Effect of interactions with humans on behaviour, mucosal immunity and upper respiratory disease of shelter cats rated as contented on arrival

Preventive Veterinary Medicine
Nadine Gourkow, Clive J C Phillips

Abstract

Sustained positive affect may decrease vulnerability to upper respiratory infections in cats admitted to a shelter. Incidence of upper respiratory infections was examined in cats rated as Content upon admission to an animal shelter when provided with or without treatment to sustain contentment. Ninety-six cats rated as Content upon admission were provided with either human interaction, including petting, playing, and grooming, in four 10min sessions/d for 10 days or were exposed to a control treatment of a human standing in front of the cage with eyes averted for the same period. Changes in emotional state and mucosal immune responses were measured daily in treated and control groups. Infectious status was determined upon admission and on days 4 and 10 using combined conjunctival and oropharyngeal swab specimens tested by quantitative real-time PCR for feline herpes virus type 1, feline calicivirus, Mycoplasma felis, Chlamydophila felis, and Bordetella bronchiseptica. The onset of upper respiratory disease (URD) was determined by veterinary staff based on clinical signs, including ocular or nasal discharge. Treated cats were more likely to remain Content (Incident Rate Ratio [IRR]:1.13, Confidence Interval: 0.98-1.30, P <0.0001...Continue Reading

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Citations

Aug 23, 2020·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Chelsea L ReinhardClaire R Sharp
Jun 13, 2018·Animals : an Open Access Journal From MDPI·Mehnaz AzizMaya Gupta
Dec 9, 2017·Journal of Veterinary Internal Medicine·Elena T ContrerasM R Lappin
Jul 11, 2018·Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery·Denae WagnerJenny Stavisky

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