International citizen science project: cat videos for research

An international research team of veterinarians, psychologists, and other experts coordinated by Ruhr University Bochum in Germany is conducting a large-scale citizen science study to investigate the body language of domestic cats. The aim is to better understand how cats communicate with their environment through their body posture.

Since cats cannot easily be observed at universities, the study relies on the help of cat owners. The team is therefore looking for people who are willing to film their cats with their cell phones over several days and thus contribute valuable data to the research.

Participants first answer a few questions about their cat and their relationship with it. This is followed by instructions on how to make short video recordings, which are taken over a period of five days and submitted online.

The form for participating in the research and further information are available online via Ruhr University Bochum.