A cat-friendly underwater treadmill: Case series and practical implications in reducing stress

IF 2 2区农林科学 Q1 AGRICULTURE, DAIRY & ANIMAL SCIENCE

Applied Animal Behaviour Science Pub Date : 2025-08-29 DOI:10.1016/j.applanim.2025.106803

Stefania Uccheddu, Laura Sinigoi, Tommaso Furlanello

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引用次数: 0

Abstract

There is an increasing number of studies on the effect of aquatic therapy in dogs, but we have very few data for the cat, not only because this is a new area in veterinary physical rehabilitation, but also because of the difficulties in managing the feline patient and its stress during the rehabilitation session. Cats are often precluded from water therapy due to the assumption of their innate aversion to water. Veterinary professionals should meticulously evaluate stress indicators in cats in order to safeguard their welfare and enhance treatment outcomes, not only during physiotherapy sessions but starting from home. When cats are involved, stress signals should be carefully considered. For cats, leaving their familiar environment can be particularly stressful, and at the moment, cat-friendly guidelines allow the veterinary team to respond early to the first signs of discomfort and adjust the interaction accordingly. As a consequence, when cats are involved, stress signals should be carefully considered. We develop a protocol for (1) recognizing fear signals; (2) reducing stress during the rehabilitation program, particularly when water is involved. All 12 cats referred for the program underwent the preliminary sessions and progressed successfully. No cats were excluded from the underwater treadmill (UWTM) portion of the program after initial evaluation. There is no data in the veterinary literature on the role of stress monitoring in cats performing water rehabilitations, even though this could be the key to success. The UWTM was followed by all of the cats, regardless of their sex, sexual status, breed, or housing condition (outdoor/indoor). Stress-related behaviors were evaluated in 12 cats over three underwater treadmill sessions. GEE analysis showed a trend toward reduced odds of stress expression with successive sessions (OR = 0.58, p = 0.050), with no significant change in stress counts (RR = 0.91, p = 0.37). Age was not associated with stress measures. Cats preferring play as reinforcement showed markedly fewer stress signs than those preferring food (RR ≈ 0.19, p = 0.01). Early identification of stress allows the cat to start and follow the rehabilitation program without prior exclusion, assuring wellness and appropriate rehabilitation treatment.

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猫友好的水下跑步机：案例系列和减轻压力的实际意义

关于水疗法对狗的影响的研究越来越多，但我们对猫的数据却很少，不仅因为这是兽医物理康复的一个新领域，而且因为在康复过程中管理猫病人和它的压力很困难。猫经常被排除在水疗法，因为他们天生厌恶水的假设。兽医专业人员应该仔细评估猫的压力指标，以保障它们的福利并提高治疗效果，不仅在物理治疗期间，而且从家里开始。当涉及到猫时，应该仔细考虑压力信号。对于猫来说，离开它们熟悉的环境可能会特别紧张，目前，猫咪友好指南允许兽医团队尽早对不适的第一个迹象做出反应，并相应地调整互动。因此，当猫参与其中时，应该仔细考虑压力信号。我们开发了一个协议：(1)识别恐惧信号；(2)减轻康复过程中的压力，特别是在涉及水的情况下。所有12只猫都接受了初步治疗，并取得了成功。经过初步评估，没有猫被排除在该计划的水下跑步机（UWTM）部分之外。兽医文献中没有关于压力监测在猫进行水中康复中的作用的数据，尽管这可能是成功的关键。所有的猫都遵循了UWTM，无论它们的性别、性别状况、品种或住房条件（室外/室内）。研究人员对12只猫进行了三次水下跑步机训练，评估了它们与压力相关的行为。GEE分析显示，随着连续疗程的进行，压力表达的几率有降低的趋势（OR = 0.58, p = 0.050），而压力计数没有显著变化（RR = 0.91, p = 0.37）。年龄与压力测量无关。喜欢玩耍的猫比喜欢食物的猫表现出更少的压力迹象（RR≈0.19,p = 0.01）。早期识别压力可以让猫开始并遵循康复计划，而不会事先被排除在外，确保健康和适当的康复治疗。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

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来源期刊

Applied Animal Behaviour Science 农林科学-行为科学

CiteScore

4.40

自引率

21.70%

发文量

191

审稿时长

18.1 weeks

期刊介绍： This journal publishes relevant information on the behaviour of domesticated and utilized animals. Topics covered include: -Behaviour of farm, zoo and laboratory animals in relation to animal management and welfare -Behaviour of companion animals in relation to behavioural problems, for example, in relation to the training of dogs for different purposes, in relation to behavioural problems -Studies of the behaviour of wild animals when these studies are relevant from an applied perspective, for example in relation to wildlife management, pest management or nature conservation -Methodological studies within relevant fields The principal subjects are farm, companion and laboratory animals, including, of course, poultry. The journal also deals with the following animal subjects: -Those involved in any farming system, e.g. deer, rabbits and fur-bearing animals -Those in ANY form of confinement, e.g. zoos, safari parks and other forms of display -Feral animals, and any animal species which impinge on farming operations, e.g. as causes of loss or damage -Species used for hunting, recreation etc. may also be considered as acceptable subjects in some instances -Laboratory animals, if the material relates to their behavioural requirements