Faecal Cortisol as A Marker of Stress in Wild and Captive Fishing Cats and Jungle Cats

Animals in wild habitat and in captive condition undergo various natural stressful situations like physical harm, inclement weather, sickness etc. The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between such long-term natural stress and cortisol levels in fishing cats and jungle cats in wild and captive condition through noninvasive method of fecal cortisol estimation. Cortisol levels in cat faeces were measured (ng/g of feces) as a physiological long-term stress marker. Cortisol in cats can be used to accurately evaluate adrenocortical activity. It ranged between 195 and 238 in captive jungle cats with a mean of 212; whereas in wild jungle cats the same has been between 147 and 231 with a mean of 179. The analysis of data suggested no significant difference in the levels of faecal cortisol in jungle cats in captive and wild condition. In case of fishing cats, the high and low of faecal cortisol concentrations were 199 and 328 in captive condition with a mean of 254 while the same has been between 151 and 237 with a mean of 184 in wild condition. Statistical analysis of data revealed that the level of faecal cortisol in fishing cats is significantly higher in captive condition compared to wild condition.