A comprehensive framework for indoor cat enrichment that addresses all five domains of cat welfare through environmental design.
Indoor cat enrichment done well is not about adding more toys — it is about engaging the full behavioral system of a predatory specialist in an environment that lacks the complexity of the ecosystem it was designed for. Cats need to hunt, even in play form with an appropriate completion; to explore novel scents and spaces; to rest securely at height; to engage socially at their own pace; and to exercise full voluntary control over their social and physical environment. Meeting these needs transforms the indoor environment from a comfortable prison into a genuinely enriching living space for an animal whose inner life is rich and whose behavioral needs are substantial.