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Amyloidosis in Black-footed Cats (Felis nigripes)

Zoological Pathology Program, University of Illinois, Maywood, IL (KAT), Population Medicine Department, College of Veterinary Medicine, University of Minnesota, St. Paul, MN (TO), San Diego Wild Animal Park, Escondido, CA (NL), Department of Animal Science (TRF), Department of Pathology, Microbiology, and Immunology, School of Veterinary Medicine (LM), University of California, Davis, CA

Abstract

A high prevalence of systemic amyloidosis was documented in the black-footed cat (Felis nigripes) based on a retrospective review of necropsy tissues (n = 38) submitted as part of ongoing disease surveillance. Some degree of amyloid deposition was present in 33 of 38 (87%) of the examined cats, and amyloidosis was the most common cause of death (26/38, 68%). Amyloid deposition was most severe in the renal medullary interstitium (30/33, 91%) and glomeruli (21/33, 63%). Other common sites included the splenic follicular germinal centers (26/31, 84%), gastric lamina propria (9/23, 39%), and intestinal lamina propria (3/23, 13%). Amyloid in all sites stained with Congo red, and in 13 of 15 (87%) cats, deposits had strong immunoreactivity for canine AA protein by immunohistochemistry. There was no association with concurrent chronic inflammatory conditions (P = .51), suggesting that amyloidosis was not secondary to inflammation. Adrenal cortical hyperplasia, a morphologic indicator of stress that can predispose to amyloid deposition, was similarly not associated (P = .09) with amyloidosis. However, adrenals were not available from the majority of cats without amyloidosis; therefore, further analysis of this risk factor is warranted. Heritability estimation suggested that amyloidosis might be familial in this species. Additionally, tissues from a single free-ranging black-footed cat had small amounts of amyloid deposition, suggesting that there could be a predilection for amyloidosis in this species. Research to identify the protein sequence of serum amyloid A (SAA) in the black-footed cat is needed to further investigate the possibility of an amyloidogenic SAA in this species.

Key words: AA amyloid; amyloidosis; Black-footed cat; Felis nigripes.

Request reprints from Dr. Karen Terio, University of Illinois, Zoological Pathology Program, LUMC Room 0745 Building 101, 2160 S First Street, Maywood, IL 60153 (USA). E-mail: kterio{at}uiuc.edu

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