Animals最新文献

{"title":"<i>METTL3</i> and <i>FTO</i> Regulate Heat Stress Response in Hu Sheep Through Lipid Metabolism via m6A Modification.","authors":"Bowen Chen, Chao Yuan, Tingting Guo, Jianbin Liu, Zengkui Lu","doi":"10.3390/ani15020193","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020193","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>In an established hepatocyte lipid deposition heat stress model, the expression levels of <i>METTL3</i> and <i>FTO</i> were significantly upregulated (<i>p</i> < 0.05), indicating that <i>METTL3</i> and <i>FTO</i> play important roles in the process of lipid deposition heat stress in hepatocytes. Transcriptome and metabolome analyses showed that lipid deposition heat stress had significant effects on the linoleic acid, linolenic acid, glycerophospholipid, and arachidonic acid metabolic pathways in hepatocytes. After <i>METTL3</i> knockdown, the m6A methylation level decreased, but the difference was not significant (<i>p</i> > 0.05), the <i>FABP4</i> and <i>Accα</i> expression levels increased, and the <i>HSP60</i>, <i>HSP70</i>, and <i>HSP110</i> expression levels decreased significantly. After <i>METTL3</i> overexpression, the m6A methylation level increased significantly and the expression levels of <i>FABP4</i>, <i>ATGL</i>, <i>Accα</i>, <i>HSP60</i>, <i>HSP70</i>, <i>HSP90</i>, and <i>HSP110</i> decreased significantly, indicating that the overexpression of <i>METTL3</i> reduced the expression of heat shock genes by inhibiting the lipid-deposition-related gene expression in an m6A-dependent manner. The m6A methylation level increased significantly after <i>FTO</i> knockdown, while <i>HSP60</i>, <i>HSP110</i>, <i>FABP4</i>, <i>ATGL</i>, and Accα expression levels were significantly reduced. Following <i>FTO</i> overexpression, the m6A methylation level and <i>HSP60</i>, <i>HSP90</i>, and <i>HSP110</i> expression levels significantly decreased, while the <i>ATGL</i> and <i>Accα</i> expression levels significantly increased. This indicates that the overexpression of <i>FTO</i> promoted the expression of lipid-deposition-related genes in an m6A-dependent manner to reduce the expression of heat shock genes. Transcriptome and metabolome sequencing screened a large number of differential genes and metabolites, and a KEGG enrichment analysis showed that m6A methylation mainly regulated heat stress by affecting the TNF, cAMP, MAPK, lipolysis, and synthesis pathways in hepatocytes. In the lipid deposition heat stress model of preadipocytes, the regulation of gene expression was similar to that in hepatocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758659/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035991","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Impact of the Lactation Period Gut Microbiota of Two Different Beef Cattle Breeds on Spring-Born Calves.","authors":"Changbo Chen, Yuzhu Sha, Xiaoqiang Zhang, Pingle Lu, Jianyuan Gao, Ting Jiao, Shengguo Zhao","doi":"10.3390/ani15020197","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020197","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>To investigate the impact of maternal microbiota during lactation in different beef cattle breeds on their own immune levels, milk quality, and the growth and development of their offspring, this study measured the immune parameters, intestinal microbiota diversity, and milk quality of Pingliang red cattle and Simmental cattle, and performed a correlation analysis with the growth and development of their offspring. Our study showed that during lactation, Pingliang red cattle had significantly higher IL-6 levels than Simmental cattle, while the latter exhibited higher levels of immune factors such as IgG, IgA, IgM, IL-1β, and TNFα. The analysis of the intestinal microbiota of lactating cows found that Pingliang red cattle were rich in <i>Bacteroidetes</i> and <i>Fibrobacteres</i>, while Simmental cattle had a higher proportion of Actinobacteria. This difference may be related to the different adaptation strategies in energy metabolism and immune regulation between the two breeds. In addition, the analysis of milk quality between different beef cattle breeds revealed significant differences in protein, acidity, milk fat, and total solids. The correlation analysis found that <i>Alistipes_communis</i>, <i>Firmicutes_bacterium_CAG_110</i>, <i>Alistipes_communis</i>, <i>Paludibacter_propionicigenes</i>, <i>Alistipes_sp._58_9_plus</i>, and <i>Bacteroidales_bacterium_55_9</i> were associated with both milk quality and the growth of offspring calves, including body weight, body length, chest girth, and cannon circumference. In conclusion, this study provides new insights into the intestinal microbiota, immune characteristics, and their effects on offspring health in different beef cattle breeds, and has important implications for breed selection and management strategies in the livestock industry.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11759137/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143036121","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Occurrence and Multi-Locus Genotyping of <i>Giardia duodenalis</i> in Black Goats from Fujian Province, China.","authors":"Shou-Xiao Huang, Kai Hu, Peng-Fei Fu, Si-Ang Li, Yang Liu, Zhipeng Niu, Dong-Hui Zhou","doi":"10.3390/ani15020199","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020199","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p><i>Giardia duodenalis</i> is a zoonotic parasite that causes gastrointestinal diseases in both humans and animals. To evaluate the prevalence and genetic diversity of <i>G. duodenalis</i> in black goats, we collected 539 fecal samples from nine districts in Fujian Province, China. The presence of <i>G. duodenalis</i> was confirmed through nested PCR targeting the SSU rRNA gene, and genotyping was performed at the