Coat, Claw and Dewclaw 17-β-Estradiol and Testosterone Concentrations in Male and Female Postpubertal Cats: Preliminary Results

SIMPLE SUMMARY: In the study of long-term hormonal changes, matrices such as hair/coat and nails/claws proved to be useful and collectable without invasiveness, respecting animal welfare. This study aims to verify the usefulness of coat, claws and dewclaws to measure the main sexual steroids 17-β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) concentrations in male and female postpubertal domestic cats during the breeding season. A total of 20 male and 18 female postpubertal domestic cats were enrolled and sexual steroids measured in coat and claws collected only once during the neutering/spaying procedures. Coat was collected from the forearm (ACOAT) and from the surgical area (SCOAT). Dewclaws (DCLAWS) were collected separately from the claws of all the other digits of the forearms (CLAWS). All the tissue materials were suitable for measuring both sexual steroids, with both ACOAT and SCOAT useful for distinguishing between males and females on the basis of T concentrations. Within each sex, E2 and T concentrations can be assessed on coat, but also on the dewclaws, providing an alternative, practical, matrix for sexual steroid measurement in postpubertal cats during the breeding season. ABSTRACT: In the recent past, tissue materials such as hair/coat and nails/claws have proved to be useful for the study of long-term hormonal changes in humans and animals and shown to be advantageous in terms of being collectable without invasiveness, with a benefit in terms of animal welfare. However, studies using these tissue materials in cats are scarce, especially on sexual hormone measurement. In this study, the concentrations of 17-β-estradiol (E2) and testosterone (T) were assessed in 20 male and 18 female domestic postpubertal cats at the time of neutering/spaying during the breeding season. Hormones were measured in coat shaved from the forearm (ACOAT) and from the surgical area (SCOAT); claws were collected from the forearms (CLAWS) and the dewclaws (DCLAWS). Although all these tissue materials were shown to be useful for E2 and T long-term measurement, only T concentrations were higher (p < 0.001) in males from both ACOAT and SCOAT samples when compared to females and therefore useful for distinguishing between the two sexes. Within each sex, E2 and T concentrations can be assessed on coat, but also on the dewclaws, providing an alternative, practical, matrix for sexual steroid measurement in postpubertal cats during the breeding season.