Journal of Veterinary Clinics (한국임상수의학회지)

The Korean Society of Veterinary Clinics (한국임상수의학회)
권호 표지
DOI QR코드

DOI QR Code

Comparison of Frequency and Stay Time between Normal and Abnormal Elimination Behavior of Cats Using a Litter Box with Automatic Sensor

  • Ji-Woo Shin (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Sun-Woo Han (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University) ;
  • Soon-Hak Kweon (Evergreen Animal Hospital) ;
  • Myungseok Kang (Kumnan Animal Hospital) ;
  • Jong-Hyuk Kim (WALKBRAIN. CO.) ;
  • Chung-Gwang Choi (WALKBRAIN. CO.) ;
  • Joon-Seok Chae (Laboratory of Veterinary Internal Medicine, BK21 FOUR Future Veterinary Medicine Leading Education and Research Centre, Research Institute for Veterinary Science and College of Veterinary Medicine, Seoul National University)
  • Received : 2024.02.08
  • Accepted : 2024.03.12
  • Published : 2024.04.30
Download PDF
⟨ Previous Next ⟩

Abstract

Changes in elimination behavior, including urination and defecation, are common clinical signs of numerous disorders in cats. Therefore, this study attempted to automatically measure the elimination behavior of cats using the litter box and develop an early warning system for the guardian in case of abnormalities. To construct an early warning system for abnormal changes through cat elimination behavior, it consisted of a litter box, an automatic sensor for data collection and data wifi transmission, a server for data analysis, and a mobile phone app for result transmission and early warning. To establish the reference interval (RI), the elimination behavior was monitored for more than 2 weeks using a motion sensor within a litter box in 37 healthy cats and 19 diseased cats. The data were expressed as daily total visits, daily total stay duration, average stay duration per elimination, weekly total visits, and weekly total stay duration. Healthy cats showed median daily total visits of 3 times/day (RI 1.0-7.0) and daily total stay duration of 192 s/day (RI 8.0-452.0). For weekly data, the median total visits were 20 times/week (RI 3.0-35.25) and the median total stay duration was 1,147 s/week (RI 80.0-2,249.5). The average stay duration per elimination was 59 s/elimination (RI 4.67-132.0). Diseased cats showed more frequent elimination behavior than healthy cats (p < 0.001). Otherwise, for each elimination, diseased cats had shorter stay durations than healthy cats (p < 0.001). This study established the RIs of elimination behavior parameters (frequency and duration) in healthy cats. The present study might help guardians and veterinarians detect changes in elimination behaviors in diseased cats at an early stage.

Keywords

Acknowledgement

This work was supported by the Technology Development Program (S2964407), funded by the Ministry of SMEs and Startups (MSS, Korea).

References

  1. Amat M, de la Torre JLR, Fatjo J, Mariotti VM, Wijk SV, Manteca X. Potential risk factors associated with feline behaviour problems. Appl Anim Behav Sci 2009; 121: 134-139. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.applanim.2009.09.012
  2. Bowen J, Heath S. Feline house-soiling and marking problems. In: Bowen J, Heath S, editors. Behaviour problems in small animals: practical advice for the veterinary team. Philadelphia: Elsevier Saunders. 2005: 185-203.
  3. Buffington CA, Chew DJ, Kendall MS, Scrivani PV, Thompson SB, Blaisdell JL, et al. Clinical evaluation of cats with nonobstructive urinary tract diseases. J Am Vet Med Assoc 1997; 210: 46-50. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.1997.210.01.46
  4. Burger IH, Smith PM. Effects of diet on the urine characteristics of the cat. In: Meyer H, Kienzle E, editors. Nutrition, malnutrition and dietetics in the dog and cat. London: British Veterinary Association. 1987: 71-73.
  5. Camps T, Amat M, Manteca X. A review of medical conditions and behavioral problems in dogs and cats. Animals (Basel) 2019; 9: 1133.
  6. Dulaney DR, Hopfensperger M, Malinowski R, Hauptman J, Kruger JM. Quantification of urine elimination behaviors in cats with a video recording system. J Vet Intern Med 2017; 31: 486-491. https://doi.org/10.1111/jvim.14680
  7. Finco DR, Adams DD, Crowell WA, Stattelman AJ, Brown SA, Barsanti JA. Food and water intake and urine composition in cats: influence of continuous versus periodic feeding. Am J Vet Res 1986; 47: 1638-1642.
  8. Friedrichs KR, Harr KE, Freeman KP, Szladovits B, Walton RM, Barnhart KF, et al. ASVCP reference interval guidelines: determination of de novo reference intervals in veterinary species and other related topics. Vet Clin Pathol 2012; 41: 441-453. https://doi.org/10.1111/vcp.12006
  9. Gunn-Moore D. Feline lower urinary tract disease. J Feline Med Surg 2003; 5: 133-138. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1098-612X(02)00129-8
  10. Horwitz DF, Rodan I. Behavioral awareness in the feline consultation: understanding physical and emotional health. J Feline Med Surg 2018; 20: 423-436. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X18771204
  11. Hostutler RA, Chew DJ, DiBartola SP. Recent concepts in feline lower urinary tract disease. Vet Clin North Am Small Anim Pract 2005; 35: 147-170, vii. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cvsm.2004.08.006
  12. Jones SE, Quimby JM, Summers SC, Adams SM, Caney SM, Rudinsky AJ. Survey of defecation habits in apparently healthy and chronic kidney disease cats. J Feline Med Surg 2022; 24: 131-141. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X211012684
  13. Kalkstein TS, Kruger JM, Osborne CA. Feline idiopathic lower urinary tract disease. Part I. Clinical manifestations. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 1999; 21: 15-26.
  14. Kruger JM, Lulich JP, MacLeay J, Merrills J, Paetau-Robinson I, Brejda J, et al. Comparison of foods with differing nutritional profiles for long-term management of acute nonobstructive idiopathic cystitis in cats. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2015; 247: 508-517. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.247.5.508
  15. Pryor PA, Hart BL, Bain MJ, Cliff KD. Causes of urine marking in cats and effects of environmental management on frequency of marking. J Am Vet Med Assoc 2001; 219: 1709-1713. https://doi.org/10.2460/javma.2001.219.1709
  16. Sordo L, Breheny C, Halls V, Cotter A, Tornqvist-Johnsen C, Caney SMA, et al. Prevalence of disease and age-related behavioural changes in cats: past and present. Vet Sci 2020; 7: 85.
  17. Sparkes AH, Caney S, Chalhoub S, Elliott J, Finch N, Gajanayake I, et al. ISFM consensus guidelines on the diagnosis and management of feline chronic kidney disease. J Feline Med Surg 2016; 18: 219-239. https://doi.org/10.1177/1098612X16631234
  18. Sung W, Crowell-Davis SL. Elimination behavior patterns of domestic cats (Felis catus) with and without elimination behavior problems. Am J Vet Res 2006; 67: 1500-1504. https://doi.org/10.2460/ajvr.67.9.1500