Non-accidental injuries in cats – a study of 90 necropsies related to injuries caused by mechanical energy

Abstract

The domestic cat is a target species in terms of cruel acts. Studies have shown that cats suffer from two main types of malicious acts: intentional poisoning by pesticides and traumatic lesions; the latter may be of accidental or non-accidental nature. The most frequently observed traumas in veterinary medicine are of mechanical order and can be caused by various instruments. Between 1998 and 2012, 90 victims of traumatic lesions were necropsied by the Animal Pathology Service of FMVZ-USP. Among these, 41.1% were female and 27.8% were male; gender information was not available for the remainder 31%. 67.8% of the animals were from blunt force trauma; in 36.7%, from stab wounds, in 3.3%, from incised-stab wounds and in 5.6% from other types of injuries. In recent years, the demand for animal necropsies with forensic purposes has increased, and careful examination of the trauma is key to elucidating cases concerning suspicion of animal abuse.