{'fraction_non_alphanumeric': 0.030669546436285097, 'fraction_numerical': 0.018574514038876888, 'mean_word_length': 4.514285714285714, 'pattern_counts': {'":': 0, '<': 0, '<?xml version=': 0, '>': 0, 'https://': 0, 'lorem ipsum': 0, 'www.': 0, 'xml': 0}, 'pii_count': 0, 'substrings_counts': 0, 'word_list_counts': {'cursed_substrings.json': 0, 'profanity_word_list.json': 0, 'sexual_word_list.json': 0, 'zh_pornsignals.json': 0}}
Post-weaning feeding problems in young domestic cats - a new hypothesis.

Fig. 1. Mean weights of four pure-bred Egyptian Mau kittens. The litter was the mother's second. After developing diarrhoea, the kittens were given 0.25 mg per day of clavulanate-potentiated amoxycillin (Synulox, Pfizer). The young of domestic cats generally start to move onto solid foods at around 30 days (Turner & Bateson, 2000). Changes in the kittens' gut morphology and digestive biochemistry at the time of weaning, defined as the time when dietary dependence on the mother changes most rapidly, probably have the same pattern as those found in the rat. The lining of the small intestine of the rat is relatively smooth before weaning, but after weaning the villi rapidly proliferate (Herbst & Sunshine, 1969). In addition, the enzyme lactase, which is used for digesting milk sugar, is replaced by sucrase, which is used for digesting the sugars in solid food (Henning, 1985; Lund & Smith, 1987). The timing of the changes in the digestive system are closely linked to the various factors that affect the timing of weaning (Gomendio et al., 1995). In the cat, if the mother is small, under-nourished or is burdened with a large litter, the rates of increase in weights of her kittens slow down prior to weaning, but increase again in the days after the kittens take their first solid food (Bateson & Young, 1981; Deag et al., 1987). In such cases the mother has probably reached the limit of her ability to supply sufficient energy from her milk for the continued growth of her kittens, but rapid gain in weight resumes as soon as the kittens are able to process solid food. From 30 to 65 days after birth, kittens which are with their mothers may sometimes lose their appetites, start vomiting and develop diarrhoea. The condition is quickly and readily treated with antibiotics. An example from one litter of pure bred Egyptian Maus is shown in Figure 1. The discontinuity in the rate of growth occurred at the age of 27 days after birth and the loss of appetite started at the age of 60 days. The day after being given antibiotics the dramatic catch-up in growth is evident. Similar effects have been observed in seven other Egyptian Mau litters from three mothers. Colleagues have reported similar phenomena in other pure breeds