Cats are not fully social animals and multi-cat households frequently cause chronic stress. Understanding feline social requirements helps owners create environments where cats can coexist with good welfare.
Multi-cat households are one of the most common welfare problems in companion cats because the social requirements of cats are fundamentally different from dogs. While some cats form genuinely bonded pairs or groups, most tolerate rather than seek feline company, and forced cohabitation in resource-limited spaces causes chronic stress that manifests as physical illness, aggression and house soiling. The welfare solution involves ensuring adequate resources distributed through the home — multiple feeding stations, water sources in separate locations from food, appropriately located litter trays and sufficient vertical resting territory. The decision to add a cat to an existing single-cat household should be made carefully, with proper introduction protocols, and the option of rehoming if prolonged stress continues.