Fishing cats are semi-aquatic wild cats of South and Southeast Asia that hunt by patting water surfaces to attract fish. Zoo welfare requires water features, fishing enrichment, and habitat that reflects their wetland ecology.
Fishing cat welfare in captivity is fundamentally about water access. As semi-aquatic hunters, fishing cats denied pools deep enough to wade or swim in cannot express their primary foraging behaviour. Shallow, decorative water features are inadequate — pools must be large enough for swimming and stocked with live or dead fish to enable fishing enrichment. Enclosure substrate should include wet areas, mud, and dense vegetation mimicking wetland habitat. Fishing cats are less stressed in cooler, humid environments resembling their riverine habitat than in dry, warm exhibit conditions. They are more active at dawn and dusk, and night viewing facilities improve visitor experience while respecting natural activity patterns. Social housing is possible for mated pairs but requires monitoring, as fishing cats can be aggressive toward conspecifics. Zoos housing fishing cats should actively participate in wetland conservation advocacy given the habitat crisis driving their decline.