Research aims to help detect suffering in cats
Scientists at the University of Lincoln are hoping to make a major breakthrough in the early detection of suffering in cats, by using computer-based technology to analyse their facial expressions before and after treatment.
Professor Daniel Mills, a leading veterinary behaviourist at the university, has been developing a clinical technique to help identify the emotions of companion animals.
Meanwhile, his colleague, computer vision expert Dr Georgios Tzimiropoulos, has been working on a method which automatically detects human emotions.
The new project, which has received a £400,000 grant from Derbyshire-based charity Feline Friends, will combine the skills of Prof Mills and Dr Tzimiropoulos to specifically assess feline expressions.
Prof Mills said: "This is a rare opportunity to systematically explore the emotional aspects of suffering in animals in new ways, with a view to developing more efficient early detection mechanisms.
"The multidisciplinary approach we will be using is ambitious, but has the potential to produce enormous rewards not just for those interested in feline welfare, but also animal welfare more broadly, as the methods we will be developing could be applied to any species."
Dr Tzimiropoulas is a pioneer of self-learning computer systems which aid the detection of facial expressions. According to the university, this will involve feeding the computer images of cats before and after treatment, so that it will eventually start to pick out key differences between the two.
It is hoped that the collaborative study could allow researchers to define different types of suffering, and help owners to detect problems and seek veterinary advice at an earlier stage.
Prof Mills explained: "The translation of our findings into a usable resource is a major part of the project, so we can maximise the impact of our research…
"We anticipate the project will take nearly five years to complete, but hope to be making useful contributions from an early stage within the research."
Two independent vets have launched a podcast to help owners strengthen their bond with pets. Dr Maggie Roberts and Dr Vanessa Howie, who have worked in both veterinary practice and major charities, are keen to use their experience to enable people to give pets a better life.
