ReviewParasites & vectors2016
Cats are not small dogs: is there an immunological explanation for why cats are less affected by arthropod-borne disease than dogs?
Review in Parasites & vectors, 2016. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 32 papers.
What it found
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
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Who cites it
32 citing papers in PubMed.
- Virus-like particles in cancer immunotherapy: bridging human and veterinary medicine through one health.Journal of nanobiotechnology · 2026Review
- First report of multiple infection by Anaplasma platys, Bartonella henselae, and hemoplasmas in clinically healthy domestic cats from Southern Brazil.Veterinary research communications · 2026Article
- Nutrition Research in Aging Dogs and Cats: What We Know and What We Need to Do.Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2026Review
- Prevalence of diseases in rescued dogs and cats in areas affected by subsidence in the city of Maceió, AL.Scientific reports · 2025Article
- Evolution of Suspected Cat Abuse Between 2020 and 2024 in the Community of Madrid (Spain).Animals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2025Article
- Genetic counseling in veterinary medicine: towards an evidence-based definition for the small animal practice.BMC veterinary research · 2025Article
- First report of a cat (Felis catus) infected by Leishmania (Viannia) guyanensis from Southeastern Brazil.Veterinary research communications · 2025Article
- Molecular Detection ofAnimals : an open access journal from MDPI · 2024Article
- Single cell RNA-sequencing of feline peripheral immune cells with V(D)J repertoire and cross species analysis of T lymphocytes.bioRxiv : the preprint server for biology · 2024Article
- Single cell RNA-sequencing of feline peripheral immune cells with V(D)J repertoire and cross species analysis of T lymphocytes.Frontiers in immunology · 2024Article
- Evaluation of fecal sample collection methods for feline gut microbiome profiling: fecal loop vs. litter box.Frontiers in microbiology · 2024Article
- Geographical isolation and hyperendemicity ofCurrent research in parasitology & vector-borne diseases · 2024Article
- Hepatozoon spp. in stray cats from the metropolitan area of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.Parasite (Paris, France) · 2024Article
- Fulminant Pneumonia Due to Reactivation of Latent Toxoplasmosis in a Cat-A Case Report.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2023Article
- The emergence ofEmerging microbes & infections · 2023Review
- First molecular detection ofThe journal of venomous animals and toxins including tropical diseases · 2023Article
- Epidemiological and diagnostic aspects of feline leishmaniasis with emphasis on Brazil: a narrative review.Parasitology research · 2022Review
- Canine and Feline Parasitology: Analogies, Differences, and Relevance for Human Health.Clinical microbiology reviews · 2021Review
- Efficacy of fipronil/(S)-methoprene/eprinomectin/praziquantel (BroadlineParasites & vectors · 2021Article
- Exposure to Major Vector-Borne Diseases in Dogs Subjected to Different Preventative Regimens in Endemic Areas of Italy.Pathogens (Basel, Switzerland) · 2021Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
1 author.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
It is widely recognized that cats appear to be less frequently affected by arthropod-borne infectious diseases than dogs and share fewer zoonotic pathogens with man. This impression is supported by the relative lack of scientific publications related to feline vector-borne infections. This review explores the possible reasons for the difference between the two most common small companion animal species, including the hypothesis that cats might have a genetically-determined immunological resistance to arthropod vectors or the microparasites they transmit. A number of simple possibilities might account for the lower prevalence of these diseases in cats, including factors related to the lifestyle and behaviour of the cat, lesser spend on preventative healthcare for cats and reduced opportunities for research funding for these animals. The dog and cat have substantially similar immune system components, but differences in immune function might in part account for the markedly distinct prevalence and clinicopathological appearance of autoimmune, allergic, idiopathic inflammatory, immunodeficiency, neoplastic and infectious diseases in the two species. Cats have greater genetic diversity than dogs with much lower linkage disequilibrium in feline compared with canine breed groups. Immune function is intrinsically related to the nature of the intestinal microbiome and subtle differences between the canine and feline microbial populations might also impact on immune function and disease resistance. The reasons for the apparent lesser susceptibility of cats to arthropod-borne infectious diseases are likely to be complex, but warrant further investigation.
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