Assessing Cat Welfare: A Literature Review on Behavioural, Physiological and Health Parameters with a Focus on Animal-Assisted Services (AAS)

Cat welfare assessment in Animal-assisted aervices (AAS) is necessary to ensure engagement in AAS does not impair welfare. An initial systematic search conducted according to Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines revealed a complete lack of studies specifically addressing this topic. Consequently, a second-step search was performed, widened to the existing tools for monitoring cat welfare in general. Three scoping reviews using PRISMA guidelines were performed, focusing on the three principal fields of welfare assessment: health, behaviour, and physiology/endocrinology. Studies published on Scopus in 2011–2026, written in English and assessing feline (Felis catus) welfare were selected. A total of 2728 records were identified, of which 43 met the inclusion criteria (including 7 reviews and 1 scientific report); the methods used to assess cat welfare were summarized and discussed for their potential application in AAS. Although multiple tools are available, most are context- or disease-specific and some are not validated. Approximately half of the studies employed more than one indicator or method, with behavioural parameters being the most frequently used through questionnaires or scores. This work provides a practical framework to support veterinarians, handlers, and researchers in the selection of appropriate tools for cat welfare monitoring in AAS.