Research overview: behavioural scoring tools for assessing cat stress and welfare

Practical, validated tools let staff assess feline welfare without specialist equipment. This overview surveys behavioural scoring instruments used for cats, foremost the seven-point Cat-Stress-Score that rates posture, activity and other signs, along with ethogram-based approaches, qualitative behavioural assessment and emerging measures of positive welfare. It examines how these tools are validated, their reliability between observers, their use in research and daily shelter and cattery management, and their limitations, such as difficulty distinguishing relaxed from shut-down cats. It discusses combining behavioural scores with physiological and health measures for a fuller picture. The synthesis frames standardised behavioural assessment as the backbone of feline welfare monitoring, enabling consistent tracking of stress and the evaluation of interventions across settings.