[Age-related changes in hematological and serum biochemical values in cats]

Nineteen hematological and serum biochemical values were analyzed for 91 healthy cats of both sexes (aged 1 to 48 months) that were bred and reared in our laboratory. Age-related changes were found for many parameters. Red blood cell counts (RBC), hemoglobin (Hb), hematocrit (Ht), Mean corpuscular constants, GPT, total protein (TP) and albumin (ALB) initially were low but increased then stabilized. White blood cell counts (WBC), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), inorganic phosphorus (Pi), total bilirubin (TBil), total cholesterol (TC), glucose (GLU), and triglyceride (TG) initially were high, but decreased then stabilized. No age-related changes were found for GOT, blood urea nitrogen, or calcium. Of the parameters that changed with age, the mean corpuscular constants, GPT, GLU, and TG became stabilized during the first 3 to 4 months of life, but others (RBC, Hb, Ht, TP, ALB) became stabilized after 9 to 11 months, during which period body weight reached a plateau. Some parameters (WBC, ALP, TG, Pi) showed change up to 18 months of age. These results suggest that cats 9 to 11 months old can be regarded as adults; but for some parameters, cats aged 18 months, or older, are better regarded as adults. Sex-related differences in the values for mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, and WBC that were found after 11 months of age were higher in females. ALB was higher in males.