Melbourne animal hospital trialing iPads for cats to improve their behaviour
Topic:Cats
24m ago24 minutes agoFri 28 Mar 2025 at 11:04pm
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An animal hospital in Melbourne has found screen time for cats and kittens can help them to de-stress and socialise.
Lort Smith Animal Hospital ran a trial with 50 felines at its Campbellfield adoption centre, using iPads and TV's to help prepare them for adoption.
Prior to the trial, the animals that participated were quite withdrawn, according to the centre, and did not interact much with staff.
But after iPads and TVs were introduced to their enclosures, the cats became increasingly social and happy.
Two cats sitting on a scratching post ledge watching a movie on an iPad screen.
Experts say the use of screen time could be beneficial for cats in environments with limited stimulation. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hospital)
Mandy Doolan has worked at Lort Smith for about 15 years and said she had noticed cats' increasing need for stimulation.
"Over time we've realised more and more cats are going into apartment living and with cat curfews," the adoption centre manager said.
"What cats like to do the most is watch birds and watch outside.
"It's all about how we bring the outside in."
A car looking intently at an iPad screen playing a video of fish swimming.
Lort Smith Animal Hospital says the trial has been a success. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hospital)
Not all cats react the same
Melbourne University researcher Sarah Webber specialises in animal-computer interaction, which looks at how technologies can be designed to be used by animals and whether it has any benefit for them.
She said while cats often aren't as interested in screens as dogs are, the use of them could be an engaging intervention in a shelter-like environment.
"I think in a home environment an iPad is not going to contribute much to a cats' daily experience and the stimulation they get from people moving around and things going on in their environment anyway," Dr Webber said.
"But for cats in a rather small, boring environment, that might not even have access to a window, or if they do they might not be able to see much through it, it could just provide more variety, more movement in their space."
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Founder and head vet at Calm Pet Vet Chentelle McGowan said screen time does provide benefits but it was dependent on the content being played.
"Images and videos of cat pray moving around — like birds or fish — that can bring up their arousal levels … and that can be quite entertaining for them," Dr McGowan said.
"But it needs to be catered for each individual and unique cat."
She said some may find it highly entertaining but others might find it frustrating and get bored if they cant 'pounce' or 'kill' their pray.
Screen time could keep cats out of trouble
Ms Doolan said introducing iPads for the cats about six months ago had been a "huge success".
"I'll be walking through one of the enclosures and they'll be absolutely fixated on cats and fish and birds," she said.
She said she noticed behavioural results particularly in cats who were stressed about being in an unfamiliar animal shelter.
The adoption centre also plays "cat music" for their feline inhabitants as well as apps with cat games.
"It's not unusual to walk past a kitten room and see four or five kittens huddled around an iPad and there'll be a little fish going through and they'll tap it with their foot … it's just amazing what there is for cats," Ms Doolan said.
A cat sniffing the ground near an ipad which has a video of a squirrel playing
A cat interacting with an iPad playing a video of a squirrel as part of Lort Smith Animal Hospital trial. (Supplied: Lort Smith Animal Hospital)
With curfew laws implemented across many Victorian councils that require cats to be kept indoors during specific hours, there is a growing need to find enriching ways to stimulate pets indoors.
"Times are definitely changing. It's not just a little ball to tap around anymore,"
Ms Doolan said.
Dr Webber said it was important not to replace all sensory experiences with a screen.
"Most pets really benefit from having their humans around … so we don't want [screens] to start to replace the interaction time, play time, time with just being with our pets," she said.
Posted24m ago24 minutes agoFri 28 Mar 2025 at 11:04pm
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