Palavras-chave
ambiente urbano
bem-estar animal
enriquecimento ambiental
Resumo
O estresse em gatos domésticos tem sido reconhecido como um fator central na gênese de alterações comportamentais e doenças sistêmicas, especialmente no contexto de ambientes urbanos. A adaptação a espaços confinados, associada à redução de estímulos ambientais e à limitação da expressão de comportamentos naturais, configura um cenário propício ao desenvolvimento de estresse crônico. Este estudo teve como objetivo analisar os impactos do ambiente urbano na saúde física e comportamental de gatos domésticos, com ênfase nos mecanismos fisiológicos do estresse e nas principais repercussões clínicas associadas. Trata-se de uma revisão integrativa da literatura, baseada em evidências científicas sobre comportamento felino, fisiologia do estresse e suas implicações clínicas. Os achados demonstram que o estresse crônico está associado à ativação persistente do eixo hipotálamo–hipófise–adrenal, com elevação dos níveis de cortisol e desenvolvimento de alterações sistêmicas, incluindo cistite idiopática felina, distúrbios dermatológicos, obesidade e alterações gastrointestinais. Observa-se, ainda, que manifestações comportamentais, como agressividade, eliminação inadequada e vocalização excessiva, podem ocorrer de forma independente ou concomitante às alterações fisiológicas, evidenciando a complexidade do fenômeno. Conclui-se que o ambiente urbano exerce influência significativa sobre o bem-estar felino, sendo o enriquecimento ambiental, a previsibilidade de rotinas e a orientação adequada dos tutores estratégias fundamentais para a prevenção de agravos e promoção da saúde, sob a perspectiva da Saúde Única.
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