Causes of Mortality in Swedish Pedigreed Cats

Egenvall A, Nodtvedt A, Haggstrom J, Strom Holst B, Moller L, Bonnett BN. Mortality of life-insured Swedish cats during 1999-2006: age, breed, sex, and diagnosis. J Vet Intern Med. Sep 22 2009;23(6):1175-1183.

In this project, a pet life insurance database in Sweden was used to study common causes of death in cats under 13 years of age. The total number of insured cats from 1999-2006 was 49,450. Most cats in the database belonged to a pedigreed breed. During the period studied, 6,491 cats died and of these, 71% had a diagnosis in the database. Overall mortality varied with age and breed, but was not affected by gender. The five most common categories of causes of death were: urinary problems, trauma, neoplasia, infections and cardiovascular problems. The mortality rates for Persians and Siamese were higher than most other breeds and the mortality rate for Bengals was low. The median age of death for cats in this population is over 12 years of age. [SL]

Related articles:
New J, Kelch W, Hutchison J, et al. Birth and death rate estimates of cats and dogs in U.S. households and related factors. J Appl Anim Welfare Sci. 2004;7(4):229-241.

Murray JK, Skillings E, Gruffydd-Jones TJ. A study of risk factors for cat mortality in adoption centres of a UK cat charity. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. 2008;10(4):338-345.

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Egenvall A, Nodtvedt A, Haggstrom J, Strom Holst B, Moller L, Bonnett BN. Mortality of life-insured Swedish cats during 1999-2006: age, breed, sex, and diagnosis. J Vet Intern Med. Sep 22 2009;23(6):1175-1183.

In this project, a pet life insurance database in Sweden was used to study common causes of death in cats under 13 years of age. The total number of insured cats from 1999-2006 was 49,450. Most cats in the database belonged to a pedigreed breed. During the period studied, 6,491 cats died and of these, 71% had a diagnosis in the database. Overall mortality varied with age and breed, but was not affected by gender. The five most common categories of causes of death were: urinary problems, trauma, neoplasia, infections and cardiovascular problems. The mortality rates for Persians and Siamese were higher than most other breeds and the mortality rate for Bengals was low. The median age of death for cats in this population is over 12 years of age. [SL]

Related articles:
New J, Kelch W, Hutchison J, et al. Birth and death rate estimates of cats and dogs in U.S. households and related factors. J Appl Anim Welfare Sci. 2004;7(4):229-241.

Murray JK, Skillings E, Gruffydd-Jones TJ. A study of risk factors for cat mortality in adoption centres of a UK cat charity. Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery. 2008;10(4):338-345.

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library
Join us on Facebook
Follow us on Twitter

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Cat Mortality in Shelters

Murray, J. K., E. Skillings, et al. (2008). "A study of risk factors for cat mortality in adoption centres of a UK cat charity." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(4): 338-345.


In the United Kingdom, there are many animal charities that shelter and re-home cats. Cats Protection, the largest cat-only animal charity in the UK, re-homed about 60,000 cats in 2005. Risk factors for mortality in UK shelters have not been previously studied, and may be applicable to similar animal shelter situations elsewhere in the world. A case-control study was used to examine variables associated with mortality. Retrospective data was collected for 194 cases and 320 control cats. An increased risk of mortality was discovered for cats admitted to shelters unneutered, in fair or poor health, and for cats born at shelters. Kittens under 7 weeks of age and cats over 7 years of age had an increased risk of mortality compared to other age groups. Cats with disabilities also had an increased risk of mortality. Knowledge of risk factors contributing to mortality in shelters can help focus intervention strategies aimed at reducing risk.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Cave, T., H. Thompson, et al. (2002). "Kitten mortality in the United Kingdom: a retrospective analysis of 274 histopathological examinations (1986 to 2000)." Vet Rec 151: 497-501.
>> PubMed Abstract

Bannasch, M. and J. Foley (2005). "Epidemiologic evaluation of multiple respiratory pathogens in cats in animal shelters." J Fel Med Surg 7(2): 109-119.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Murray, J. K., E. Skillings, et al. (2008). "A study of risk factors for cat mortality in adoption centres of a UK cat charity." Journal of Feline Medicine & Surgery 10(4): 338-345.


