Research into companion animal enrichment has advanced significantly, providing evidence-based guidance for providing cognitively and physically stimulating lives for pets.
Enrichment science has moved beyond simply giving animals things to do and toward understanding what specific activities meet which psychological needs. For dogs, olfactory enrichment through nose work and sniff walks addresses foraging motivation powerfully and has been shown to increase optimism-associated judgement bias. For cats, opportunities for choice and control over their environment reduce stress associated with predictability deprivation. The common thread is agency: animals who can make meaningful choices about their environment and behaviour show better welfare outcomes than those in maximally enriched but pre-determined environments. Companion animal welfare is not just about absence of suffering but about regular access to activities that are genuinely rewarding.