Together, Moffat, Gunn-Moore and other researchers then focused on the aged cats' brains, using X-rays and post-mortem analysis. They identified thick, gritty plaques on the outside of the cats' brain cells. The plaques contained an Alzheimer-like protein that interferes with brain messaging.
This protein is "crucial to our understanding of the aging process in cats," Gunn-Moore said. "We've known for a long time that cats develop dementia, but this study tells us that the cat's neural system is being compromised in a similar fashion to what we see in human Alzheimer's sufferers."
Rebecca Wood, chief executive of the Alzheimer's Research Trust in England, expressed interest in the findings and said, "Many people will be surprised by the fact that domestic cats can develop a form of Alzheimer's, just like their owners."
Wood added that pets are also living longer "so this type of distressing disease is only going to get more common."
Gunn-Moore believes that good diet, mental stimulation and companionship appear to reduce the risk of dementia in both humans and cats.
"If humans and their cats live in a poor environment with little company and stimulation, they are both at higher risk of dementia," she said. "However, if the owner plays with the cat, it is good for both human and cat."
Related Links:
The secret lives of animals.
The Loom: a Blog About Life, Past and Future
Animal Planet's guide to cats.
