Indoor cats retain full predatory motivation and require daily interactive play that mimics the hunt sequence to prevent frustration, obesity and stress-related health problems.
The predatory drive in domestic cats is not diminished by generations of domestication or reliable food provision. Indoor cats experience the full motivation to hunt without access to natural prey, and without appropriate outlet this frustration manifests as boredom, stress, obesity and redirected aggression toward humans or other cats. Meeting predatory needs through interactive play is not an optional extra but a core welfare requirement for indoor cats. The specific design of play — mimicking prey movement, allowing completion of the hunt sequence with a physical catch — determines whether the play genuinely satisfies motivation or merely provides exercise without behavioural fulfilment.