Indoor cats deprived of environmental enrichment suffer from boredom, frustration and stress-related illness, but evidence-based enrichment can transform their quality of life.
Environmental enrichment for indoor cats is not a luxury but a welfare necessity. Cats are active hunters with evolved motivations for stalking, chasing, catching and playing with prey. Without appropriate outlets, these drives build and express themselves as stress-related illness or problem behaviours. A well-enriched indoor cat life can provide excellent welfare outcomes - often better than outdoor access in high-traffic urban environments.