal animals. We also found that cats dated to the Neolithic period belonged to different mtDNA lineages than those brought to Central Europe in Roman times, this supports the hypothesis that the gene pool of contemporary European domestic cats might have been established from two different source populations that contributed in different periods.

Estudo retrospectivo da casuística de felinos domésticos no Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, no período de 2005 a 2014 / Retrospective study of the case load of domestic cats at the Veterinary Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais from 2005 to 2014

O objetivo deste estudo foi caracterizar as doenças dos gatos domésticos provenientes dos casos de necropsia e histopatologia do Hospital Veterinário da Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (HV/UFMG), de 2005 a 2014. Foram analisados 408 exames de necropsia e 197 de biópsias, segundo o sexo, a faixa etária e a raça. Os diagnósticos mais frequentes incluíram doenças infecciosas/inflamatórias ou parasitárias (22,5%), agentes físicos (18,1%), doenças proliferativas (15,2%) e degenerativas (13,5%). Politraumatismo (10,8%) foi responsável pelo maior número de mortes em felinos, sendo as chances três vezes maiores em animais com até 24 meses de idade (P=0,005 OR 3,47 [IC 95%: 1,40-8,57]). Neoplasias epiteliais corresponderam a 26 diagnósticos, sendo 20 (4,9%) casos de malignidade. A ocorrência de carcinoma e seus subtipos foi 18 vezes maior em gatos idosos (P<0,01 OR 18,15 [IC 95%: 7,41-44,45]). A insuficiência renal crônica foi mais frequente em gatos com mais de 120 meses (P=0,01). Machos apresentaram nove vezes mais chances de desenvolver doenças do trato urinário inferior quando comparados às fêmeas (P=0,001 OR 9,50 [IC 95%: 2,78-32,48]). Em relação às biópsias, animais adultos a idosos foram 10 vezes mais representados (P<0,001 OR 10,8 [IC 95%: 3,22-36,79]).(AU)

The aim of this study was to characterize the diseases of domestic cats based on necropsy and histopathological examinations at the Veterinary Hospital of the Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais (HV/UFMG) from 2005 to 2014. A total of 408 necropsy and 197 biopsy samples were analyzed according to gender, age, and breed. The most frequent diagnoses included infectious/inflammatory or parasitic diseases (22.5%), physical agents (18.1%), proliferative (15.2%), and degenerative (13.5%) diseases. Polytrauma (10.8%) was responsible for the highest number of feline deaths, with the odds three times higher in animals up to 24 months of age (P= 0.005 OR 3.47 [95% CI: 1.40-8.57]). Epithelial neoplasms corresponded to 26 diagnoses, with 20 (4.9%) malignant cases. The occurrence of carcinoma and its subtypes was 18-fold higher in older cats (P< 0.01 OR 18.15 [95% CI: 7.41-44.45]). Chronic renal failure was more frequent in cats over 120 months (P= 0.01). Males were nine times more likely to develop lower urinary tract diseases when compared to females (P= 0.001 OR 9.50 [95% CI: 2.78-32.48]). Regarding the biopsies, adult to elderly animals were ten times more represented (P< 0.001 OR 10.8 [95% CI: 3.22-36.79]).(AU)

Assessing SNP genotyping of noninvasively collected wildlife samples using microfluidic arrays.

Noninvasively collected samples are a common source of DNA in wildlife genetic studies. Currently, single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) genotyping using microfluidic arrays is emerging as an easy-to-use and cost-effective methodology. Here we assessed the performance of microfluidic SNP arrays in genotyping noninvasive samples from grey wolves, European wildcats and brown bears, and we compared results with traditional microsatellite genotyping. We successfully SNP-genotyped 87%, 80% and 97% of the wolf, cat and bear samples, respectively. Genotype recovery was higher based on SNPs, while both marker types identified the same individuals and provided almost identical estimates of pairwise differentiation. We found that samples for which all SNP loci were scored had no disagreements across the three replicates (except one locus in a wolf sample). Thus, we argue that call rate (amplification success) can be used as a proxy for genotype quality, allowing the reduction of replication effort when call rate is high. Furthermore, we used cycle threshold values of real-time PCR to guide the choice of protocols for SNP amplification. Finally, we provide general guidelines for successful SNP genotyping of degraded DNA using microfluidic technology.

