Effects of site and size of septum lesions on feeding and drinking behavior in the cat.

Lesions involving most of the septum caused in cats a reduction in drinking milk and eating cereal. Only the lesions involving a part of the posterior one-third of the septum increased consumption of milk and solid food. Changes of drinking behavior were usually more pronounced and permanent. In some cases the normal ratio of drunk fluids to solid food eaten was disturbed, that is either the amount of the consumed milk or cereal changed; in some animals these changes were more or less parallel. Increase or abolition of effects caused by lesions involving areas playing a similar or an opposite role in these functions were observed very often. This indicates how important it is in such investigations to produce precise lesions of strictly determined site and size.