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

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.