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Padrões de Atividade e Qualidade de Vida em Gatos Séniores
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Abstract(s)
Os gatos ocupam, de forma progressiva, uma posição de destaque como membros integrantes do núcleo
familiar, cujo bem-estar é priorizado pelos tutores. Com o aumento da longevidade, a prevalência de patologias
geriátricas tem vindo a aumentar (por exemplo, osteoartrite, doença renal crónica e hipertiroidismo), colocando
aos tutores dificuldades na avaliação da qualidade de vida dos gatos nesta fase da vida. Existem vários
questionários de qualidade de vida (QOL, do inglês quality of life assessments) para permitir aos tutores e aos
veterinários avaliar o bem-estar dos gatos. Questões sobre a atividade física ou locomotora fazem parte da
maioria dos questionários, mas existem poucos estudos que tenham usado medidas objetivas de atividade física.
A hipótese vigente é que a atividade física diminui com a diminuição da qualidade de vida, especialmente na
presença de patologias que causam dor, como a patologia articular. Neste estudo, foi proposta a validação da
medição de atividade média diária com recurso a coleiras do tipo pet tracker, como indicador de qualidade de
vida em gatos séniores. Para esse fim, foram comparados os dados de atividade física com os resultados de
questionários de qualidade de vida, e a variação de ambos os indicadores com fatores demográficos e clínicos
(idade, sexo, ambiente, presença de patologia crónica e presença de patologia articular). A utilização de coleiras
pet trackers permitiu quantificar a atividade física dos gatos séniores que se correlacionou positivamente com
os scores de qualidade de vida, de forma estatisticamente significativa (r = 0,53, n = 19, p = 0,02). Foram ainda
detetadas evidências consistentes e estatisticamente significativas de diminuição da atividade (U = 17, p = 0,03)
e do score de qualidade de vida (U = 14, p = 0,01) em gatos com patologia crónica previamente diagnosticada.
Os resultados do presente estudo validam pela primeira vez a atividade média diária registada por pet trackers
como um indicador de qualidade de vida em gatos séniores.
Cats increasingly have a place as a member of the family, whose well-being is prioritised by their owners. With increasing longevity, the prevalence of geriatric pathologies has been on the rise (e.g. osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism), posing difficulties for owners in assessing the quality of life of cats at this stage of life. Various quality of life (QOL) assessments exist to enable owners and vets to assess cats' well-being. Questions about activity are part of most questionnaires, but there are few studies that have used objective measures of physical activity. The current hypothesis is that physical activity decreases with decreasing quality of life, especially in the presence of pathologies that cause pain, such as joint pathology. This study aimed to validate the measurement of average daily activity using pet trackers as an indicator of quality of life in senior cats. To this end, activity data were compared with the results of quality of life questionnaires, and the variation of both indicators with demographic and clinical factors (age, gender, environment, presence of chronic pathology and presence of joint pathology). The use of pet trackers made it possible to quantify the physical activity of senior cats, which correlated positively with quality of life scores, in a statistically significant manner (r = 0.53, n = 19, p = 0.02). There was also convergent and statistically significant evidence of a decrease in activity (U = 17, p = 0.03) and quality of life score (U = 14, p = 0.01) in cats with previously diagnosed chronic pathology. The results of this study validate for the first time the average daily activity recorded by pet trackers as an indicator of quality of life in senior cats.
Cats increasingly have a place as a member of the family, whose well-being is prioritised by their owners. With increasing longevity, the prevalence of geriatric pathologies has been on the rise (e.g. osteoarthritis, chronic kidney disease and hyperthyroidism), posing difficulties for owners in assessing the quality of life of cats at this stage of life. Various quality of life (QOL) assessments exist to enable owners and vets to assess cats' well-being. Questions about activity are part of most questionnaires, but there are few studies that have used objective measures of physical activity. The current hypothesis is that physical activity decreases with decreasing quality of life, especially in the presence of pathologies that cause pain, such as joint pathology. This study aimed to validate the measurement of average daily activity using pet trackers as an indicator of quality of life in senior cats. To this end, activity data were compared with the results of quality of life questionnaires, and the variation of both indicators with demographic and clinical factors (age, gender, environment, presence of chronic pathology and presence of joint pathology). The use of pet trackers made it possible to quantify the physical activity of senior cats, which correlated positively with quality of life scores, in a statistically significant manner (r = 0.53, n = 19, p = 0.02). There was also convergent and statistically significant evidence of a decrease in activity (U = 17, p = 0.03) and quality of life score (U = 14, p = 0.01) in cats with previously diagnosed chronic pathology. The results of this study validate for the first time the average daily activity recorded by pet trackers as an indicator of quality of life in senior cats.
Description
Keywords
Atividade física Gatos séniores Qualidade de vida Questionários de qualidade de vida Pet trackers Physical activity Senior cats Quality of life Quality of life assessments