Evaluation of a pressure-sensitive treadmill in normal cats

To evaluate a pressure-sensitive treadmill in normal cats to determine feasibility as a tool for kinetic gait assessment.

Institutional ethical approval was obtained. Cats with no evidence of orthopaedic disease were prospectively enrolled and acclimatised to the pressure-sensitive treadmill. Cats were gaited until three valid trials of 10 gait cycles each were obtained. After normalising to % body weight, peak vertical force, vertical impulse, symmetry index, step phase duration, step length and time for data collection were reported.

Fifty cats with body weights of 4.9 ± 1.1 kg met inclusion criteria. Forelimb peak vertical force and vertical impulse were 57.5 ± 4.2 N and 27.2 ± 3.4 Ns, respectively. Hindlimb peak vertical force and vertical impulse were 46.4 ± 3.8 N and 21 ± 3.1 Ns, respectively. Forelimb and hindlimb symmetry index were 0.99 ± 0.04% and 1.01 ± 0.07%, respectively. Step phase duration was 65.2 ± 3.6% in the forelimbs and 61.2 ± 2.7% in the hindlimbs, while step length was 21.9 ± 2.4 cm and 22.0 ± 2.3 cm in the forelimbs and hindlimbs, respectively. Data collection time was 3.5 ± 1.5 minutes.

The pressure-sensitive treadmill produced consistent and repeatable kinetic data, was easy and fast to use, and cats readily participated in most cases. The homogeneity of protocols using pressure-sensitive treadmill could allow for useful gait comparisons between studies, facilities and patients in future investigations. This is particularly important in feline literature where case numbers at individual facilities are typically small.