Sylvester, a Canadian technology company that creates artificial intelligence-powered healthcare products for animals, has released an app called Tably that lets you determine the mood and emotional state of a cat using a phone or tablet camera, Reuters reports.
The app uses neural networks that were trained on photos of animals in pain. Tably analyzes the position of the head and ears, pupil constriction, muzzle tension, and whisker movements.
A 2019 study published in Scientific Reports found the so-called Feline Grimace Scale (or FGS) to be an accurate and reliable tool for assessing cats' well-being.
With Tably, you need to point the camera at your pet, making sure the drawn cat's head in the app coincides with the real one, and wait for the app's response.
It is noted that the app may help not only pet owners but also young vets who have little experience with real animals.
However, it is important to remember that one should pay attention to the pet's entire body, including the tail, to know if the cat is okay. For instance, the cat's behavior might also help in determining its well-being: how they eat, sleep, and drink can tell a lot about how they feel.