How to identify and address chronic stress in multicat households through environmental design and management changes.
Multicat household stress is a common and underrecognized welfare problem. Cats do not necessarily adapt to sharing space, and chronic low-level tension between housemates causes ongoing stress that manifests in physical health problems including recurrent cystitis and immune compromise. Welfare solutions focus on environmental design that allows all cats to access resources without confrontation — multiple feeding stations, litter boxes, water sources, and resting areas at different heights. When tension is severe, separation with slow reintroduction and veterinary behavioral assessment may be necessary.