Stress and Feline Health

Overview

Journal Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract

Specialty Veterinary Medicine

Date 2020 May 2

PMID 32354488

Citations 6

Authors

C A Tony Buffington

Melissa Bain

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

Abstract

In the health sciences, stress often is defined in terms of stressors; events that are perceived as threats to one's perception of control. From this perspective, a stressor is anything that activates the central threat response system (CTRS). Recent research shows that the CTRS can be sensitized to environmental events through epigenetic modulation of gene expression. When CTRS activation is chronic, health and welfare may be harmed. Environmental modification can mitigate the harmful effects of chronic CTRS activation by reducing the individual's perception of threat and increasing its perception of control, which improves health and welfare.

Citing Articles

2025 iCatCare consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of lower urinary tract diseases in cats.

Taylor S, Boysen S, Buffington T, Chalhoub S, Defauw P, Delgado M J Feline Med Surg. 2025; 27(2):1098612X241309176.

PMID: 39935081 PMC: 11816079. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X241309176.

A long-lasting gel-based diffuser of feline pheromone can help reduce undesirable behaviors in cats at home: comparison with an electric diffuser.

Espuna G, Nicolas C, Girardin A, Fatjo J, Bowen J, Monginoux P Front Vet Sci. 2024; 11:1445108.

PMID: 39268519 PMC: 11390375. DOI: 10.3389/fvets.2024.1445108.

Evaluation of chronic stress status and quality of life in cats suffering from chronic kidney disease and suspected feline infectious peritonitis based on hair cortisol concentration analysis and a questionnaire.

Chen C, Chang C, Chen W, Lee Y Vet Q. 2024; 44(1):1-9.

PMID: 39028217 PMC: 11262211. DOI: 10.1080/01652176.2024.2379327.

Interstitial cystitis-an imbalance of risk and protective factors?.

Westropp J, Stella J, Buffington C Front Pain Res (Lausanne). 2024; 5:1405488.

PMID: 38784787 PMC: 11112028. DOI: 10.3389/fpain.2024.1405488.

Correlation between aggression at the veterinary clinic and problem behaviors at home for cats in the USA.

Gerken A, Lee K, Bain M, Kim S J Feline Med Surg. 2024; 26(2):1098612X231214907.

PMID: 38415601 PMC: 10911309. DOI: 10.1177/1098612X231214907.

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