24 HOUR FELINE EXCRETION PATTERNS IN ENTIRE AND CASTRATED CATS

The purpose of this study was to determine the 24 h urinary excretion of a sulphur containing amino acid called felinine in entire and castr ated cats of both sexes. Entire male cats excreted (mean +/- SEM) 122 +/- 23.6 mmol of felinine per kg bodyweight per day with castrated mal es, entire females and spayed females excreting 41 +/- 8.4, 36 +/- 7.3 and 20 +/- 3.8 mmol, respectively. There was an overall significant d ifference between groups in the amounts of felinine excreted in 24 h [ F(3, 24) = 11.8, p < 0.0001] with there being significant differences between entire males and castrated males (p < 0.001) and castrated mal es and spayed females (p < 0.05). There was no difference in excretion between entire and spayed females. Urine volumes were not significant ly different for the 24 h period. The differences in excretion levels were caused by different concentrations of felinine in the urine with entire male cats excreting (mean +/- SEM) 2.0 +/- 0.55 g of felinine p er litre of urine. The data obtained in the present study support the concept that felinine, which has been found in Felidae species only, m ay be testosterone dependent. Felinine may be involved in territorial marking.