Stress in cats: triggers, signs and treatments. Nervous system of a domestic cat Neurological diseases of cats symptoms

The behavior of cats differs from the behavior of other animals, although their nervous system is built in much the same way as that of all mammals. Scientific research has shown surprising results: some parts of the cat's brain are even more developed than those of dogs, which affects the analysis of information and reactions. Thanks to this, cats are able to both learn and ignore learning, depending on how much they consider the skill necessary to learn.

Dimensions of a cat's brain

Although the brain of a domestic cat is quite complex in structure. The size does not exceed 5-6 cm. The weight of the brain is 1.2-0.5% of body weight, that is, only 30 grams (considering that the average cat weighs 2.5-6.5 kg). This is 2 times less than the same percentage in humans. It is generally believed that dogs have larger brains. The comparison in this case is not entirely appropriate, since it must be taken into account that dogs weigh more than cats, and a dog’s head is larger in size. A 2009 study published in the journal NewScientist found that a cat's brain makes up a larger percentage of its body weight than a dog's. Because of this, the cat consumes more blood - up to 20%.

Hepatitis in cats

Most often, cats experience not just hepatitis, but cholangiohepatitis, that is, inflammation of the liver involving the bile ducts and gallbladder.

There are many reasons for the development of cholangiohepatitis: long-term loss of appetite as a result of stress or another disease, impaired absorption of proteins in the gastrointestinal tract, obesity, etc.

In addition, due to the unusual anatomical connection between the common bile duct and the main pancreatic duct in cats, bacteria or digestive enzymes from the duodenum or pancreas are refluxed, which leads to the development of bacterial or sterile hepatitis or cholangiohepatitis.

Clinical signs in most adult cats are the same and not specific: lethargy, drowsiness, lack of appetite, progressive weight loss. Less common are chronic vomiting, diarrhea, fever, abdominal effusion, and signs of damage to the central nervous system. Hepatic encephalopathy in cats most often manifests itself as depression and drooling.

Specific signs of liver inflammation: jaundice, enlarged liver. Similar clinical signs may result from non-inflammatory liver diseases such as lipidosis, bile duct obstruction, chronic viral infections such as feline viral peritonitis, and cancer.

The diagnosis is made based on a combination of anamnestic data, blood tests, including infections, and ultrasound results. In many cases, a final diagnosis is possible only after histological examination of a biopsy of liver tissue.

In the treatment of hepatitis, antibiotic therapy and choleretic drugs play an important role. anti-inflammatory drugs, as well as nonspecific treatment aimed at eliminating dehydration, removing toxic substances, etc.

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Structure and structure

Cats, dogs and humans have similar brain structures because they are all mammals. However, cats have much more developed parts that are responsible for sensations, reactions and coordination of movements. For example, these include the cerebellum and the olfactory bulb, which is located under the frontal lobe. The cerebellum controls all types of movements and muscle reactions. Thanks to it, the cat can easily and quickly move in space, change directions and find the optimal body position for rest or protection. Much of the cortex is dedicated to analyzing signals from the senses. It is because of this that some scientists consider the feline family to be the most sensitive animals on the planet. The gray matter, located under the cortex, is responsible for unconscious processes - digestion, salivation, body temperature and even yawning.

The speed at which information moves through neurons in cats decreases with age, just like in humans, although in kittens these figures are surprisingly high - 386 km/h.

External factors that provoke the appearance of nervous disorders

Any changes that cause bright, negative emotions in a cat can cause disruptions in the functioning of the nervous system and the formation of various diseases. In most cases, abnormalities in the functions of the central nervous system in a pet appear when:

• moving to another place of residence;
• traveling in public transport, car;
• visiting veterinary hospitals;
• participation in exhibition events;
• change of owner;
• changing the interior, etc.

Of course, it is not always possible to completely avoid such situations. It should be noted that these factors do not cause neurological diseases for all animals. Owners need to be attentive to their pets, thoroughly study their characteristics and emotional reactions to various stimuli. This will reduce the risk of disorders and keep the cat healthy.

Often, disorders of the nervous system are the result of infectious, viral diseases. Therefore, it is necessary to pay special attention to prevention, timely vaccination, and minimize the risk of contact with sick animals.

If any serious ailments occur, it is necessary to contact professionals for diagnosis and treatment. You cannot independently determine the type of disease, choose procedures, medications. Many medications have side effects and contraindications. A qualified doctor will select the necessary funds and determine the optimal dosage, taking into account the condition, age of the pet, and the stage of development of the disease. The recommendations of a specialist should be strictly followed. An untreated disease can become chronic and cause complications in the form of neuralgic pathologies, which are extremely difficult to get rid of.

