Felinine Excretion in Domestic Cat Breeds: A Preliminary Investigation

    July 2013 in “ Journal of Animal Physiology and Animal Nutrition ”
    E.A. Hagen-Plantinga, G. Bosch, W.H. Hendriks
    TLDR Shorthaired and hairless cat breeds excrete more felinine than longhaired breeds.
    The study aimed to determine differences in felinine excretion among domesticated cat breeds by analyzing urine samples from 83 entire male cats across eight breeds in the Netherlands. The felinine:creatinine (Fel:Cr) ratio was used to account for variations in renal output. The Abyssinian and Sphynx breeds had the highest Fel:Cr ratios (0.878), significantly differing from British Shorthairs, Birmans, Norwegian Forest cats, and Siberian cats. Persians and Ragdolls showed no significant difference from other breeds. The variation in Fel:Cr ratios was partly explained by hair growth, as felinine production and hair growth compete for cysteine. Shorthaired and hairless breeds generally had higher Fel:Cr ratios than longhaired breeds, except for Persians. Further research was suggested to explore the impact of hair growth on felinine production.
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