beta-giardin, glutamate dehydrogenase, and triosephosphate isomerase loci. Among the samples, 115 tested positive, yielding an overall infection rate of 21.34%. Assemblages A and E were identified, with assemblage E being predominant. Statistical analysis revealed significant regional differences in infection rates (<i>p</i> < 0.01), with Zhangzhou exhibiting the highest infection rate (39%) and Fuzhou the lowest (3.13%). No significant differences in infection rates were observed based on age: 24.56% (56/228) for goats <1 year, 14.92% (27/181) for goats 1-2 years, 26.8% (26/97) for goats 2-3 years, and 18.18% (6/33) for goats ≥ 3 years. Similarly, no significant differences were found between sexes: 24.84% (40/161) for males and 19.84% (75/378) for females. Notably, assemblage A, a zoonotic genotype, was detected, indicating a potential risk of cross-species transmission. This study contributes to a deeper understanding of <i>G. duodenalis</i> in black goats and provides critical data for the development of targeted control strategies in Fujian Province.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758307/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035933","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A Meta-Analysis on Quantitative Sodium, Potassium and Chloride Metabolism in Horses and Ponies.","authors":"Isabelle Maier, Ellen Kienzle","doi":"10.3390/ani15020191","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020191","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>The goal of this meta-analysis was to (i) identify any potential differences in the apparent and true digestibility, renal excretion, and retention between ponies and horses and (ii) examine the impact of work on these parameters. Additionally, the study aimed to (iii) evaluate the effects of water deficiency. This meta-analysis used data from 33 studies and plotted them in diagrams similar to the Lucas test against mineral intake. Three studies involved ponies that were later diagnosed with pituitary pars intermedia dysfunction (PPID). These were compared with other data to identify quantitative differences, as they may have clinical significance. If any significant difference was observed, the data were not used for the evaluation of the aforementioned goals. Data were compared within certain intake ranges using <i>t</i>-tests and ANOVA, followed by Holm-Sidak post hoc tests. Working equines showed significantly higher apparent and true Na digestibility and lower endogenous faecal Na losses compared to non-working ponies and horses, suggesting a rather important role of the gastrointestinal tract in the regulation of Na metabolism in equines. The true K digestibility was also significantly higher in working animals than in non-working ones, but the differences were quantitatively smaller than for Na. Retention plus sweat losses for Na, K and Cl were higher in working animals compared to equines in maintenance. Horses showed higher Na and K retention plus sweat losses compared to ponies. These effects are likely attributable to greater sweat losses in working equines, particularly horses. The apparent and true Cl digestibility was significantly higher in ponies than in horses. A clinical relevance of this observation is rather unlikely, as the digestibility remained very high in both. Water deprivation influenced serum Cl levels and increased renal K excretion, which subsequently led to reduced K retention. Compared to other animal species, no effects on blood K levels or Na metabolism were observed. The ponies diagnosed with PPID exhibited a significantly lower apparent K digestibility compared to healthy animals, which could be an important factor to consider when feeding soaked hay, due to potential electrolyte losses during soaking.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758655/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035994","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Description and Analysis of Horse Swimming Strategies in a U-Shaped Pool.","authors":"Pauline Gaulmin, Frédéric Marin, Claire Moiroud, Audrey Beaumont, Sandrine Jacquet, Emeline De Azevedo, Pauline Martin, Fabrice Audigié, Henry Chateau, Chloé Giraudet","doi":"10.3390/ani15020195","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020195","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Aquatic training has been integrated into equine rehabilitation and training programs for several decades. While the cardiovascular effects of this training have been explored in previous studies, limited research exists on the locomotor patterns exhibited during the swimming cycle. This study aimed to analyze three distinct swimming strategies, identified by veterinarians, based on the propulsion phases of each limb: (S1) two-beat cycle with lateral overlap, (S2) two-beat cycle with diagonal overlap, and (S3) four-beat cycle. 125 underwater videos from eleven horses accustomed to swimming were examined to quantify the differences in locomotor patterns between these strategies. Initially, a classifier was developed to categorize 125 video segments into four groups (CatA to CatD). The results demonstrated that these categories correspond to specific swimming strategies, with CatA aligning with S1, CatB with S2, and CatC and CatD representing variations of S3. This classification highlights that two key parameters, lateral and diagonal ratios, are indeed effective in distinguishing between the different swimming strategies. Additionally, coordination patterns were analyzed in relation to these swimming strategies. One of the primary findings is the variability in swimming strategies both within and between individual horses. While five horses consistently maintained the same strategy throughout their swimming sessions, six others exhibited variations in their strategy between laps. This suggests that factors such as swimming direction, pauses between laps, and fatigue may influence the selection of swimming strategy. This study offers new insights into the locomotor patterns of horses during aquatic training and has implications for enhancing the design of rehabilitation protocols.