Cat

Tell-tail fear behaviors in kittens: Identifying the scaredy cat

Identifying when kittens are in fearful emotional states is crucial to protecting welfare, preventing behavioral issues, and ensuring caretaker and researcher assessments are accurate. Research is needed to confirm if kittens have fully developed fear responses similar to those of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Emotion, Pain, & SentienceAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Graham, C., Khalife, S., Pearl, D. et al. 2024. Tell-tail fear behaviors in kittens: Identifying the scaredy cat. Animal Behavior and Cognition 11(4), 361–392.

A novel approach for contactless heart rate monitoring from pet facial videos

Introduction: Monitoring the heart rate (HR) of pets is challenging when contact with a conscious pet is inconvenient, difficult, injurious, distressing, or dangerous for veterinarians or pet owners. However, few established, simple, and non-invasive techniques for HR measurement in pets...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Cat, Dog

Citation: Hu, R., Gao, Y., Peng, G. et al. 2024. A novel approach for contactless heart rate monitoring from pet facial videos. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Automated landmark-based cat facial analysis and its applications

Facial landmarks, widely studied in human affective computing, are beginning to gain interest in the animal domain. Specifically, landmark-based geometric morphometric methods have been used to objectively assess facial expressions in cats, focusing on pain recognition and the impact of...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Martvel, G., Lazebnik, T., Feighelstein, M. et al. 2024. Automated landmark-based cat facial analysis and its applications. Frontiers in Veterinary Science 11.

Potential of nail cortisol for welfare assessment in shelter and owned cats

Shelter cats often experience considerable stressors, such as confinement and unfamiliar surroundings, leading to welfare challenges. Evaluating and enhancing their well-being is crucial, and measuring cortisol levels in cats' nails offers a minimally invasive method for assessing stress and welfare....

Year Published: 2024Topics: Biological Sampling & Physiological MeasurementAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Minh, P. Q. A., Nampimoon, T., Sirirut, S. et al. 2024. Potential of nail cortisol for welfare assessment in shelter and owned cats. Applied Animal Behaviour Science 280, 106422.

Non-invasive electroencephalography in awake cats: Feasibility and application to sensory processing in chronic pain

Background: Feline osteoarthritis (OA) leads to chronic pain and somatosensory sensitisation. In humans, sensory exposure can modulate chronic pain. Recently, electroencephalography (EEG) revealed a specific brain signature to human OA. However, EEG pain characterisation or its modulation does not exist...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Imaging & Electrophysiological RecordingAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Delsart, A., Castel, A., Dumas, G. et al. 2024. Non-invasive electroencephalography in awake cats: Feasibility and application to sensory processing in chronic pain. Journal of Neuroscience Methods 411, 110254.

Are you serious? Relaxed open mouth may unveil the competitive/cooperative nature of play fighting in two feline species

Play fighting is a multifunctional behaviour allowing the development of both cooperative and competitive skills. During play fighting, animals perform ‘competitive' actions that are typical of the agonistic context and/or ‘cooperative' actions to avoid escalation into aggression. Several structural features...

Year Published: 2025Topics: Natural BehaviorAnimal Type: Cat, Other Animal

Citation: Demuru, E., Collarini, E., Menon, A. et al. 2025. Are you serious? Relaxed open mouth may unveil the competitive/cooperative nature of play fighting in two feline species. Animal Behaviour 220, 123042.

Auditory enrichment with different genres of music for colony queens

The aim was to determine changes in clinical parameters, glucose concentration, cortisol and behavior in colony queens in no music conditions compared with exposing to different genres of music. Mixed breed clinically healthy queens (N = 9) were used. Queens were studied...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Environmental EnrichmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: García Mitacek, M. C., Praderio, R. G., Tebes, M. et al. 2024. Auditory enrichment with different genres of music for colony queens. Laboratory Animals 58(4), 302–312.

Guidance on the transport of laboratory animals

Report of the Transport Working Group established by the Laboratory Animal Science Association (LASA)

Year Published: 2005Topics: Relocation & TransportAnimal Type: Amphibian, Cat, Dog, Ferret, Frog & Toad, Guinea Pig, Hamster, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rabbit, Rat, Rodent, Salamander

Citation: Swallow, J., Anderson, D., Buckwell, A. C. et al. 2005. Guidance on the transport of laboratory animals. Laboratory Animals 39(1), 1-39.

Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research

Light enables vision and exerts widespread effects on physiology and behavior, including regulating circadian rhythms, sleep, hormone synthesis, affective state, and cognitive processes. Appropriate lighting in animal facilities may support welfare and ensure that animals enter experiments in an appropriate...

Year Published: 2024Topics: Husbandry & ManagementAnimal Type: All/General, Cat, Dog, Goat, Macaque, Marmoset, Mouse, Nonhuman Primate, Pig, Rat, Rodent, Sheep, Vervet (African Green Monkey)

Citation: Lucas, R. J., Allen, A. E., Brainard, G. C. et al. 2024. Recommendations for measuring and standardizing light for laboratory mammals to improve welfare and reproducibility in animal research. PLOS Biology 22(3), e3002535.

Cats just want to have fun: Associations between play and welfare in domestic cats

Play is often considered an indicator and promotor of animal welfare and may facilitate closer cat-human relationships. However, few studies have empirically investigated these associations. The current study aimed to investigate play-related factors associated with four welfare outcome measures in...

Year Published: 2023Topics: Natural Behavior, Welfare AssessmentAnimal Type: Cat

Citation: Henning, J., Nielsen, T., Fernandez, E. et al. 2023. Cats just want to have fun: Associations between play and welfare in domestic cats. Animal Welfare 32, e9.