Territory is fundamental to feline psychology — understanding how cats use and defend space is essential for providing environments that promote positive welfare.
Territory for cats is not merely a preference — it is a fundamental psychological requirement built by millions of years of evolution as a solitary ambush predator. A cat that cannot establish and maintain a territory, or whose territory is constantly threatened by other cats or disrupted by environmental change, experiences chronic stress that manifests in physical health problems including cystitis, overgrooming and immune suppression. Environmental design that provides adequate vertical territory, multiple retreat locations, and resource separation in multi-cat households directly addresses this fundamental welfare need.