Japan's Beloved Cats Receive Healthcare Assistance from AI
CatsMe!, an AI-driven smartphone app, helps cat owners determine if their feline is in pain. The app has been used by over 230,000 customers since its launch last year. CatsMe! is trained on 6,000 cat images and is claimed to be over 95% accurate.
Mayumi Kitakata is worried about Chi, her stoic feline friend. As Chi approaches the age of 14, Kitakata wishes to ensure that he receives the best possible care. To accomplish this, she has turned to artificial intelligence (AI).
In March, Kitakata became an early adopter of CatsMe!, a smartphone application driven by AI that claims to detect when a cat is in pain. This innovative tool reduces the uncertainty of when a visit to the veterinarian is necessary, minimising stress for both the cat and its owner.
"He is at an age where more diseases are likely to appear," Kitakata explained. "So being able to consult the vet but still reduce the number of visits to the hospital is very important for him and for me."
In Japan, pets hold a significant role in many households, particularly due to the country's aging population and declining birth rate. According to the Japan Pet Food Association, there were nearly 16 million pet cats and dogs in the country last year, surpassing the number of children under 15.
CatsMe! was developed by tech startup Carelogy in collaboration with researchers from Nihon University. The app was trained using 6,000 cat images and has already been utilised by over 230,000 customers since its launch last year. The developers claim that CatsMe! is over 95% accurate and anticipate further improvements as the AI continues to learn from more feline faces.
Kazuya Edamura, a professor at Nihon University, explained that veterinarians can somewhat determine if an animal is in pain, but it is a more challenging task for pet owners. "Our statistics show that over 70% of elderly cats suffer from arthritis or pain, but only 2% of them actually visit a hospital," Edamura stated. "So rather than a final diagnosis, we use (the app) as a tool to make owners aware of whether the situation is normal or not."
Kitakata and Chi reside in a central Tokyo apartment, with a perfect spot for the feline to nap near a balcony window overlooking cherry trees. Kitakata closely monitors Chi's toilet habits and uses the CatsMe! app to analyse his facial expressions daily.
Having owned cats since her mid-20s, including Soran, a brown-striped tom who passed away from cancer at the age of eight, Kitakata reflects on the importance of early detection. "If I had noticed it, maybe we could have done cancer treatment earlier or something and it would have helped, but even the vet didn't know," she tearfully expressed. "I might have been able to save him."
In a country where pets hold a special place in people's hearts, the integration of AI technology like CatsMe! provides cat owners with a valuable tool to ensure the well-being of their beloved companions.
CatsMe!, an AI-driven smartphone app, helps cat owners determine if their feline is in pain.
The app has been used by over 230,000 customers since its launch last year.
CatsMe! is trained on 6,000 cat images and is claimed to be over 95% accurate.
Source: REUTERS