Indoor cats live longer and safer lives but face significant risks of boredom, obesity and stress without adequate environmental enrichment. Evidence-based approaches meet their behavioural needs.
Indoor cats face a paradox: protection from outdoor hazards comes at the cost of behavioural opportunity. A cat that cannot hunt, climb, scratch, hide and choose social interactions at will experiences a reduced quality of life regardless of physical health. The consequences of inadequate enrichment include obesity, stress-related cystitis, redirected aggression, overgrooming and relationship problems with owners and other pets. The good news is that environmental enrichment is highly effective and relatively inexpensive: food puzzles, hunting-style play sessions, vertical territory, multiple sleeping locations and access to sights and smells of the outside world can transform the lived experience of an indoor cat. The ISFM and AAFP provide evidence-based indoor enrichment guidelines.