Long-term-release GnRH agonists postpone puberty in domestic cats

The aim of this study was to assess the efficacy and safety of deslorelin acetate implants on domestic queen puberty postponement. Thirty, 114.4 ± 12.7 days old, 1.5 ± 0.1 kg prepubertal crossbred female cats were included in this study. The animals were kept under a positive photoperiod and randomly assigned to deslorelin acetate 4.7 mg SC implants (n = 15) or to a non-treated control group (n = 15). The queens were followed up daily and weighed weekly until puberty. Vaginal cytology was also carried out three times a week. Puberty was diagnosed by the presence of the typical oestrous behaviour and vaginal cytology findings. At puberty, ovariectomy was performed and the gonads grossly described. Age (281.2 ± 21.6 vs 177.8 ± 10.8; p < 0.01) but not weight (2.6 ± 0.1 vs 2.5 ± 0.1; p > 0.1) at puberty differed between the deslorelin and control groups, respectively. One deslorelin-treated female showed an oestrous response and another showed clinical signs of pyometra after the implants. Deslorelin-treated ovaries appeared small, while control gonads were normal. It was concluded that long-term-release deslorelin, administered at approximately 50% adult body weight, postponed feline puberty without altering growing rate.