CatsMe: Evidence and Limitations
CatsMe uses AI to help people notice signs of pain in photos of cats' faces. This page explains how to interpret results, how published figures are defined, and the available validation information and limitations.
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What a result means
A CatsMe result indicates whether signs of pain can be seen in the facial expression of the cat in a single submitted photo.
Results are affected by lighting, angle and how clearly the face is shown. The same cat may get a different result from a different photo.
What a result cannot establish
CatsMe does not diagnose disease. A result with no signs of pain does not mean your cat is healthy or does not need veterinary care.
If you notice changes beyond facial expression — appetite, toileting, movement or breathing — or any sudden change, consult a veterinarian regardless of the result.
Research and validation
CatsMe is developed with a background in university collaboration.
The evaluation metric, number of validation cases and validation conditions for the CatsMe model have not been published. Until they are, we do not present an accuracy figure as a performance guarantee.
For reference: in veterinary science, the Feline Grimace Scale (FGS) has been studied as a way to assess acute pain in cats from facial expressions (felinegrimacescale.com). This describes general research and does not demonstrate the performance of CatsMe itself.
Definitions of usage figures
When we publish usage figures, we will state what counts as one unit (successful checks or cat profiles), the period covered, and how tests and duplicates are excluded.
Figures counted under these definitions have not been published. Until they are, this page does not publish usage numbers.
Updates and contact
When we publish or update validation information or figures, we will note it here with the update date. For questions about our research and validation, please use our contact form.