Estradiol-17β Pharmacokinetics and Histological Assessment of the Ovaries and Uterine Horns following Intramuscular Administration of Estradiol Cypionate in Feral Cats

摘要

Feral cats (Felis catus) have a devastating impact on Australian native fauna. Several programs exist to control their numbers through lethal removal, using tools such as baiting with toxins. Adult male cats are especially difficult to control. We hypothesized that one way to capture these male cats is to lure them using female cats. As female cats are seasonal breeders, a method is needed to artificially induce reproductive (estrous) behavior so that they could be used for this purpose year-round (i.e., regardless of season). Estrogens can be given to cats to induce estrous behavior, but it is not known for how long this elevates the blood concentrations of estradiol. Following the administration of a long-acting estrogen, estradiol cypionate, to nine captive feral cats, blood estrogen concentrations remained elevated for several days. This information will be useful to ongoing studies that are investigating ways to reduce the abundance of feral cats in Australia, especially adult male cats.