Cats kept permanently indoors require enrichment to meet their predatory, exploratory, and social needs. Without it, boredom and frustration lead to behavioural and health problems.
Indoor cats that lack sufficient mental and physical stimulation develop stereotypic behaviours, over-grooming, and obesity. Obesity is linked to diabetes, arthritis, and liver disease in cats. Inadequate prey-play opportunity leads to redirected predatory aggression and frustration. The indoor environment needs to be actively enriched to compensate for natural territory. Social conflict in multi-cat homes is a major source of chronic stress and disease in cats.