knowyourcatient

KnowYourCatient is a community-driven initiative that proposes a standardized, privacy-conscious framework for recording and exchanging medical information about feline patients. The goal is to improve veterinary care by ensuring consistent data capture across clinics, rescue groups, and owners.

Its data model emphasizes cat-specific elements, including demographics (species is feline, breed, age, sex, sterilization status), identifiers (microchip number), vaccination history, preventive care, and lifestyle factors. Clinical data cover presenting complaints, physical examination findings, diagnostic tests, medications, procedures, and treatment outcomes. The framework also accommodates owner-reported observations such as behavior, appetite, weight, and environmental factors, while supporting consent and data-sharing preferences.

KnowYourCatient is designed to interoperate with existing veterinary electronic health records and practice management systems through standardized data schemas and APIs. It borrows privacy-preserving design principles and may align with international health data standards to facilitate aggregated research and population health analyses while protecting individual privacy.

Potential uses include clinical decision support, epidemiological studies, drug safety and adverse event reporting, welfare and shelter medicine, and owner education. By enabling consistent data capture, the project aims to improve treatment continuity, cross-clinic communication, and the accuracy of cat-health metrics.

Adoption challenges include variability in veterinary software, data privacy concerns, and the need for consent frameworks that satisfy different jurisdictions. Governance typically envisions a neutral standards body and community oversight, with open licensing and contribution guidelines to encourage collaboration.