Cats can overcome fear of water to benefit from aquatic therapy

Cats with injuries and disabilities can safely benefit from underwater therapy on treadmills and in pools thanks to a newly developed training protocol.

This adaptation program results in low stress levels, meaning cats can benefit from the same types of water-based rehabilitation therapies that help treat dogs, horses and humans, while feeling safe and calm, he says. Stefania Ucheddu at the San Marco Veterinary Clinic and Laboratory in Padua, Italy.

“It's really surprising because it all comes down to a question of familiarization,” she says. “Cats simply don't know what water is, in much the same way that humans see the sea for the first time. But once cats are introduced to a physiotherapy environment, water is no longer a problem.”

Underwater treadmills and pool treatments allow people and animals to exercise while carrying less weight, making them an ideal form of rehabilitation and strength training for orthopedic problems such as joint or tendon injuries, neurological conditions and geriatric care.

But cats often become extremely stressed when faced with water – perhaps because they evolved in the desert – and unfamiliar places, meaning owners and therapists usually prefer to skip aquatic therapy. In the few rehabilitation centers that do offer cats in aquatic programs, they typically follow an approach designed for dogs, Uchcheddu said.

So she and her colleagues decided to develop a protocol focused on cats. The animals first explore the room and dry the equipment, then feel a wet towel on their paws. Later they stand in 5 cm of warm water, hear the sound of a treadmill and plunge into ever deeper water, always close to their owner. The team rewarded the cats every step of the way with whatever prize they preferred – be it food, affection or a toy.

“Especially with young cats, when you put something moving in front of them, it’s like they don’t even think about the exercise,” says Uchcheddu.

The team selected 12 patients from their clinic with neurological or orthopedic conditions to test their protocol, representing cats of different ages, breeds and life situations.

Throughout the training program, they monitored each cat for specific stress behaviors, such as meowing, nose licking, displaying fear pose or trying to hide. They stopped the session if the cat showed more than five of these behaviors per minute.

All 12 cats successfully completed rehabilitation programs, which lasted from a few weeks to a year, depending on their problems, Uchcheddu said. And each animal showed significant physical improvement, with some making a full recovery and others being able to climb trees again.

Encouraged by the results, the team began implementing the protocol in the pools, adding different lighting and music to make the experience more calming for patients. “The options vary depending on the cat,” says Uchcheddu. “Some people like classical music, others prefer Madonna.”

The results highlight that cats should not be automatically excluded from aquatic therapy simply because of their reputation for being afraid of water, she says. “The good news is that any clinic can follow this protocol and get the same results.”