Keeping cats permanently indoors protects them from road traffic and some diseases but poses significant welfare challenges that require active management to address.
Cats confined indoors without adequate enrichment experience boredom, frustration, and chronic low-level stress. This manifests as over-grooming, aggression, inappropriate elimination, and stress-related illness including FIC. The indoor environment must provide opportunities for the five categories of cat natural behaviour: predatory play, climbing, hiding, scratching, and choice of social contact. Multi-cat households require even more careful resource management to prevent chronic conflict and stress.