Repeatability and reliability of kinetic and temporospatial gait parameters measured with a pressure-sensitive treadmill in healthy cats.

Objectives: Interest in feline kinetic gait variables has increased substantially. This study aimed to assess repeatability and intersession reliability of kinetic gait analysis in healthy cats using a pressure-sensitive treadmill. Methods: Healthy client-owned cats (n = 9) and cats housed at the cattery of the Chair of Animal Nutrition and Dietetics (n = 5), without orthopedic abnormalities based on history, examination, and subjective gait analysis, were enrolled. Cats (mean body weight: 5.2 ± 0.9 kg, age: 4.1 ± 1.7 years) were acclimated to a pressure-sensitive treadmill system (FDM-T-CanidGait®, zebris Medical GmbH, Isny, Germany). Treadmill velocity was adjusted individually for comfortable walking. For data acquisition, cats were placed on the treadmill and repositioned if they jumped off (total duration: 10 min, 5 × 2 min). The first five sequences with six valid gait cycles were selected. Data acquisition was repeated after 2 weeks at the same speed. Average maximal pressure, loaded paw surface, step and stride length, step width, stance and swing phase percentages, hind reach, step-stride ratio, and symmetry indices were calculated. Repeatability was assessed with linear mixed-effects models and intersession reliability with intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs). Reliability was categorized as excellent, good, moderate, or poor, with statistical significance set at a p-value of < 0.05. Results: Most parameters did not differ significantly between time points, except for the average maximal pressure of the left hindlimb (p = 0.037) and hind reach of both hindlimbs (p ≤ 0.001). ICCs demonstrated good to excellent reliability (0.885-0.988) for all variables, except for symmetry indices (moderate reliability; forelimbs: 0.547, hindlimbs: 0.676). Conclusion and relevance: A pressure-sensitive treadmill provides repeatable feline gait measurements with good to excellent intersession reliability for most variables and moderate reliability for symmetry indices, offering a reference for future studies. Further studies involving larger cohorts are needed to confirm these results and support broader clinical application.