Earticle

This study developed a preliminary assessment tool for activity suitability in therapy cats and examined its content validity to provide foundational data for team certification of therapy cats and their handlers. Forty-three initial items were developed based on a literature review and existing feline behavior- and health-related assessment tools. The items were refined into 16 assessment items through a first-round Delphi survey involving 15 experts in animal-assisted interventions, veterinary medicine, and companion animal health, followed by follow-up interviews with six experts. A panel of 30 experts then completed the final ratings. For the 16 items, the content validity ratio (CVR) ranged from .667 to 1.000, the item-level content validity index (I-CVI) ranged from .833 to 1.000, and the average scale-level content validity index (S-CVI/Ave) was .923. Two veterinary items concerning vaccination and antibody titer testing, parasite control, and basic health examination were classified as pre-assessment requirements. The remaining 14 items were retained for exploratory analysis and comprised four domains: prosociality (5), behavioral suitability (2), handler assessment (3), and veterinary assessment (4). The proposed framework separately assesses feline activity suitability and handlers’ ability to recognize and respond to feline stress signals while incorporating both domains into team certification that prioritizes feline welfare and safety. These findings provide preliminary evidence of the content validity of the assessment items and do not establish the actual performance suitability of therapy cats or handlers. Further field research is required to evaluate the reliability and validity of each domain and to establish final certification procedures and decision criteria.

Obesity is an increasing health concern affecting both humans and companion animals. This study interpreted pet obesity as a consequence of the home environment and lifestyle habits shared by guardians and their pets from a One Health perspective and reviewed the relevant literature. The reviewed literature consistently demonstrated that guardians' weight status, feeding practices, physical activity levels, and perceptions of obesity were significantly associated with obesity in companion animals. In particular, dogs were found to be more strongly influenced by their guardians' lifestyle patterns, whereas cats were more affected by indoor environmental conditions and feeding management, highlighting the need for species-specific approaches. The reviewed evidence also suggests that improving guardians' health behaviors may contribute to healthier outcomes for their pets. In conclusion, because humans and companion animals share the same socio-economic and living environments, pet obesity should be understood not merely as an individual health issue but as an environmental outcome arising from the interconnected relationship between guardians and their pets. Therefore, effective prevention and management of pet obesity require a comprehensive One Health approach that extends beyond veterinary diagnosis, dietary therapy, and exercise management to integrate human, animal, and environmental health while emphasizing shared responsibility among guardians, veterinary professionals, and public health sectors.

This study examined factors associated with dry and wet pet food feeding practices in the companion animal food market, where owners purchase food for their animals. An online survey was conducted among 334 dog and/or cat owners in South Korea. Binary logistic regression examined factors associated with mixed feeding of dry and wet food, and multiple linear regression examined factors associated with the proportion of dry food in the diet. Mixed feeding was more likely among older owners (p<.05). Compared with dog-only households, households raising both dogs and cats (p<.001) or cats only (p<.01) were also more likely to use mixed feeding. Owners who selected nutritional components or moisture content as important purchase considerations tended to be more likely to use mixed feeding, whereas longer pet ownership showed the opposite tendency (all p<.10). The proportion of dry food was lower in households raising both dogs and cats (p<.01) and among owners who selected moisture content as an important purchase consideration (p<.001). It was higher with longer pet ownership (p<.05) and better owner-rated pet health (p<.05). These findings indicate that owner age, household pet composition, ownership duration, perceived pet health, and purchase considerations are associated with feeding practices. The results may inform product development and marketing strategies for dry and wet pet food.

Severe fever with thrombocytopenia syndrome (SFTS) is an emerging tick-borne zoonosis whose public health risk is increasingly shaped by an expanding “tick–companion animal–human” transmission cycle. This study aimed to frame vaccination of companion animals as a One Health, transmission-blocking intervention and to identify the scientific and product-development bottlenecks that have delayed commercialization. We conducted (i) a structured narrative review of preclinical SFTS vaccine candidates across major platforms, including DNA vaccines, viral-vectored vaccines, live-attenuated vaccines, recombinant protein vaccines, lipid nanoparticle (LNP)-mRNA vaccines, and replicating RNA vaccines, and (ii) a cross-sectional survey of pet owners to assess disease awareness and vaccine acceptance. The survey revealed a clear implementation gap: while most respondents reported low awareness of SFTS, willingness to vaccinate companion animals was comparatively high, indicating substantial unmet demand. Across platforms, preclinical studies demonstrate protective efficacy, but practical translation is constrained by platform-specific barriers such as device-dependent delivery, biosafety concerns, limitations in inducing sterilizing immunity, and challenges in formulation stability, cold-chain logistics, and scalable manufacturing. We propose that target product profiles for veterinary SFTS vaccines should prioritize reduction or elimination of viremia and viral shedding as primary endpoints, rather than survival alone, to effectively interrupt spillover risk. Advancing candidates that meet these transmission-blocking criteria while resolving deployment and manufacturing constraints will be critical to achieving commercialization and establishing a durable immune barrier in companion animals.