Research overview: fecal glucocorticoids as indicators of reproductive stress in felids

Measuring glucocorticoid stress hormones in feces provides a noninvasive way to assess how stress relates to reproductive function in cats. This overview surveys the use of fecal glucocorticoid monitoring to link stress physiology with reproduction in felids, including studies showing that elevated stress hormones accompany poor breeding or suppressed cycling in species such as clouded leopards and cheetahs. It reviews how these assays are validated and combined with reproductive hormone measures and behavioral data. The review connects glucocorticoid monitoring to welfare, husbandry, and the management of breeding. Understanding fecal glucocorticoids as indicators of reproductive stress clarifies how physiological stress can be tracked and mitigated to improve reproductive success in captive felids.