Play is a fundamental welfare need for cats that is often inadequately provided for, particularly in indoor-only households, with significant consequences for physical and psychological health.
Indoor cats without adequate play outlets express their predatory motivation through inappropriate behaviours including attacks on people, excessive vocalisation, and destructive behaviour. These behaviours are welfare indicators showing unmet needs rather than personality problems. Regular interactive play with appropriate wand toys that allow the full predatory sequence including catch and kill satisfies this core behavioural motivation and significantly improves indoor cat welfare.