Indoor cats face unique challenges to their physical and psychological wellbeing. A thoughtfully enriched environment can meet their complex needs and prevent behaviour problems.
Cats are obligate predators with strong instincts to hunt, stalk, scratch, climb, and patrol territories. Indoor confinement without adequate enrichment leads to chronic understimulation, which manifests as destructive behaviour, aggression, overgrooming, or obesity. The Five Freedoms framework highlights freedom to express normal behaviour as essential — for indoor cats, this means providing opportunities to hunt (via play), climb, scratch, hide, and have private spaces. Environmental enrichment is not a luxury but a welfare necessity.