Proteinuria was assessed in 100 randomly selected sick cats and 22 healthy cats by means of the urine protein:creatinine ratio, a traditional urine "dipstick" and a commercial ELISA-based dipstick designed to detect microalbuminuria (MA) semi-quantitatively. In addition the repeatability and reproducibility of the MA test was assessed by comparing results of five replicate tests of 26 urine samples, interpreted by two different readers. Discrepancies existed in the replicate test result in 23 and 27% of the samples examined by reader 1 and 2, respectively, and on several occasions this discrepancy was between whether the sample was "positive" or "negative" for MA. The inter-reader agreement was good (kappa=0.75), but again discrepancies were noted and part of the reason for these problems appeared to be the necessary subjectivity in the interpretation of colour changes when reading test results. Proteinuria was significantly (P< or =0.014) more prevalent in the sick than the healthy cats with 36 and 9%, respectively, having detectable MA, 34 and 5%, respectively, having a urine protein to creatinine (UPC) ratio >0.5, and 84 and 9%, respectively, having positive urine protein dipstick analysis. There was a moderate significant correlation between UPC ratio and MA concentrations (r(s)=0.68, P<0.0001). While 13/87 cats with a UPC ratio < or =0.5 had positive MA results, 10/84 cats with negative MA results had a UPC ratio >0.5, and none of these had evidence of lower urinary tract disease. This study confirmed that MA and proteinuria are commonly seen in cats with a variety of diseases, but they are not necessarily both elevated, and the UPC ratio can be elevated without an increase in MA results. Furthermore, some repeatability problems were demonstrated with the semi-quantitative MA test. These findings demonstrate that the semi-quantitative MA test should not be relied on as the sole determinant of proteinuria.

DOMESTIC cats presenting with a chronic cough or wheeze are encountered with some frequency in small animal practice. The problem may be persistent or episodic, and can vary widely in severity. Clinically, many cases resemble human chronic bronchial disease but, with much still to learn about the feline disease, terms as specific as ‘feline asthma’ and ‘chronic bronchitis’ may be misleading. This article reviews the options for investigation available to the veterinary clinician, which are limited compared with the techniques used in the medical field. As discussed, inhaled therapy is becoming an increasingly important component of therapy, again based on experiences gained in human medicine, but at present treatment remains essentially symptomatic.

In recent years, there has been increasing interest in the fact that certain common conditions in feline medicine are associated with abnormally raised urinary protein levels (proteinuria). Closer attention to the finding of proteinuria and a comparison of normal and diseased cats has led to the realisation that much lower levels of urinary protein should be considered abnormal than were previously thought. The significance of proteinuria is not yet fully understood in every case, but veterinary knowledge in this area is advancing rapidly and the need to test for and treat renal proteinuria is now being recognised. This article discusses the aetiology of renal proteinuria and its significance in cats, together with how it can be measured and treated.

Hyperthyroidism is the most common endocrine disorder of cats, and the diagnosis of a feline patient with an overactive thyroid is routine in general practice these days. Despite the familiar presentation, the ever-increasing appreciation of sequelae such as cardiac disease and hypertension, and possible comorbid conditions such as chronic kidney disease, make the disease more interesting and increases the complexity of its management. This article discusses the clinical presentation and diagnosis of hyperthyroidism, and the various management options including surgery and radioactive iodine treatment, or long-term medical management using anti-thyroid drugs.

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