Disease burden in four populations of dog and cat breeds compared to mixed-breed dogs and European shorthair cats.

Current public and professional opinion is that many dog breeds suffer from health issues related to inherited diseases or extreme phenotypes. The aim of this historical comparative observational study was to evaluate the breed-related disease burden in three purebred dog populations (Chihuahua, French bulldog, Labrador retriever) and one purebred cat breed (Persian cats) in the Netherlands by comparison to a control population of mixed-breed dogs and European Shorthair cats. A qualitative query was performed, consisting of a literature review and collecting the expert opinions of University veterinary specialists, to gather insight into potential diseases of the study population. Next, a referral clinic case control study of the patients referred to specific medical disciplines in the University Clinic was performed. The odds ratio (OR) was calculated to determine the likelihood of a patient referred to a particular medical discipline being a certain breed. Together, the qualitative query and the case control study resulted in a list of potentially relevant diseases limited to five organ systems per breed. These were analysed in data from primary practices. Patient files from ten primary practices over a period of two years were manually extracted and examined. Four-hundred individual patient records per breed as well as 1000 non-breed records were randomly selected from the 10 practices, weighted per practice size. Records were then examined and the presence or absence of certain diseases was identified. To evaluate the disease burden per breed, proportional difference (PD) was estimated, as well as the animal's age at presentation in months. The results of the referral clinic case control study showed an overrepresentation (Odds Ratio>1.5) of the selected breeds in several medical specialties, while median age at presentation was in some cases significantly lower than in the non-breed animals. Results of the practice-based extended cross-sectional study showed that only a few of the selected diseases contribute to the disease burden in these purebred populations, which was different from the expectations derived from the literature or expert opinion. Additional results included age difference at presentation, which may be interpreted as age of onset, and could indicate a higher disease burden for the individual animal. Also, only a small percentage of purebred dogs was registered with the national kennel club. Our final recommendation is that population-based data mining is needed to evaluate country-specific companion animal health and welfare.

Effects of Behavioural Strategy on the Exploitative Competition Dynamics.

We investigate a system of two species exploiting a common resource. We consider both abiotic (i.e. with a constant resource supply rate) and biotic (i.e. with resource reproduction and self-limitation) resources. We are interested in the asymmetric competition where a given consumer is the locally superior resource exploiter (LSE) and the other is the locally inferior resource exploiter (LIE). They also interact directly via interference competition in the sense that LIE individuals can use two opposite strategies to compete with LSE individuals: we assume, in the first case, that LIE uses an avoiding strategy, i.e. LIE individuals go to a non-competition patch to avoids competition with LSE individuals, and in the second one, LIE uses an aggressive strategy, i.e. being very aggressive so that LSE individuals have to go to a non-competition patch. We further assume that there is no resource in the non-competition patch so that individuals have to come back to the competition patch for their maintenance, and the migration process acts on a fast time scale in comparison with demography and competition processes. The models show that being aggressive is efficient for LIE's survival and even provoke global extinction of the LSE and this result does not depend on the nature of resource.

A voyage to Terra Australis: human-mediated dispersal of cats.

BACKGROUND: Cats have been transported as human commensals worldwide giving rise to many feral populations. In Australia, feral cats have caused decline and extinction of native mammals, but their time of introduction and origin is unclear. Here, we investigate hypotheses of cat arrival pre- or post-European settlement, and the potential for admixture between cats of different invasion events. We analyse the genetic structure and diversity of feral cats from six locations on mainland Australia, seven Australian islands and samples from Southeast Asia and Europe using microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA data. RESULTS: Our results based on phylogeographic model selection are consistent with a European origin of cats in Australia. We find genetic distinctiveness of Australian mainland samples compared with Dirk Hartog Island, Flinders Island, Tasman Island and Cocos (Keeling) Island samples, and genetic similarities between some of the island populations. Historical records suggest that introduction of cats to these islands occurred at the time of European exploration and/or in connection with the pearling, whaling and sealing trades early in the 19th century. On-going influx of domestic cats into the feral cat population is apparently causing the Australian mainland populations to be genetically differentiated from those island populations, which likely are remnants of the historically introduced cat genotypes. CONCLUSION: A mainly European origin of feral cats in Australia, with possible secondary introductions from Asia following the initial establishment of cats in Australia is reasonable. The islands surrounding Australia may represent founding populations and are of particular interest. The results of the study provide an important timeframe for the impact of feral cats on native species in Australia.

