Stress causes or exacerbates multiple health conditions in cats, from urinary disease to herpesvirus flares. Understanding and reducing feline stress is fundamental to preventive healthcare.
The connection between psychological stress and physical illness in cats is well-established and has important implications for how we think about feline welfare. Cats experiencing chronic stress from resource competition, inadequate territory, unpredictable environments, or social conflict with other cats are at significantly elevated risk of multiple health conditions. The welfare approach to these conditions must address underlying stress causes rather than simply treating acute episodes. Environmental modification including adequate resources for each cat, hiding spaces, vertical territory, predictable routines, and minimising aversive interactions can substantially reduce stress-related disease recurrence. Recognising stress early through behavioural monitoring prevents the welfare costs of repeated illness episodes and the associated veterinary interventions.