Indoor cats require active environmental enrichment to maintain psychological and physical health, with a well-designed home providing genuine opportunities for natural behavioral expression.
Indoor cat welfare requires active owner commitment to creating an environment that meets feline behavioral needs within constrained space. The baseline of adequate indoor cat welfare includes: vertical space enabling territory expansion upward, multiple hiding locations, window access for environmental monitoring, daily interactive play for predatory behavioral expression, foraging opportunities, scratching surfaces, and ideally access to safely enclosed outdoor space. The welfare difference between a stimulating, enriched indoor environment and a barren flat with food and litter boxes is significant - comparable to the difference between an enriched and barren zoo enclosure for captive wildlife.