Companion Animal Welfare

Cat Welfare and Welfare Science Future Vision

The future of feline welfare science holds exciting possibilities including better pain assessment, personalised medicine, and behavioural monitoring technology that can transform cat welfare.

Key Facts

Validated pain scales including the Feline Grimace Scale enable more objective pain assessment
Wearable technology is being developed to monitor cat behaviour and physiological states remotely
Genomic medicine is improving our ability to predict and prevent hereditary disease
Telemedicine is improving access to specialist veterinary advice
Citizen science programmes are generating large datasets to inform welfare research

Welfare Considerations

Feline welfare science is advancing rapidly. New assessment tools, monitoring technology, and precision medicine approaches will enable earlier detection and better management of welfare problems that currently go unrecognised.

What You Can Do

Support feline welfare research through charity donations and participation in studies
Use validated tools like the Feline Grimace Scale in your cat's care
Engage with citizen science programmes collecting feline health and behaviour data
Advocate for welfare science investment by professional bodies and governments