🧬 The Felid Wiki — 3,000 research summaries

Methimazole, and its prodrug carbimazole, block thyroid hormone synthesis and remain the most common medical treatment for feline hyperthyroidism, available in oral and transdermal forms. Medical ther…

Molnupiravir, a nucleoside analog that induces lethal mutagenesis in RNA viruses, emerged as an oral option for FIP, particularly as a rescue therapy for cats that relapse or respond poorly to GS-4415…

Cats require dietary niacin because, although many animals can synthesize niacin from the amino acid tryptophan, cats divert tryptophan down a competing metabolic pathway so efficiently that little is…

FIP frequently involves the eyes and central nervous system, especially in the non-effusive form, producing uveitis, retinal changes, ataxia, seizures, behavioral changes, and other neurologic signs.…

Potent opioids, including butorphanol and ultra-potent agents in some protocols, are incorporated into big-cat anesthesia to enhance analgesia and immobilization, often combined with dissociatives and…

Osteoarthritis is far more common in cats than once recognized, with radiographic studies showing degenerative joint changes in a large majority of older cats, yet the disease is frequently underdiagn…

Feline panleukopenia, caused by feline parvovirus, was historically a devastating, highly fatal disease of cats, especially kittens, before effective vaccines dramatically reduced its incidence and ma…

Feline diabetes mellitus most closely resembles human type 2 diabetes, characterized by insulin resistance combined with impaired insulin secretion from pancreatic beta cells, often in the setting of…

Periodontal disease, the inflammation and destruction of tissues supporting the teeth driven by plaque bacteria, is extremely common in adult cats and a leading reason for dental intervention, progres…

Anesthetizing large felids carries substantial physiologic risk, and monitoring of oxygenation, ventilation, heart rate, blood pressure, and temperature is essential, with pulse oximetry, capnography,…

Ultra-potent opioids such as thiafentanil and related compounds have been used in some wildlife immobilization protocols because their high potency allows effective dosing in tiny dart volumes and the…

Studies of feline diabetic remission have sought to identify which cats are most likely to achieve insulin independence, with factors such as shorter duration of disease before treatment, prompt achie…

Modern zoos run structured preventive medicine programs for captive felids encompassing routine health monitoring, parasite control, vaccination, nutritional management, dental care, and increasingly…

The degree of urinary protein loss, assessed by the urine protein-to-creatinine ratio, is an important prognostic indicator in feline CKD, with higher proteinuria associated with faster progression an…

Assessing quality of life in aging and chronically ill cats is an important but challenging aspect of geriatric care, and structured tools and frameworks have been developed to help owners and veterin…

Rabies vaccination of cats protects both feline and human health given the lethal, zoonotic nature of the disease, and is legally required in many jurisdictions. Research on duration of immunity suppo…

Radioactive iodine (I-131) therapy is widely regarded as the gold-standard treatment for feline hyperthyroidism because it selectively destroys overactive thyroid tissue while sparing normal tissue, o…

After exposure, cats follow divergent outcomes that modern molecular testing has clarified. In progressive infection, the immune system fails to contain the virus, leading to persistent viremia, ongoi…

Remdesivir, a prodrug that is metabolized to the active nucleoside analog GS-441524, became a legally available, regulated treatment option for FIP in some countries, offering an injectable alternativ…

Remote drug delivery using dart guns and pole syringes enables chemical immobilization of dangerous or free-ranging felids from a safe distance, a foundational technique for field and zoo capture. Suc…

Chronic kidney disease is a common cause of illness and death in aging captive big cats, paralleling its prominence in domestic cats and reflecting the longer lifespans achieved in managed care. Capti…

Feline renal transplantation has been performed at specialized centers as a treatment for advanced CKD, with recipient cats requiring lifelong immunosuppression and donors typically adopted by the rec…

Inhibiting the renin-angiotensin-aldosterone system with agents such as ACE inhibitors and the angiotensin receptor blocker telmisartan has been studied to reduce proteinuria and protect the kidneys i…

Robenacoxib, a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug developed with selectivity for cyclooxygenase-2 and a tissue-selective profile, was studied and licensed for managing pain and inflammation in cats,…

Older cats commonly lose lean muscle mass through sarcopenia, the age-related decline in muscle, and cachexia associated with chronic disease, contributing to weakness, reduced resilience, and worse o…

Because cats hide illness and age faster than humans, regular senior wellness screening, including more frequent examinations, blood and urine testing, blood pressure measurement, and weight and muscl…

Research into the molecular basis of the enteric-to-FIP transition has focused heavily on the coronavirus spike gene, which governs receptor binding and membrane fusion. Specific mutations in the spik…

Surgical removal of affected thyroid tissue (thyroidectomy) can cure feline hyperthyroidism and was historically a common definitive treatment before radioiodine became widely available. Because the d…

Serological and molecular surveys of wild felid populations have documented widespread infection with species-specific lentiviruses related to FIV, often at high prevalence in lions and pumas, general…

Systemic hypertension commonly accompanies feline CKD and threatens target organs, most dramatically the eyes, where sudden hypertensive retinopathy and detachment can cause acute blindness, as well a…