Blood and urine values of free-living European wildcats in Slovenia

Abstract

Hematological, serum biochemistry, and urinalysis values were determined for nine (two females and seven males) adult, free-living European wildcats (Felis silvestris) in the Kocevje Forests of the southern Slovenia. Samples were collected from August 1999 to March 2001. Cats were anesthetized with ketamine and medetomidine. Blood samples were taken by jugular venipuncture and urine samples by bladder puncture. A control group of domestic cats (F. silvestris catus) was assembled to determine if differences exist among blood and urine values between free-living European wildcats and domestic cats. Hematological, biochemical, and urine parameters were similar to those of the control group. Values of glucose, blood urea nitrogen, albumin, mean corpuscular value, basophile count, and alanine aminotransferase were significantly higher than values of the control group. All urine samples contained white blood cells and proteins, and seven of them contained red blood cells. © Springer-Verlag 2004.