Cats are fundamentally solitary animals whose social needs differ from dogs. Understanding cat social organisation helps manage multi-cat households in ways that minimise stress and conflict.
Multi-cat households are common but frequently welfare-compromising. Unlike dogs, cats did not evolve to live in social groups and have limited repertoires for managing conflict peacefully. The result is often chronic low-level stress from resource competition — for food stations, litter trays, resting spots, and owner attention. This stress is often invisible to owners, who attribute apparent absence of fighting as evidence of harmony. The welfare-positive multi-cat household provides abundant resources in multiple locations, ensures there are sufficient escape routes and high resting places, and monitors carefully for signs of inter-cat stress and its health consequences.