Researchers unlock new secrets to improving cat health using crochet hats

Oct 4

Karah Rucker Anchor/Reporter

By Karah Rucker (Anchor/Reporter), Mirlie Larose (Producer), Mathew Grisham (Digital Producer), Jake Maslo (Video Editor)

Researchers from the University of Montreal have developed little crochet beanies for cats, but they’re more than just a fashion statement. The hats are lined with electrodes to measure brain activity, allowing scientists to study feline behavior in a new way.

The findings were published in the Journal of Neuroscience Methods. This research marks the first time EEG brain scans have been done on cats while they’re awake.

With regular cat behavior, the team had to get creative to keep the electrodes in place. Thanks to YouTube, they had the idea to crochet hats for cats.

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These tiny wool hats allowed scientists to measure brain activity in felines without having to sedate them. This breakthrough could pave the way for even more advanced research into what cats experience, including chronic pain.

Over 25% of adult cats live with osteo-arthritis worldwide, and the research aimed to see how cats dealt with that daily pain.

Previous studies had to rely on heavily sedated cats for these tests, but now with these innovative hats, researchers can monitor their brain activity while they’re awake. These electrode-filled beanies are already in use to help researchers figure out how cats respond to pleasant smell and sounds.

This is part of a broader effort to ease discomfort these animals feel in their experience of chronic pain. While the study is still in its early stages, new doors are already being opened in ways we can study other animals, potentially through the use of these hats.

Tags: animal welfare, cats, Research

Karah Rucker

RESEARCHERS FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF MONTREAL HAVE DEVELOPED CROCHET BEANIES FOR CATS.

THEY’RE MORE THAN JUST A FASHION STATEMENT.

THESE HATS ARE LINED WITH ELECTRODES TO MEASURE BRAIN ACTIVITY, ALLOWING SCIENTIST TO STUDY FELINE BEHAVIOR IN A NEW WAY.

THE FINDINGS WERE PUBLISHED IN THE JOURNAL OF NEUROSCIENCE METHODS.

THE RESEARCH MARKS THE FIRST TIME E-E-G BRAIN SCANS HAVE BEEN DONE ON CATS WHILE THEY’RE AWAKE.

IMAGINE HOW TRICKY IT MUST’VE BEEN KEEPING THOSE ELECTRODES IN PLACE.

THE TEAM HAD TO GET CREATIVE. AND THANKS TO YOUTUBE, THEY WERE INTRODUCED TO THE CROCHET HATS.

THESE TINY WOOL HATS ALLOW SCIENTISTS TO MEASURE BRAIN ACTIVITY IN FELINES WITHOUT HAVING TO SEDATE THEM.

THIS BREAKTHROUGH COULD PAVE THE WAY FOR MORE ADVANCED RESEARCH INTO HOW CATS EXPERIENCE CHRONIC PAIN, SPECIFICALLY THOSE SUFFERING FROM OSTEO-ARTHRITIS, A CONDITION AFFECTING MORE THAN 25-PERCENT OF ADULT CATS WORLDWIDE.

PREVIOUS STUDIES HAD TO RELY ON HEAVILY SEDATED CATS FOR THESE KINDS OF TESTS, BUT NOW WITH THESE INNOVATIVE LITTLE HATS, THE RESEARCHERS CAN MONITOR THEIR BRAIN ACTIVITY WHILE THEY’RE AWAKE AND ALERT.

BEYOND THE ADORABLE FACTOR, THESE ELECTRODE-FILLED BEANIES ARE ALREADY IN USE TO HELP RESEARCHERS FIGURE OUT HOW CATS RESPOND TO PLEASANT SMELLS AND SOUNDS.

THIS IS PART OF A BROADER EFFORT TO EASE DISCOMFORT THESE ANIMALS FEEL WHEN DEALING WITH CHRONIC PAIN.

WHILE THIS STUDY IS STILL IN THE EARLY STAGES, IT’S ALREADY OPENING DOORS FOR NEW WAYS TO STUDY NOT JUST CATS BUT OTHER ANIMALS WITH CHRONIC PAIN.

HATS OFF TO THE RESEARCHERS AND THEIR STYLISH, BEANIE-WEARING CATS FOR HELPING US BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MINDS OF OUR FELINE FRIENDS.

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS, I’M KARAH RUCKER