Table 1.

Clinical Scoring System for Feline Respiratory Disease. A scoring system was designed to assess clinical lower respiratory and systemic disease in the feline model. Each cat was scored daily at the same time point (morning) by a small animal clinician (JMR). Cats were assigned a score from 0 to 2 for each clinical parameter: body weight, temperature, respiratory effort, activity, behavior, ocular/nasal discharge, coughing/wheezing. The parameter scores were summed to assign an overall score per cat per day. Potential scores could range from 0 (healthy with no signs of disease) to 14 on any given day. Resting respiratory rate was considered normal if <36 breaths per minute. Marked increases in rate were >50 breaths per minute at rest. Temperatures were obtained via thermal microchips. Body weights were obtained last to limit stress affecting clinical scoring.

Clinical Parameter	0 (Healthy)	1	2
Body Weight	No weight loss	0 to 5% weight loss	>5% weight loss
Temperature	37.2 to 39.1 °C	39.2 to 39.7 °C	>39.7 °C
Respiratory Effort	Normal resting respiratory rate and normal effort	Mild tachypnea, but no overt increase in effort	Marked increase in both respiratory rate and effort; dyspnea
Activity	Normal	Reduced activity when disturbed * (lethargy)	Little to no activity disturbed *; reduced activity stimulated **
Behavior	Normal	Reduced interest in food and/or attention	Anorexia and lack of interest
Ocular/Nasal Discharge	None	Mild discharge noted	Discharge evident from both nasal and ocular regions
Coughing/Wheezing	None	Mild wheezing, but no coughing	Coughing and/or marked wheezing

* Disturbed: observer in the room, but kennel unopened. ** Stimulated: kennel open.