How evidence-based enrichment and housing design in animal shelters reduces stress and improves cat welfare during rehoming.
Cat shelter welfare is a well-researched area where evidence-based interventions can dramatically improve the wellbeing of cats during the vulnerable rehoming period. The stress of shelter life - unfamiliar environment, proximity to other cats and dogs, unpredictable human contact - causes measurable welfare compromise. Simple, inexpensive interventions like hiding boxes have been shown to reduce stress indicators significantly. Foster care programs that remove cats from shelter environments entirely represent the gold standard for feline welfare during rehoming. Supporting shelters that implement evidence-based welfare programs, and volunteering time for human-cat interaction programs, directly improves welfare for cats at their most vulnerable.