Welkom bij Feline Journal Club– het platform voor evidence-based kattengeneeskunde! 🐱
Hier duiken we in de nieuwste studies, klinische inzichten en nerdy deep-dives voor dierenartsen die van katten én wetenschap houden. Van subtiele klinische signalen tot baanbrekend onderzoek, dit is jouw plek om te ontdekken, leren en voorop te blijven lopen in de feline gezondheidszorg.
Osteoarthritis in cats: what we know, and mostly, what we don’t know. . . yet
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1098612X251347999
OA is highly prevalent in cats but often goes unrecognised. The lumbar or lumbosacral region and the appendicular joints (hip, stifle, hock and elbow) are commonly affected. As in humans, feline OA is typically associated with aging and the ‘wear and tear’ of joints. Subtle behaviour changes like reluctance to jump may signal OA earlier than lameness or stiffness, which does not appear to be a primary clinical sign. Beyond joint pathology, chronic pain in feline OA involves central sensitisation, meaning the nervous system itself becomes part of the problem.
Analgesic options & evidence:
• NSAIDs remain the cornerstone of feline OA therapy with the strongest evidence, but long-term safety monitoring is critical.
• Omega-3 enriched diets can provide benefits comparable to NSAIDs, with fewer side effects.
• Monoclonal antibodies against NGF are a promising new option, though long-term safety and dosing regimens remain under investigation.
• Other drugs (gabapentin, amantadine, opioids) are sometimes used, but feline-specific evidence is limited.
Disease-modifying OA drugs (DMOADs):
Currently, no validated DMOADs exist for cats. Nutraceuticals such as glucosamine, chondroitin, or green-lipped mussel are widely used, but robust feline data are lacking. For now, OA therapy remains symptomatic rather than disease-modifying.
Non-pharmacological approaches:
Weight management, lifestyle adjustments, physiotherapy, and environmental modification (e.g. ramps, soft bedding, easy access to resources) are valuable components of multimodal care. These interventions can improve mobility, reduce stress, and support pharmacological treatments.
• Don’t just look for lameness—watch for changes in vertical mobility (jumping, stair use)
• Owners frequently perceive behavioural changes as normal for an aging animal, which may contribute to the underdiagnosis of feline OA despite its prevalence. So ask owners about grooming habits, hiding, and changes in social behaviour
• NSAIDs remain the cornerstone of feline OA therapy and have the strongest evidence for efficacy, but safety and long-term tolerability need close monitoring.
• Monoclonal antibodies against NGF are a promising novel class—early data are positive, but long-term safety and optimal protocols are still under study.
• Combine pharmacological and non-pharmacological strategies for best outcomes
• Consider nutritional management: omega-3 diets can be as effective as drugs, with fewer side effects
• Remember: current evidence is limited and placebo effect definitely exists (68% in one study!)—clinical judgement and multimodal strategies remain key
Long-Term Response in Cats With Hyperesthesia Syndrome
Source: Pauciulo C, Uccheddu S, Corda A, et al.
J Vet Intern Med. 2025;39(4). doi:10.1111/jvim.70174
Feline hyperesthesia syndrome (HS) is a condition of cats characterized by episodic lumbar skin hypersensitivity with rolling or rippling, sudden bursts of activity with jumping, and potential self-trauma. Main clinical signs observed have licking or biting the flank and lumbar areas; muscle spasms in the dorsal lumbar region, as well as in the tail and anal areas; and a rippling motion of the skin. In severe cases, cats might self-mutilate their tails. The precise cause is unknown, but it might have a neurobehavioral component, with hypotheses suggesting it arises from either primary dysfunction within the corticolimbic system or as behavioural response to a negative affective state, such as frustration. It is a challenging condition, but this study shows that long-term management can be very effective. The researchers conducted a retrospective observational study of 28 cats diagnosed with HS, all followed for at least 1 year. Cats were grouped based on treatment: fluoxetine alone, fluoxetine + gabapentin + behavioural therapy, or behavioural therapy alone, and recovery time and episode-free periods (EFPs) were recorded. The recovery time was defined as the number of days from the initiation of therapy to the resolution of clinical signs associated with HS. The episode-free period was defined as the time between the resolution of clinical signs and the 1-year follow-up, during which no recurrence was observed.
- Most cats (82%) had an episode-free period ≥9 months, indicating good long-term control
. - Fluoxetine alone led to the fastest improvement: median time to recovery was 8 days.
- Cats receiving fluoxetine + gabapentin + behavioural therapy took longer (~100 days), while behavioural therapy alone had a median of ~60 days to improvement.
- At one-year follow-up, 93% of cats no longer showed clinical signs, though about half were still on medication
. - Relapses were uncommon (~4%)
.
Tips for Clinicians:
• Fluoxetine can be considered first-line for rapid improvement.
• Behavioural therapy is useful, especially for long-term management or adjunctive support.
• Track episode-free periods as a meaningful measure for clients.
• Most cats achieve resolution of HS signs within a year.
Study Limitations:
- Small sample size (28 cats) limits generalizability.
- Uneven treatment groups may bias comparisons.
- Retrospective design and lack of randomization introduce potential selection and reporting bias.
- Outcome measures were subjective (owner-reported and clinical notes), and confounding factors were not fully controlled.
Bottom line:
Feline hyperesthesia syndrome has a very good long-term prognosis
with appropriate pharmacologic and behavioural interventions. Fluoxetine is particularly effective for rapid response, while behavioural strategies support sustained control.Diagnostic Value of Echocardiography in Cats With and Without Renal Infarction
Source: Gibson SD, et al. J Vet Intern Med. 2025;39(3):e70107. doi:10.1111/jvim.70107
Key Findings:
- 63% (114/181) of cats with RI had structural heart disease, versus 46% (297/645) of cats without RI .
- Cats with RI had an adjusted odds ratio of 1.6 for structural heart disease (95% CI: 1.2–2.3), indicating a significantly higher risk.
- Most common echocardiographic abnormalities included left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) and left atrial enlargement
. - Other risk factors for RI included older age, higher systolic blood pressure, cardiac auscultation abnormalities, and concurrent diagnoses such as acute kidney injury or chronic kidney disease
. - Echocardiography detected subclinical cardiac abnormalities that were not apparent on routine clinical examination.
Tips for Clinicians:
• Consider echocardiographic screening in cats with ultrasonographic evidence of RI, even if asymptomatic.
• Monitor for LVH and left atrial enlargement, especially in older or hypertensive cats.
• Combine echo findings with blood pressure and kidney function tests for comprehensive care.
• Educate owners on the potential for silent heart disease and the importance of early detection.
• Keep in mind that cats without RI can also have structural heart disease; screening decisions should be individualized.
Study Limitations:
- Cross-sectional design; cannot prove causality.
- No long-term follow-up to track progression of cardiac or renal changes.
- Echocardiographic findings were not directly correlated with clinical outcomes.
Cats with ultrasonographic evidence of renal infarction have a higher prevalence of occult heart disease
. Echocardiography can detect subclinical abnormalities and support proactive management, but larger and longitudinal studies are needed to guide long-term protocols 
.