Strong spatial segregation between wildcats and domestic cats may explain low hybridization rates on the Iberian Peninsula.

The European wildcat (Felis silvestris silvestris) is an endangered felid impacted by genetic introgression with the domestic cat (Felis silvestris catus). The problem of hybridization has had different effects in different areas. In non-Mediterranean regions pure forms of wildcats became almost extinct, while in Mediterranean regions genetic introgression is a rare phenomenon. The study of the potential factors that prevent the gene flow in areas of lower hybridization may be key to wildcat conservation. We studied the population size and spatial segregation of wildcats and domestic cats in a typical Mediterranean area of ancient sympatry, where no evidence of hybridization had been detected by genetic studies. Camera trapping of wild-living cats and walking surveys of stray cats in villages were used for capture-recapture estimations of abundance and spatial segregation. Results showed (i) a low density of wildcats and no apparent presence of putative hybrids; (ii) a very low abundance of feral cats in spite of the widespread and large population sources of domestic cats inhabiting villages; (iii) strong spatial segregation between wildcats and domestic/feral cats; and (iv) no relationship between the size of the potential population sources and the abundance of feral cats. Hence, domestic cats were limited in their ability to become integrated into the local habitat of wildcats. Ecological barriers (habitat preferences, food limitations, intra-specific and intra-guild competition, predation) may explain the severe divergences of hybridization impact observed at a biogeographic level. This has a direct effect on key conservation strategies for wildcats (i.e., control of domestic cats).

Ear tips to ear tags: Marking and identifying cats treated with non-surgical fertility control.

CURRENT APPROACHES: Trap-neuter- return (TNR) introduced a humane means of managing free-roaming and feral ('community') cats; it also necessitated a method of marking and identifying these cats as sterilized. Although multiple identification methods have been studied or attempted in the field, ear tipping (or, less commonly, ear notching) has proven to be the best option and is used internationally. However, ear tipping must be performed under general anesthesia, and it conveys only binary information: yes, a cat has gone through a TNR program (and is sterilized); or, no, a cat has not gone through a TNR program (and may or may not be sterilized). FUTURE REQUIREMENTS: Future non-surgical feline fertility control options will require an alternative to ear tipping for identifying community cats, one that does not require anesthesia in order to mark the animal as treated. Long-term contraceptives (vs permanent sterilants) will also require a marker that can denote the time when a cat was last treated. OBJECTIVES AND PROGRESS: To address this need, the Alliance for Contraception in Cats & Dogs is working with an interdisciplinary team from Cornell University, USA, to develop an effective, humane marking method. Their focus is a new generation of ear tag. The prototype design uses different shapes and materials, and a different application process, than tags used to date. The objective is to minimize tag weight, application discomfort, and likelihood of blood loss and infection, while simultaneously allowing for coding of information, including treatment time period.

Comparative Analysis of Principal Components Can be Misleading.

Most existing methods for modeling trait evolution are univariate, although researchers are often interested in investigating evolutionary patterns and processes across multiple traits. Principal components analysis (PCA) is commonly used to reduce the dimensionality of multivariate data so that univariate trait models can be fit to individual principal components. The problem with using standard PCA on phylogenetically structured data has been previously pointed out yet it continues to be widely used in the literature. Here we demonstrate precisely how using standard PCA can mislead inferences: The first few principal components of traits evolved under constant-rate multivariate Brownian motion will appear to have evolved via an "early burst" process. A phylogenetic PCA (pPCA) has been proprosed to alleviate these issues. However, when the true model of trait evolution deviates from the model assumed in the calculation of the pPCA axes, we find that the use of pPCA suffers from similar artifacts as standard PCA. We show that data sets with high effective dimensionality are particularly likely to lead to erroneous inferences. Ultimately, all of the problems we report stem from the same underlying issue--by considering only the first few principal components as univariate traits, we are effectively examining a biased sample of a multivariate pattern. These results highlight the need for truly multivariate phylogenetic comparative methods. As these methods are still being developed, we discuss potential alternative strategies for using and interpreting models fit to univariate axes of multivariate data.

