Understanding and meeting domestic cats' behavioural needs is fundamental to their welfare, with many common behaviour problems reflecting unmet environmental or social requirements.
Domestic cat welfare is strongly influenced by the degree to which their environment meets their behavioural needs as solitary, territorial hunters. Conflict between cats — whether with other household cats or neighbouring cats with access to the same space — is a chronic stress driver that owners frequently fail to recognise. Stress in cats manifests subtly: over-grooming, hiding, reduced appetite, or aggression that owners misinterpret as personality rather than response to environmental pressure. The five pillars of a healthy feline environment — safe spaces, multiple and separated key resources, opportunity for play and predatory behaviour, positive and predictable human-cat social interaction, and respect for their sensory environment — provide a practical welfare framework.