Indoor cats face significant behavioral welfare challenges from environmental restriction, and evidence-based enrichment programs can dramatically improve their quality of life.
The indoor cat welfare challenge lies in providing the cognitive and physical stimulation that outdoor access would otherwise deliver. Effective enrichment programs combine predatory play sequences (stalk, chase, pounce, catch, consume), vertical space, novel olfactory stimuli, food puzzles, and windows with bird feeders. Evidence supports rotating enrichment to prevent habituation and maintain novelty-seeking behavior.