Functions and abilities of the cat brain

Each part of this animal organ performs a specific function.
The functions of a cat's brain are close to those of humans.
250 million neurons, depending on their location, analyze signals coming from receptors, perform one or another task, and regulate specific processes. Just like in the human brain, there is a “conscious” part, which is responsible for response choices, behavior and learning, and an “unconscious” part. The latter controls digestion, the release of hormones, secretions, the functioning of internal organs, and so on. Features of the cat's brain

Pets' observation ability depends on the activity of their cerebral cortex.
Thanks to its complex structure and especially developed certain areas of the brain, the cat not only easily adapts to its environment, but is also trainable. It is thanks to the developed cerebral cortex that this animal is able to so carefully observe what is happening around it, analyze what is happening, and learn some new skills. In addition, cats are able to retain memory longer than dogs, although dogs have better short-term memory. Studies have shown that a cat's brain can store up to 91,000 gigabytes of information, even though it is small in size.

Because of its increased ability to adapt, a cat often “chooses” what to learn and what not. Although cats often look lazy. Their "laziness" or reluctance to do certain types of training is because she finds the task too difficult and not worth the effort, so her instinct for self-preservation tells her to conserve her energy. But if a domestic cat is interested in learning, it can perform complex tricks that would be completely unnecessary for it to survive or hunt in the wild. The emotionality of cats is also associated with the high sensitivity of certain parts of the cortex.

Organs of the digestive system

The digestive tract of cats is provided with such organs:

• Mouth . Consists of lips, cheeks, tongue, gums, palate (soft and hard), teeth, tonsils, pharynx and salivary glands.
• Throat . Serves to connect the nasal cavity with the lungs, the oral cavity with the esophagus. Covered with mucous membrane and has strong muscles.
• Esophagus . Serves to transport food from the mouth through the pharynx to the stomach. Consists of skeletal muscles, the contraction of which helps move food.
• Stomach . Has one camera. Located in the abdominal cavity (front). Food enters the stomach, is stored in it and processed into chyme, which then enters the small intestine.
• Intestines . The total length of a cat's intestines is about 2 meters. The intestines are 3 times longer than the cat’s entire body.
• Small intestine . It is about 1.5 meters long. The main process of digestion of proteins and carbohydrates occurs in the small intestine.
• Colon . In the colon, the final breakdown and absorption of useful substances occurs, as well as the removal of residues in the form of feces.
• Pancreas . The ducts of the small intestine exit into it. Over the course of one day, it secretes several liters of a special secretion, which helps break down substances supplied with food.
• Gallbladder and liver . Filters blood that comes from the stomach and intestines. The liver produces bile, which is necessary for processing fats.

Respiratory system

The anatomy of a cat is not much different from other mammals. This also applies to the respiratory system. It includes the following organs :

• bronchi;
• larynx;
• lungs.
• nose;
• nasopharynx;
• trachea;

© shutterstock The breathing process begins from the nose and nasopharynx.
The nose has 2 nasal cavities inside, in which, when inhaled, the process of recognizing odors, heating the air and purifying it from impurities, dust, and debris occurs. The cavities are separated by a septum of hyaline cartilage. The larynx is located between the trachea and pharynx, and is located above the hyoid bone. Main functions of the larynx :

• air conduction;
• preventing food from entering the respiratory system;
• formation of sounds.

The larynx consists of five movable cartilages and a mucous membrane. It also contains the vocal cords, vocal muscle and glottis. This is where all the sounds that a cat makes are produced.

The purring of cats occurs due to the special location and functioning of the organs of the larynx. Purring occurs without effort on the part of the animal, and has the same rhythm as breathing. In this case, the muscles contract at a frequency of more than 1000 times per minute.

The vocal cords of cats differ in their structure from the vocal cords of other animals. Attentive owners may notice that the pet’s “speech” is not limited to meowing. And even ordinary meowing can be different. It is quite simple to study the “language” of your cat, and you can accurately guess what exactly the pet is telling us. For example, dogs can only make about 10 different sounds. And representatives of some cat breeds can express themselves using about 100 sounds that exist in their “lexicon”.

A healthy animal in a calm state takes about 20-25 breaths per minute. Kittens take breaths and come out more often.

Stress factors

Loneliness and lack of attention from the owner can negatively affect a cat's health. Many people are accustomed to thinking that stressors can only be psychological in nature, but in fact there are several types:

• Physical - the impact of temperature on the cat (burn, frostbite, sudden change from cold to hot and vice versa), humidity, sunstroke, electric shock, painful injuries with extensive damage to the body and heavy bleeding.
• Chemical - this group includes any toxic or irritating substances that can (household chemicals, medications, etc.). By the way, even tobacco smoke blown into a cat’s nose for the sake of a joke, or the smell of alcohol can cause stress.
• Biological – prolonged fasting, insufficient supply of nutrients and infections of any etiology (viruses, fungi, bacteria).
• Mental stressors are probably the largest and most common group of stressors in cats, which would be worth dwelling on in a little more detail.

What does science say?

Another sign of cat intelligence is a refusal to participate in research.

David Grimm writes in the online publication Slate that two leading animal researchers with whom he discussed feline intelligence had great difficulty working with their subjects because the cats simply did not participate in the experiments and did not follow directions. Leading animal scientist Dr. Adam Miklosi even had to go to the cats' home because in his laboratory they categorically did not make contact. However, the more scientists learn about cats, the more they want to try to subdue them. You just need to get them to follow commands, but it is obvious that this is very difficult.