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758662/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143036008","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Impact of Feeding Frequency on Growth Performance and Antioxidant Capacity of <i>Litopenaeus vannamei</i> in Recirculating Aquaculture Systems.","authors":"Qinlang Liang, Gang Liu, Yazhi Luan, Jiangbo Niu, Yasong Li, Huwei Chen, Ying Liu, Songming Zhu","doi":"10.3390/ani15020192","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020192","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Feeding frequency is crucial for the growth and development of white shrimp (<i>Litopenaeus vannamei</i>) at various life stages. Although higher feeding frequencies can enhance growth, manual feeding methods significantly increase labor costs. Automatic feeding systems offer a cost-effective and efficient alternative, yet their application in intensive shrimp culture remains under-researched. This study evaluates different feeding frequencies for <i>L. vannamei</i> in intensive aquaculture tanks, focusing on growth performance, survivability, feed utilization, digestive and antioxidant capacities, and economic viability. Juvenile shrimp (3.85 ± 0.3 g) were cultured for 63 days with feeding frequencies of 6, 8, 10, and 12 times/day (A6, A8, A10, and A12 groups, respectively) using automatic feeders, with a control group fed manually 6 times/day (M6). Results indicated that automatic feeding significantly improved final body weight, specific growth rate, and feed conversion ratio compared to manual feeding. Among automatic feeding groups, A6 and A8 showed optimal performance, with a quadratic regression identifying 7.83 times/day as the optimal frequency. While digestive enzyme activity remained consistent across groups, A6 and A8 demonstrated significantly higher antioxidant enzyme levels (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx)) and lower lipid peroxidation (MDA), suggesting superior digestive and antioxidant capacities. Pearson's correlation confirmed a positive relationship between SOD and GPx. Economically, the A8 group achieved the highest profitability. Consequently, a feeding frequency of 6-8 times/day using automatic feeders is recommended as an optimal and feasible strategy for intensive white shrimp culture in this life stage.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758656/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143036078","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Remediating Cambridge: Human and Horse Co-Relationality in a Culture of Mis-Re-Presentation.","authors":"Francesca A Brady, Jennifer McDonell","doi":"10.3390/ani15020194","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020194","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>This case study aims to problematise concepts of equine and human co-relational agency in the context of 'mis-re-presentations' in the Australian media of harms experienced by the Anglo Arab stallion, Cambridge, following his development of laminitis and his consequent confinement at a leading national Equestrian centre. Autoethnographic narrative is used to retrospectively and selectively narrate the evolving relationship between Cambridge and his owners, farrier, and treating veterinarians within the dominant housing and veterinary practices and welfare paradigms in equestrian culture of 1990's Australia. Structured author/owner autoethnographic vignettes are framed by newspaper and internet reportage to highlight a productive tension between the public mediation of the case, and what it means to be fully embodied in relationship with an equine companion agent within a particular, racialised, gendered, and biopoliticised location. Adopting a phenomenologically informed intersectional feminist ethics of care perspective, a counternarrative to the gendered, racialised and essentialising rights-based judgements about Cambridge's illness and eventual death that dominated the popular media is provided. Crucially, the autoethnographic vignettes are chosen to capture the corporeal reciprocity and rapport of forces that produced a co-created agentivity that characterised the horse's birth, training, and treatment. The embodied interspecies knowledge that informs the training and care of equines (and all animal species) is always historically situated within permeable, dynamic worlds of self and other that are fluid, contextual, and always in relation. It is suggested that the case of Cambridge illustrates how competing stakeholder investments in animal welfare can play out in the public mediation of particular cases in ways that exclude their historical and interspecies situatedness and serve to reinforce dominant ideologies governing human and animal relationships.