Department of Reproduction and Clinic of Farm Animals, Wroclaw University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Wroclaw, Poland.
J Feline Med Surg. 2022 Sep;24(9):837-846. doi: 10.1177/1098612X221118753.
An infertile tom used to be a relatively rare presentation in feline practice. However, as a result of breeding strategies targeting specific morphological/behavioural traits, and the influence of inbreeding (especially practised in rare breeds), among other factors, feline infertility has become a genuine clinical problem. Furthermore, increased interest among cat breeders and pet owners in diagnosing and treating an 'unsuccessful' tom (including using assisted reproductive techniques [ARTs]), has made such patients more commonplace in veterinary practice.
A definitive cause for male infertility is often difficult to identify. One of the biggest challenges is the lack of fertility-based reference values for semen quality and hormone levels. Moreover, the literature in this field is scant and many reproductive tract conditions described in other species have not been reported in cats. The establishment of diagnostic tools and algorithms is essential to facilitate a reliable assessment of fertility potential.
There is a growing demand for appropriate veterinary care relating to feline reproduction. There is an expectation among breeders, particularly of pedigree cats of high breeding value, that the same options widely used for dogs (including ARTs) should also be available for cats.
Equipment required for investigating male infertility includes a microscope and ultrasound machine; a blood analyser may also be useful, but samples can instead be sent to a laboratory. The skills required are often already performed by veterinarians; for example, catheterising the urethra, performing ultrasonography and blood sampling.
There are some reports of fertility problems in male cats in the literature, but this area of feline reproduction is still relatively undeveloped. This review draws on the comprehensive knowledge developed and shared by specialists in this field, and is supported by the authors' own clinical experience.
在猫科动物的临床实践中，不育的公猫曾经是一种相对罕见的表现。然而，由于针对特定形态/行为特征的繁殖策略，以及近亲繁殖（尤其是在稀有品种中）等因素的影响，猫科动物的不育症已成为一个真正的临床问题。此外，猫饲养者和宠物主人对诊断和治疗“不成功”的公猫（包括使用辅助生殖技术[ARTs]）的兴趣增加，使得此类患者在兽医临床实践中更为常见。
公猫不育的确切原因通常难以确定。最大的挑战之一是缺乏基于生育能力的精液质量和激素水平的参考值。此外，该领域的文献很少，许多在其他物种中描述的生殖道疾病在猫中尚未报道。建立诊断工具和算法对于促进对生育潜力的可靠评估至关重要。
对与猫科动物繁殖相关的适当兽医护理的需求日益增长。饲养者，尤其是具有高繁殖价值的纯种猫的饲养者，期望为猫提供与狗广泛使用的相同选择（包括 ARTs）。
用于检查公猫不育症的设备包括显微镜和超声机；血液分析仪也可能有用，但也可以将样本送到实验室。所需的技能通常已经由兽医执行；例如，尿道插管、进行超声检查和采血。
文献中有一些关于公猫生育问题的报道，但猫科动物繁殖的这一领域仍相对不发达。本综述借鉴了该领域专家开发和共享的综合知识，并得到了作者自身临床经验的支持。
