Polyorchidism in a cat

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Medicine
• Reproductive Biology
• Congenital Anomalies

Background:

• Cryptorchidism is a condition where one or both testes fail to descend.
• Penile spines are a sexually dimorphic trait in felids, typically associated with intact males.
• Polyorchidism, the presence of supernumerary testes, is a rare congenital anomaly.

Purpose of the Study:

• To report a rare case of polyorchidism in a domestic shorthair cat.
• To emphasize the diagnostic significance of penile spines in cryptorchid cats.
• To contribute to the veterinary literature on congenital reproductive anomalies.

Main Methods:

• Physical examination including assessment for penile spines.
• Surgical exploration via midline laparotomy.
• Histopathological examination of excised masses.

Main Results:

• A 9-month-old male cat presented with mounting behavior and bilateral cryptorchidism.
• Four testicular masses and associated epididymal tissue were identified and surgically removed.
• Histopathology confirmed the presence of four testes, diagnosing polyorchidism.
• Mounting behavior resolved four weeks post-surgery.

Conclusions:

• Polyorchidism should be considered in the differential diagnosis of cryptorchid cats, particularly those with penile spines.
• The presence of penile spines can be a valuable clinical sign in diagnosing reproductive anomalies in cats.
• This case adds to the limited reports of polyorchidism in felines, specifically documenting a case with four intraabdominal testes.