Companion Animals

Promoting Positive Wellbeing in Cats

Beyond preventing disease and injury, promoting positive wellbeing in cats involves understanding and supporting what cats find rewarding and enjoyable.

Key Facts

Cats show positive affect through slow blinking, kneading, and relaxed posture
Play behaviour in cats peaks before age 3 but continues throughout life
Cats prefer multiple short feeding opportunities over two large meals
Allogrooming between bonded cats is a positive social behaviour
Cats in enriched environments show lower urinary cortisol metabolites

Welfare Considerations

Positive wellbeing in cats means more than the absence of pain and disease. Cats that have opportunities for play, choice, social grooming with compatible companions, and control over their environment show indicators of positive emotional states. Understanding and promoting these positive experiences is a key dimension of responsible cat ownership.

What You Can Do

Provide daily interactive play sessions that mimic hunting sequences
Let your cat choose social interaction rather than forcing it
Offer multiple small feeding opportunities using puzzle feeders
Create a stable and predictable home environment to support feline security
Monitor your cat's body language for signs of positive and negative emotional states