Caratteristiche di una popolazione di gatti di colonia della città di Milano

Stray colony cats represent a consolidated reality in the city of Milan, where there are more than 500 feline colonies. The availability of information on the characteristics of the feline colonies is useful in planning programs aimed at protecting health and maintaining well-being of these domestic felines. This study evaluated the characteristics of a population of 266 stray colonies cats of the Milan city admitted to a TNR (Trap, Neuter, Release) control program at the Department of Clinical Veterinary Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine of Milan between 2008 and 2011. The cats resulted predominantly female (65.5%), with a fifth was pregnant (19.5%), particularly in spring. 1,5% of the cats resulted already neutered. Young cats were 44.5%, adults were 54.7% and few were cats with age estimated more than 10 years (0.8%). All cats were european cats with mean body weight of 3.1 ± 0.8 kg, mean Body Condition Score of 4.3 ± 0.7, mean length of 51.1 ± 5.9 cm, mean height of 26.3 ± 3.5 cm and mean circumference of 29.0 ± 4.4 cm. On clinical examination, 28.6% resulted healthy, and 71.4% suffered from mild clinical abnormalities such as enlarged lymph nodes (51.1%), gingivitis (39.8%), signs of ocular infection (15,8%), signs of respiratory infections (8.6%), and pallor of the mucous membranes (5.6%). All subjects survived anesthesia and surgery. Euthanasia for serious medical conditions and diseases incurable was performed in two subjects. The findings about the characteristics of the feline population evaluated, representative of the colony of cats in the city of Milan, show a population in good health and wellbeing. The monitoring data considered in this study together with data concerning the hematological and biochemical parameters and the status for infectious diseases is useful to evaluate the goodness of the TNR program in the management of a colony of cats in the city of Milan in ensuring wellness for these animal.