Sexual cycle of cats and non-invasive diagnostic methods

Abstract
Mostly all feral cats are listed in the IUCN International Red Book. This fact is caused by the negative impact of civilization on the ecosystem, including fauna. This trend applies equally to feral cats from the family Felidae (tigers, jaguars, leopards, snow leopards) and the family Felinae (caracal, serval, ocelot, etc.). The low population size of domestic species, namely lynx and forest cat in Ukraine, is alarming. The use of innovative biotechnological techniques in reproduction can have a positive effect on the conservation of endangered carnivorous species. These auxiliary methods are aimed at improving the technique of obtaining and cryopreservation of sperm, oocytes, in vitro fertilization, artificial insemination, embryo transplantation, as well as synchronization and regulation of the sexual cycle. This last element is key in ex situ conservation programs in zoos. Under physiological course, feline reproductive cycle is unique, as the physiology of the body as a whole. The wild cat family is the pinnacle of predator evolution. Today there are 39 species of this family in the world, including the domestic cat. Most feral cats are endangered. The main reasons for the decline in wild cat populations in the wild are habitat loss, fragmentation, human-animal conflict, and for some species, poaching for fur and medicine. Therefore, many scientists in the world face the issue of increasing reproductive capacity, improving methods of monitoring reproductive function and endocrine status, as different species of cats have significant differences in the sexual cycle. The main purpose of the work is to improve the reproductive properties in the reproduction of wild cats using non-invasive diagnostic methods. Reproduction is a key success factor, so understanding the basics of the reproduction function will help develop strategies to conserve and influence populations of different feline species.