Solo-housed indoor cats are at high risk of boredom, inactivity, and behavioral problems without appropriate enrichment that stimulates their natural hunting, climbing, and exploratory behaviors.
Solo indoor cats are one of the most at-risk populations for chronic welfare compromise through under-stimulation. The natural behavioral repertoire of cats includes hours of predatory activity, exploration, and territorial monitoring that bowl-fed, small-space cats cannot express. This behavioral frustration manifests as obesity, increased sleep, stress-related disease, and in some cats, redirected aggression. The gap between how solo indoor cats are typically kept and what their behavioral needs require is substantial and represents a widespread and underappreciated welfare problem.