HesapHanem

CAT COPD Assessment Calculator

Rate each of the eight items from 0 to 5 to get your total CAT score.

How it is calculated

The tool adds up the eight answers: total = cough + phlegm + chest + breath + activities + confidence + sleep + energy. Each answer is a number from 0 (no problem) to 5 (worst), so the total runs from 0 to 40 and the maximum is shown next to it. All eight fields are required, and a value outside 0–5 gives no result. Decimals are not rejected; they are added and the total is rounded to a whole number for display, but the questionnaire itself is meant to be answered with whole numbers. The tool only gives the sum. It does not print an impact band, check lung function or replace a clinician's assessment, so interpret the number with the person treating the condition.

Worked example

A patient answers: cough 3, phlegm 2, chest tightness 2, breathlessness 4, activity limits 3, confidence leaving home 1, sleep 2, energy 3. Running sum: 3 + 2 = 5, + 2 = 7, + 4 = 11, + 3 = 14, + 1 = 15, + 2 = 17, + 3 = 20. The result is 20 out of 40. Repeating the test at later visits and comparing totals shows whether the symptom burden is changing.

Try this example →

Common mistakes

  • Scoring the items in the wrong direction. In the questionnaire 0 is the best answer for each item and 5 the worst, so a high total means a greater impact.
  • Entering a 1 to 6 scale or a percentage. Only 0 to 5 is accepted; a 6 returns no result.
  • Skipping an item that feels not applicable. All eight are needed; the tool cannot scale a partial score to 40.
  • Comparing a total with one made on a different day under different conditions, such as during an exacerbation, and reading the change as a trend.
  • Treating the total as a diagnosis or a treatment decision. It describes symptom impact, and the severity classification also uses spirometry and exacerbation history.

Sources

About this calculator

The COPD Assessment Test (CAT) is an eight-item patient-reported questionnaire covering cough, phlegm, chest tightness, breathlessness on exertion, activity limitation, confidence leaving home, sleep, and energy — each scored 0 to 5, for a total ranging from 0 to 40. Higher totals mean COPD is having a greater day-to-day impact on the patient's life, independent of lung function numbers alone.

This calculator adds your eight item scores and shows the total out of 40; it does not assign an impact band. In published CAT guidance, totals are grouped into low (under 10), medium (10–20), high (21–30), and very high (above 30) impact, and the score is one of the inputs GOLD guidelines use alongside spirometry and exacerbation history to classify COPD severity and guide treatment. Pulmonologists, respiratory therapists, and primary care physicians repeat the CAT at follow-up visits to track whether a patient's symptom burden is improving or worsening over time.

Was this helpful?

You can pick up to 3 reactions.

Comments (1)

  • Editorial team

    A single total can hide where the burden sits. A score of 20 may come mostly from breathlessness and low energy in one person, and mostly from cough and poor sleep in another, and the right follow-up differs. If you track the test, jot down the eight item answers with the date, not only the sum, and bring them to your clinician. Which item moves the most for you between visits?

Popular calculators

Loan Calculator

Monthly payment, total interest and full amortization schedule.

Percentage Calculator

Percent change, percent of, and ratio calculations.

Discount Calculator

Calculate final price, savings, and discount amount.

BMI Calculator

Body mass index from height and weight (metric or imperial).

Age Calculator

Compute your exact age in years, months and days from a birth date.

Compound Interest Calculator

Calculate the final amount and interest earned with compounding.

All Calculators