Research overview: ovulation failure and ovarian inactivity in captive felids

Many captive cats, notably cheetahs and clouded leopards, undergo prolonged periods of ovarian inactivity in which they neither cycle nor ovulate, undermining breeding programs. This overview examines proposed causes including social stress, lack of appropriate mate stimulation, housing conditions, and the absence of cues that synchronize reproduction in the wild. It reviews how noninvasive hormone monitoring detects acyclic states and how managers attempt to restore cycling through changes in husbandry, social grouping, or exogenous hormones. Distinguishing true ovarian quiescence from undetected silent estrus is a recurring challenge. The topic is central to understanding why some felids reproduce poorly in captivity and to designing environments and protocols that reliably promote ovulation.