Fatal traumatic injury patterns in free-roaming cats: an anatomopathological study of 40 cases

Trauma is an important cause of death in domestic cats, particularly in animals with unrestricted outdoor access. However, necropsy-based studies focusing specifically on immediately fatal trauma in free-roaming cats remain limited. This study aimed to characterize fatal traumatic injuries in free-roaming cats through a retrospective anatomopathological review of feline necropsies performed over a 10-year period at the Veterinary Pathology Laboratory of the Universidade Federal da Paraíba, Brazil, based on gross findings, histopathology, and complementary imaging when available.

Among 289 feline necropsies examined between September 2014 and September 2024, 40 cases (13.84%) were classified as immediately fatal traumatic injuries in free-roaming cats. Blunt force trauma predominated (32/40), followed by sharp-force trauma (7/40) and projectile trauma (1/40). Road traffic accident was the most frequent recorded or presumed traumatic mechanism. Lesions most frequently involved the thorax (31/40), and multiple body regions were affected in 25/40 cases. The most common gross findings were extrapulmonary hemorrhage, pulmonary hemorrhage, atelectasis or pulmonary collapse, fracture, hemothorax, hemoperitoneum, visceral herniation into the thoracic cavity, and diaphragmatic rupture. Compared with sharp-force trauma, blunt force trauma was associated with significantly higher EGTN values and with a greater frequency of extrapulmonary hemorrhage, fracture, pulmonary hemorrhage, and abdominal/visceral involvement. Among vehicle-identified road traffic trauma cases, car-related trauma was associated with higher EGTN values and greater multiregional involvement than motorcycle-related trauma. Concurrent non-traumatic lesions were recorded in five cases, and potentially predisposing conditions, most commonly chronic debilitating or neoplastic diseases, were identified in nine.

Immediately fatal trauma in free-roaming cats was dominated by blunt force trauma, most often associated with road traffic accidents, and characterized by extensive thoracic involvement, frequent multiregional distribution, and severe internal damage. Systematic necropsy, supported by histopathology and complementary imaging when available, provided valuable information on lethal lesion patterns, probable traumatic mechanisms, and concurrent non-traumatic conditions. These findings highlight the value of veterinary pathology in the characterization of fatal feline trauma and in the broader contexts of forensic interpretation, animal welfare assessment, and prevention-oriented understanding of trauma in free-roaming cat populations.