Advances in cat cognition research are transforming our understanding of feline mental life. This understanding has direct implications for how we meet cat welfare needs in captivity.
Advances in feline cognition research are revealing a mental life more complex than the popular image of cats as aloof and independent suggests. Cats form secure attachment bonds with trusted humans, experience negative emotional states from separation and stress, and have episodic-like memory that allows them to remember specific experiences. These cognitive capabilities have direct welfare implications: cats that have had aversive veterinary experiences may experience anticipatory fear when approaching the clinic; cats separated from attachment figures experience genuine distress; individual personality variation means that welfare needs differ between individual cats in ways that require individualized attention. Understanding cat mental life enables more welfare-attuned care and earlier recognition of psychological distress.