Feline idiopathic cystitis, the most common cause of urinary obstruction, is strongly associated with stress, making environmental enrichment a frontline prevention tool.
Feline idiopathic cystitis is effectively a psychosomatic disease - stress triggers bladder inflammation through neurogenic pathways without requiring infection or crystals. The welfare dimension is dual: the physical pain of bladder inflammation and urethral spasm, and the psychological stress that initiates it. Enrichment programs that provide hunting opportunities, vertical space, hiding places, and reduced resource competition directly reduce both the psychological trigger and the physical welfare consequence.