Fecal Glucocorticoid Metabolites as a Noninvasive Indicator of Stress in the Tsushima Leopard Cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus): Application to Health Care

Abstract

This study investigates whether the measurement of glucocorticoid metabolites (GCMs) in feces is a useful method for the noninvasive evaluation of stress in the endangered Tsushima leopard cats (Prionailurus bengalensis euptilurus). Feces were collected from six seemingly healthy and five diseased (renal dysfunction, adrenal tumor, hernia, feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV), feline leukemia virus (FeLV)) Tsushima leopard cats in captivity. Fecal GCMs were measured by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) for cortisol. Individuals that experienced a physical examination under anesthesia showed increased fecal GCMs 1–2 days after the event. An individual diagnosed with disk herniation showed decreased fecal GCMs after medical administration. The mean fecal GCM concentrations for six healthy animals and five diseased animals were 0.66 ± 0.08 and 2.65 ± 0.76 μg/g, respectively, which was significantly different. Cortisol and corticosterone were not clearly detected in the feces examined by the use of the HPLC-EIA analysis. GCMs may be excreted in the feces; however, the exact identification of these substances is not achieved. The results suggest that the measurement of fecal GCMs is useful for the husbandry and health management of this species.