Development and Validation of an Owner-Assessed Feline Acute Pain Scale: Validation and Agreement with Veterinary Scales

TL;DR

A new cat pain scale for owners was developed and validated against veterinary tools, showing good agreement and potential for early pain detection.

Contribution

The study introduces a validated owner-assessed feline acute pain scale with strong correlation and agreement with veterinary pain scales.

Findings

Owner-assessed scores aligned well with veterinary assessments (rho = 0.66 with CMPS-Feline).

A score of 9 or higher on the new scale best identifies cats needing analgesic treatment.

The scale showed acceptable internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.76).

Abstract

Recognizing pain in cats can be difficult, particularly for people without veterinary training. Most existing pain assessment tools are designed for professionals and may be too complex for owners. This study developed a new acute pain scoring tool specifically for cat owners to help them better recognize when their cats are experiencing pain. The tool was tested in 146 cats, with 130 included in the final analysis, and compared with three veterinary pain scales: the Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale-Feline (CMPS-Feline), the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS), and the Colorado State University Feline Acute Pain Scale (CSU-FPS). The results showed that owner-assigned scores aligned well with veterinary assessments. A score of 9 or higher on this new scale was found to be the best point for identifying cats likely requiring analgesic treatment. This new tool could help pet owners recognize signs of pain earlier, so they can take their cats to the veterinarian sooner. Early pain detection can improve a cat’s well-being and lead to quicker, more effective care.

Pain assessment in cats is challenging, especially for non-veterinarians. Most validated acute pain scales are designed for clinical use, limiting their applicability for pet owners. This study developed a feline acute pain assessment scale for owners and evaluated its criterion validity, internal consistency reliability, and agreement with three veterinary scales: Glasgow Composite Measure Pain Scale-Feline (CMPS-Feline), Feline Grimace Scale (FGS), and Colorado State University Feline Acute Pain Scale (CSU-FPS). Of 146 enrolled cats, 130 were analyzed after exclusions. The owner-assessed scale showed strong correlation with CMPS-Feline (rho = 0.66) and moderate correlations with FGS (rho = 0.53) and CSU-FPS (rho = 0.57) (all p < 0.001). Agreement was substantial with CMPS-Feline (kappa = 0.74), moderate with FGS (kappa = 0.44), and fair with CSU-FPS (kappa = 0.28) (all p < 0.001). Internal consistency was acceptable (Cronbach’s alpha = 0.76). Receiver operating characteristic analysis demonstrated good discriminatory ability for identifying cats requiring analgesia, with area under the curve values of 0.87 (CMPS-Feline), 0.79 (FGS), and 0.75 (CSU-FPS). A cut-off score of 9 achieved 96% sensitivity and 78% specificity relative to CMPS-Feline. These results support the scale’s potential as a valid tool for pain detection by cat owners in non-clinical settings.

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