In Japan, an AI app is detecting pain in cats
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[Photo: Issei Kato/Reuters]

While pets are an integral part of many families around the world, these companions have an outsize role in Japan due to the aging population and plummeting birth rate.

Mayumi Kitakata frets about the health and well-being of Chi, her stoic housemate who enjoys treats, indulges a bit too much in the catnip, and about 14 is getting on in years for a feline.

Kitakata, 57, has had pet cats come and go over the years, and to help give Chi as many seasons as possible, she’s turned to artificial intelligence.In March, Kitakata became an early adopter of CatsMe!, an AI-driven smartphone application that purports to tell when a cat is feeling pain. That cuts down on the guesswork of when it is necessary to embark on a stressful trip to the veterinarian.