Welfare and Behaviour
Breakthrough in Feline Welfare: Landmark Study Validates New Assessment Tool's Accuracy
Cats are known to have a strong ability to mask their discomfort. This can be particularly evident during veterinary visits, making the diagnoses of some physical and behavioural issues challenging.
Now, experts at the Waltham Petcare Science Institute, in collaboration with Mars Veterinary Health, Royal Canin and the University of Bristol, have developed and validated a new feline quality-of-life (FelQoL) tool to help pet owners and veterinarians better measure cat wellbeing.
In the most comprehensive cat study of its kind, research published in the Journal of Feline Medicine and Surgery demonstrated that FelQoL is a scientifically sound, practical means to support discussions between pet owners and veterinary professionals about a cat’s needs and day-to-day quality of life.
The tool is already being used to understand cat wellbeing through the MARS PETCARE BIOBANK, alongside a previously developed tool for measuring dog wellbeing.
The FelQol (Feline Quality of Life) questionnaire
The FelQoL questionnaire assesses the combined emotional and physical wellbeing of pet cats.
To build and validate the tool, responses were collected from 1,324 cat owners in the United States and the United Kingdom. This broad set of data was then used to identify key factors contributing to feline wellbeing, ensuring the questionnaire works reliably for cats of different backgrounds and living environments.
This analysis led to a questionnaire composed of 38 simple questions, requiring pet owners to evaluate on a scale of 1 to 7 how well an adjective describes their cat— like Active, Talkative, Relaxed, Mobile, Sociable.
Consistent and reliable data
Statistical and conceptual validation have shown that the questionnaire reliably captures the relationships present in the data. It also produces consistent results when the same cat is re-evaluated. What’s more, those results are compatible with expectations when using different populations of cats.
Age, health and environment influence feline quality of life
To assess whether the FelQoL questionnaire could distinguish between cats with different characteristics and conditions, data was also gathered on cats’ demographics, health and living environments.
Results showed that age, health and environment strongly influence a cat’s quality of life. Older cats and those with medical conditions were typically less active and social, while cats in environments with perching spots were found to be more active and mobile.
These patterns were consistent with clinical expectations and previous studies, supporting the validity of the FelQoL questionnaire.
Advancing understanding of cat wellbeing
Supporting feline wellbeing requires tools that can assess quality of life and produce actionable insights for pet owners and veterinary professionals. FelQoL is a pet-owner friendly questionnaire designed for this purpose.
Researchers at Waltham are proud to continue to explore ways to support the health and wellbeing of companion animals, in service of our purpose: A BETTER WORLD FOR PETS.
Read the studies:
