Changes in Serum Amyloid A Level in Domestic Cats during Pregnancy

Reproduction of endangered species in captivity is an urgent problem for the conservation and restoration of biodiversity. For mammals, including felids, assessing and monitoring of pregnancy progression is fundamental for successful breeding. For the first time, changes in the concentrations of serum amyloid A (SAA), the main protein of the acute phase of inflammation in felines, were assessed during pregnancy in a domestic cat. It was found that changes in SAA concentrations in pregnant females are consistent: an increase to the middle of pregnancy (day 30) and a decrease to day 60. After parturition, the SAA concentrations in the blood of domestic cats increase. The litter size significantly affected the dynamic of SAA concentrations during the experiment, in particular, after parturition, the increase in its level was significantly higher in the females that gave birth to larger litters (from four to seven kittens).