In the United Kingdom, there are many animal charities that shelter and re-home cats. Cats Protection, the largest cat-only animal charity in the UK, re-homed about 60,000 cats in 2005. Risk factors for mortality in UK shelters have not been previously studied, and may be applicable to similar animal shelter situations elsewhere in the world. A case-control study was used to examine variables associated with mortality. Retrospective data was collected for 194 cases and 320 control cats. An increased risk of mortality was discovered for cats admitted to shelters unneutered, in fair or poor health, and for cats born at shelters. Kittens under 7 weeks of age and cats over 7 years of age had an increased risk of mortality compared to other age groups. Cats with disabilities also had an increased risk of mortality. Knowledge of risk factors contributing to mortality in shelters can help focus intervention strategies aimed at reducing risk.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Cave, T., H. Thompson, et al. (2002). "Kitten mortality in the United Kingdom: a retrospective analysis of 274 histopathological examinations (1986 to 2000)." Vet Rec 151: 497-501.
>> PubMed Abstract

Bannasch, M. and J. Foley (2005). "Epidemiologic evaluation of multiple respiratory pathogens in cats in animal shelters." J Fel Med Surg 7(2): 109-119.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Read More

Risk of Anesthetic Death for Cats

Brodbelt, D. C., K. J. Blissitt, et al. (2008). "The risk of death: the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Small Animal Fatalities." Vet Anaesth Analg. 2008 May 5

The objective of this prospective study was to estimate the risks of anesthetic and sedation-related mortality in small animals in the United Kingdom. All small animals anesthetized and sedated at 117 veterinary practices between June 2002 and June 2004 were included. Patient outcomes at 48 hours were recorded. An anesthetic or sedation-related death was one where surgical or pre-existing medical problems did not solely cause death. In total, the records of 79,178 cats were evaluated. The overall risk of anesthesia or sedation-related death within 48 hours of the procedure was 0.24% and was higher than that for dogs (0.17%). The risk for healthy cats was estimated to be 0.11%, again higher than that for dogs (0.05%). The risk for sick cats was 1.40% (versus 1.33% for sick dogs). Postoperative deaths accounted for 61% of the cat deaths (versus 47% for dogs). The researchers conclude that small animal anesthesia appears to be increasingly safe, and that greater care in the postoperative period could reduce mortality.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Brodbelt, D. C., D. U. Pfeiffer, et al. (2007). "Risk factors for anaesthetic-related death in cats: results from the confidential enquiry into perioperative small animal fatalities (CEPSAF)." Br J Anaesth 99(5): 617-23.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Brodbelt, D. C., K. J. Blissitt, et al. (2008). "The risk of death: the Confidential Enquiry into Perioperative Small Animal Fatalities." Vet Anaesth Analg. 2008 May 5

The objective of this prospective study was to estimate the risks of anesthetic and sedation-related mortality in small animals in the United Kingdom. All small animals anesthetized and sedated at 117 veterinary practices between June 2002 and June 2004 were included. Patient outcomes at 48 hours were recorded. An anesthetic or sedation-related death was one where surgical or pre-existing medical problems did not solely cause death. In total, the records of 79,178 cats were evaluated. The overall risk of anesthesia or sedation-related death within 48 hours of the procedure was 0.24% and was higher than that for dogs (0.17%). The risk for healthy cats was estimated to be 0.11%, again higher than that for dogs (0.05%). The risk for sick cats was 1.40% (versus 1.33% for sick dogs). Postoperative deaths accounted for 61% of the cat deaths (versus 47% for dogs). The researchers conclude that small animal anesthesia appears to be increasingly safe, and that greater care in the postoperative period could reduce mortality.
>> PubMed Abstract

Related articles:
Brodbelt, D. C., D. U. Pfeiffer, et al. (2007). "Risk factors for anaesthetic-related death in cats: results from the confidential enquiry into perioperative small animal fatalities (CEPSAF)." Br J Anaesth 99(5): 617-23.
>> PubMed Abstract

More on cat health: Winn Feline Foundation Library

Read More