Ever wondered what that pussy in the corner is thinking? And
get your mind out of the gutter there.
A cat charity has donated £400,000 to the research of catty
facial expressions, in an effort to better tell when they are in pain.
Feline Friends are seeking to dispel the eternal problem of
owners not being able to read the expressions of cats. They traditionally have
that stoic allure, yet a spokesperson for the
As a nation of pet lovers it seems we are now willing to go
to other extremes in order to tell when Fluffy has an aching paw. This new
research aims to help owners better realise when their pets are in pain using
computerised facial recognition software.
Professor Daniel Mills, the leading veterinary behaviourist
at Lincoln University
“The project is about focusing on the emotional impact of
suffering for cats”
Animal welfare charities are praising the project, with PETA
saying it hopes this will raise awareness in the fact that pets feel pain too,
no matter how subtly they show it.
Some owners have written off the plans as another reason for
Mr Tibbles to realise he is onto a good thing and manipulate more milk and
biscuits from gullible sympathetic owners.
Words by Gemma Clark
