Abstract

Stray cats are exposed to deleterious factors in the urban environment. The present study was aimed to describe the pathological features of lung lesions in stray cats in Mosul city, Iraq. From February to March 2013, 19 ailing cats were caught through animal control campaigns and euthanized. Necropsy and histopathologic findings were recorded for the collected lungs. The results indicated lesions in all the lung samples. Pathomorphogical characterization included emphysema (84%), atelectasis (63%), and bronchiectasis (26%), bronchopneumonia (63%), granulomatous pneumonia (15%), verminous pneumonia (15%), alveolitis (15%), proliferative pneumonia (10%), and pleuropneumonia (5%). In addition, cellular adaptation was characterized by hyperplasia of alveolar cells (52%), bronchial epithelium hyperplasia (31%) and fibroplasia (26%). Hemosiderosis and parasitic infestation were also detected. The study concluded that all lungs collected from stray cats showed pathological changes, reflecting the presence of the pathogen agents and pollution in the environment of this city.