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-13","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11759155/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143036067","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Role of Nutrition Across Production Stages to Improve Sow Longevity.","authors":"Matheus Saliba Monteiro, Rafaella Fernandes Carnevale, Bruno Bracco Donatelli Muro, Ana Lígia Braga Mezzina, Bruno Braga Carnino, André Pegoraro Poor, Carlos Emilio Cabrera Matajira, Cesar Augusto Pospissil Garbossa","doi":"10.3390/ani15020189","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020189","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Modern hyperprolific sows are increasingly susceptible to health challenges. Their rapid growth rates predispose them to locomotor disorders, while high metabolic demands, reduced backfat thickness, and increased protein accretion heighten their vulnerability to heat stress and dystocia. Additionally, prolonged farrowing negatively affects the oxidative and inflammatory status of these females. Additionally, prevalent conditions such as gastric ulcers and cystitis raise ethical, welfare, and economic concerns. Despite the several studies related to sow nutrition, there are no studies which compile and extrapolate nutrition approaches from the rearing period and their impact on sows' health and longevity. Also, the aim of our review was to shed light on gaps that require further investigation. Controlling body condition scores is crucial for maximizing productivity in sows. During gestation, high-fiber diets help maintain optimal body condition and prevent constipation, particularly during the peripartum period. Antioxidants offer a range of beneficial effects during this critical phase. Additionally, probiotics and acidifiers can enhance gut health and lower the risk of genitourinary infections. On the day of farrowing, energy supplementation emerges as a promising strategy to reduce farrowing duration. Collectively, these strategies address major health challenges, enhancing welfare and promoting sow's longevity.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758652/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035621","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of Liquid Marble 3D Culture System on In Vitro Maturation and Embryo Development of Prepubertal Goat Oocytes.","authors":"Andrea Podda, Linda Dujíčková, Federica Ariu, Giovanni Giuseppe Leoni, Dolors Izquierdo, Maria-Teresa Paramio, Luisa Bogliolo","doi":"10.3390/ani15020188","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020188","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Suboptimal culture conditions during in vitro maturation (IVM) affect oocyte developmental competence and the viability of the resulting embryo. Three-dimensional (3D) culture systems provide a more biologically appropriate environment compared to traditional two-dimensional (2D) cultures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of liquid marble (LM) microbioreactors as a 3D culture system on IVM and the subsequent embryo development of prepubertal goat oocytes. The cumulus-oocyte complexes (COCs) recovered from prepubertal goat ovaries underwent IVM in drops under oil (the 2D system and the control group) and in the 3D LM system (the LM group). After IVM, oocytes were parthenogenetically activated and cultured until the blastocyst stage. The control and LM groups showed similar rates of nuclear maturation (52.17% and 44.12%) and blastocyst formation (10.64% and 10.10%). Reactive oxygen species and glutathione levels and the density of transzonal projections (TZPs) in oocytes did not differ between groups. The LM system increased mitochondrial activity and modified the organization of these organelles in the oocyte cytoplasm compared to the control group. The LM microbioreactor demonstrated the ability to improve the mitochondrial status of the oocytes and was not harmful for oocyte IVM and subsequent embryo development. Therefore, LM could be used as a 3D cost-effective culture system for the IVM of prepubertal goat oocytes.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11758309/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035950","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The Wildcat That Lives in Me: A Review on Free-Roaming Cats (<i>Felis catus</i>) in Brazil, Focusing on Research Priorities, Management, and Their Impacts on Cat Welfare.","authors":"Luana S Gonçalves, Daiana de Souza Machado, Maria Eduarda Caçador, Giovanne Ambrosio Ferreira, Christopher R Dickman, Maria Camila Ceballos, Fabio Prezoto, Aline Cristina Sant'Anna","doi":"10.3390/ani15020190","DOIUrl":"10.3390/ani15020190","url":null,"abstract":"<p><p>Domestic cats (<i>Felis catus</i>) currently occupy the 38th place in the Global Invasive Species Database. Free-roaming cats potentially have broad-ranging impacts on wildlife, occupying most terrestrial environments globally as house pets, strays, or feral animals. In Australia, for example, cats are responsible for the decline in many vertebrate populations and extinction of several native mammals. However, in Brazil, few studies have explored either direct impacts of predation on wildlife, or other indirect impacts, such as competition for resources, niche overlap, hybridization, and disease transmission. In this review, we summarize and discuss 34 original research reports, published between 2001 and 2020, on impacts of free-roaming cats in Brazil. We briefly contextualize the history of cat domestication and present that, in Brazil, more studies have focused on the potential of free-roaming cats to transmit disease than to exert impacts via predation or competition on wildlife. More studies were conducted in Brazilian mainland areas (<i>n</i> = 23)-notably in Atlantic Forest-than on islands (<i>n</i> = 11). The review highlights potential impacts of cats on wildlife. We also discuss how control management strategies can affect the welfare of domestic cats, identifying potential knowledge gaps as well as opportunities for future research. Finally, understanding risks of cat predation is necessary to inform future measures to mitigate impacts on wildlife, without neglecting cat welfare.</p>","PeriodicalId":7955,"journal":{"name":"Animals","volume":"15 2","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.7,"publicationDate":"2025-01-12","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11759153/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143035937","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"农林科学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}