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Scent is a common means of communication for many species, including giant pandas and domestic cats and dogs. A recent study from the University of California, Davis demonstrates how scents produced by families of bacteria that reside in domestic cats’ anal glands are used by the cats to communicate with one another. Scientific Reports published the work on November 8.
The work contributes to the growing number of research on the connection between microorganisms and odor in mammals, encompassing people, domestic dogs, and wild animals like foxes, pandas, and hyenas.
A variety of volatile organic molecules, such as alcohols, esters, ketones, and aldehydes, contribute to a cat’s scents. These odors play a significant role in cats’ social and behavioral life, despite being mostly undetectable to human senses. They mark their space, draw partners, and drive away competitors.
A three-part investigation of domestic cat anal gland secretions was led by postdoctoral researcher Connie Rojas, who collaborates with Professor Jonathan Eisen at the UC Davis Department of Evolution and Ecology and Genome Center. To examine the substances in the secretions and the microorganisms that produce them, they employed mass spectrometry, microbial culture, and DNA sequencing.
Overall, five bacterial genera—Corynebacterium, Bacteroides, Proteus, Lactobacillus, and Streptococcus—dominated; nevertheless, each cat’s microbial composition varied greatly from the next. In general, the microbiomes of older and younger cats differed. Cats classified as obese also appeared to differ in certain ways, although the sample size was insufficient to support this. The nutrition, overall health, and living conditions of the cat may also have an impact on microbial populations.
By examining the substances generated in the anal glands, the scientists found hundreds of organic molecules. Based on genetic study, these chemicals may be produced by bacteria that reside in the anal gland.
In addition to adding more domestic cats and other cat species, the researchers intend to carry out and broaden the study.
David Coil from the Genome Center, Stanley Marks from the School of Veterinary Medicine, Eva Borras from the Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering and Cristina Davis from the UC Davis Lung Center, and Hira Lesea from the Department of Microbiology and Molecular Genetics are the other co-authors on the study. All of these individuals are affiliated with UC Davis.
Sources:
Connie A. Rojas et al. (2023). Characterization of the microbiome and volatile compounds in anal gland secretions from domestic cats (Felis catus) using metagenomics and metabolomics, Scientific Reports. DOI: 10.1038/s41598-023-45997-1
https://phys.org/news/2023-11-meows-bacteria-cats-communicate.html
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