Comparative analysis of the domestic cat genome reveals genetic signatures underlying feline biology and domestication.

Little is known about the genetic changes that distinguish domestic cat populations from their wild progenitors. Here we describe a high-quality domestic cat reference genome assembly and comparative inferences made with other cat breeds, wildcats, and other mammals. Based upon these comparisons, we identified positively selected genes enriched for genes involved in lipid metabolism that underpin adaptations to a hypercarnivorous diet. We also found positive selection signals within genes underlying sensory processes, especially those affecting vision and hearing in the carnivore lineage. We observed an evolutionary tradeoff between functional olfactory and vomeronasal receptor gene repertoires in the cat and dog genomes, with an expansion of the feline chemosensory system for detecting pheromones at the expense of odorant detection. Genomic regions harboring signatures of natural selection that distinguish domestic cats from their wild congeners are enriched in neural crest-related genes associated with behavior and reward in mouse models, as predicted by the domestication syndrome hypothesis. Our description of a previously unidentified allele for the gloving pigmentation pattern found in the Birman breed supports the hypothesis that cat breeds experienced strong selection on specific mutations drawn from random bred populations. Collectively, these findings provide insight into how the process of domestication altered the ancestral wildcat genome and build a resource for future disease mapping and phylogenomic studies across all members of the Felidae.

Relationship between rate of infection and markers of inflammation/immunity in Holy Birman cats with feline coronavirus.

The aim of this study was to assess whether Holy Birman cats (HB) have a peculiar immune profile and a higher rate of infection by feline coronaviruses (FCoV). Leucocyte and lymphocyte subsets, antibody titers, α1-acid glycoprotein (AGP), globulin fractions, IL-4, IL-12 and IFN-γ in blood and fecal FCoV excretion were determined in HB (n = 75) and in cats from other breeds (n = 94). Significantly higher CD4/CD8 ratio, IFN-γ concentration and IL12/IL4 ratio and significantly lower IL-4 concentration and proportion of shedders were found in HB than in other breeds. No other differences were found. In conclusion, this study did not provide evidence of peculiar immune profiles in HB, except for a prevalent Th1 profile, that may explain why in our caseload the rate of shedders was lower in HB than in other breeds.

Who's behind that mask and cape? The Asian leopard cat's Agouti (ASIP) allele likely affects coat colour phenotype in the Bengal cat breed.

Coat colours and patterns are highly variable in cats and are determined mainly by several genes with Mendelian inheritance. A 2-bp deletion in agouti signalling protein (ASIP) is associated with melanism in domestic cats. Bengal cats are hybrids between domestic cats and Asian leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis), and the charcoal coat colouration/pattern in Bengals presents as a possible incomplete melanism. The complete coding region of ASIP was directly sequenced in Asian leopard, domestic and Bengal cats. Twenty-seven variants were identified between domestic and leopard cats and were investigated in Bengals and Savannahs, a hybrid with servals (Leptailurus serval). The leopard cat ASIP haplotype was distinguished from domestic cat by four synonymous and four non-synonymous exonic SNPs, as well as 19 intronic variants, including a 42-bp deletion in intron 4. Fifty-six of 64 reported charcoal cats were compound heterozygotes at ASIP, with leopard cat agouti (A(P) (be) ) and domestic cat non-agouti (a) haplotypes. Twenty-four Bengals had an additional unique haplotype (A2) for exon 2 that was not identified in leopard cats, servals or jungle cats (Felis chaus). The compound heterozygote state suggests the leopard cat allele, in combination with the recessive non-agouti allele, influences Bengal markings, producing a darker, yet not completely melanistic coat. This is the first validation of a leopard cat allele segregating in the Bengal breed and likely affecting their overall pelage phenotype. Genetic testing services need to be aware of the possible segregation of wild felid alleles in all assays performed on hybrid cats.