PSYCHOSOMATIC DISEASES PSYCHOSOMATIC IN FELINES: LITERATURE REVIEW

Abstract

Awareness of the strong connection between observed behaviour and physical and emotional health is essential for the well-being of the animal patient. Often, it is a change in the individual's normal behaviour that alerts guardians and veterinarians to the possibility of a psychosomatic pathology. There is ample evidence in the veterinary literature that physiological and behavioural health go hand in hand. In most cases involving domestic cats, physiological and behavioural conditions simultaneously contribute to clinical signs. Our domestic cats do not express changes in their physiological and emotional states in an easily recognisable way. Therefore, it can be difficult to diagnose physiological diseases and quantify the contribution of each to the final diagnosis of a psychosomatic pathology. The presence of various levels of stress, especially distress, compromises behavioural and physical health and influences treatment outcomes. This review aims to assist veterinarians in recognising physical and behavioural changes associated with acute stress and chronic distress, including stress-related diseases. Emphasis on a complete history will allow the clinician to determine which signs are behavioural and which are medical, with the understanding that they are not mutually exclusive. Equally important is the contribution of pain, chronic diseases, and adverse environmental situations to behavioural changes and the expression of psychosomatic disorders. There is a growing body of evidence that stress and distress have profound effects on the health, behaviour, and well-being of cats. The author drew on a substantial body of clinical realities and published veterinary research to produce this review.

Affiliated Institutions

• Centro Universitário Maurício de Nassau BR

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