COMPARATIVE ANALYSIS OF THE REHABILITATION POTENTIAL OF CATS WITH DIFFERENT TYPES OF FEEDING
Abstract
The main purpose of this work was to compare the rehabilitation potential of homeless cats with different types of diet in the conditions of a two-month stay in a shelter. 29 clinically healthy cats were selected and divided into three groups. During the research, live weight, 12 hematological and 11 biochemical indicators were determined. The selection of samples and the study of indicators took place on the first day of the cats' stay in the shelter and after 30 and 60 days. During the first measurement, it was found that the indicators in the groups for different categories of feed statistically differ from each other, although all the animals were clinically healthy. There was a statistically significant difference in live weight between the first and other groups and a significant increase in live weight after 60 days in all groups. The dependence of the level of hematological indicators, as well as biochemical tests characterizing the metabolic profile of animals, is statistically substantiated. For 60 days, a decrease in the number of leukocytes, segmented neutrophils, eosinophils, total protein and globulins, total calcium and inorganic phosphorus, activity of ALT, alkaline phosphatase was observed against the background of an increase in the level of albumins, erythrocytes and hematocrit. There was a variable statistical difference between the groups on many parameters throughout the study, except for alkaline phosphatase, creatinine, basophils, platelets, and band neutrophils, which did not differ between groups statistically. The reasons for the differences in laboratory indicators in the blood of cats were the age of the animals and the type of feed, but these changes did not go beyond the reference values of the norm. The use of any of these foods for 60 days contributed to the adaptation of the animals' bodies to the conditions of being in the shelter, and our study helped to develop sensitive, reliable and objective criteria for assessing the welfare and well-being of animals to improve the existence of cats in shelters. Currently, there is no consensus on the criteria for assessing the well-being and well-being of cats in shelters due to the existing differences in housing conditions and in general due to the multifactorial nature of stress factors, and therefore, the results of the study by the authors of this publication have improved sensitive and objective assessment criteria for improving the existence of cats in shelters.
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